South Korea's fast financial growth has indicated some startling changes within its conventional social structure, including the surge of supposed host bars, where affluent ladies pay the matching of thousands of bucks for male business.
In the dark light of a basement, a lots perfectly groomed young males stoop in rows, calling out their names.
Muscular, with glossy boy-band hairstyles, they stuff side by side into the narrow room, waiting for us to make our selection. Outside in the hallway, more of their colleagues are getting here for another night at the office. It is 2am, and also we are their initial clients.
Hidden underneath the pavements of Seoul's ritziest postal code, Gangnam, the males at Bar 123 belong to a growing market, which outgrew the long customs of Japanese geisha and Korea's kisaeng houses yet with one vital distinction - the customers here are all females.
Understood as "host bars", these all-night alcohol consumption areas use female clients the chance to choose as well as pay for male buddies, in some cases at a cost of hundreds of pounds a night.
Among the ladies I fulfill at Bar 123 is Minkyoung, a waitressing supervisor for a luxury hotel. She states she comes to host bars one or two times a month.
The appeal of host bars can be refined. Below, she states, she has even more focus from her male buddies, even more option as well as, crucially, even more control.
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" In regular bars the individuals who consume alcohol with me have only one goal - to have an one-night stand. I do not desire that, so that's why I come below, I desire to have enjoyable," she says.
Hosts are hired by bars similar to this one to offer companionship and entertainment. Officially that means putting drinks for their clients, dancing and also talking with them, as well as vocal singing karaoke.
Host bar in Seoul
Sex is not officially on deal in the majority of host bars. That would certainly be unlawful but also Minkyoung seems satisfied to flirt as well as touch with her host, and also the guys here approximate that around half the consumers desire to spend for sex, either on or off the properties.
James has been functioning at Bar 123 for a number of years. In Korean society, he claims, there is a whole lot of satisfaction as well as discussing a rate for sex is never ever done explicitly. Rather, he informs me, it is all to the host's very own analysis.
" The people below are pros - we understand what we're doing," he says.
" After speaking to a woman for a hr we primarily recognize how much money she makes and also what she does for a living. We've currently evaluated her personality and what she's willing to provide."
James as well as other hosts say their clients consist of a few of South Korea's elite, and also that the cash and also advantages available are incredible. One customer James met, during his initial week in the work, asked him to sign himself over to her for 2 years.
" She said 'let's make a contract. I've got this piece of paper and I've numbered it 1-5. Whatever you jot down next to those numbers, I'll obtain you.'".
James states at the time he took it as a joke but considering that discovered the exact same female spent ₤ 60,000 ($ 97,000) on another host.
" If it happened now, I 'd do it - I 'd be assuming straight.".
Paradoxically probably, host bars outgrew among Korea's most established and also, some say, misogynist company traditions - the area beauty salon. These are private drinking rooms where teams of men select, and are served by, attractive female people hosting.
It was the people hosting' demand to allow off steam after work, states veteran host Kim Dong-hee, that created the preliminary demand for host bars, with all-male team.
" What these hostesses desire is to [make us] do the very same thing they needed to do in their very own workplace. These girls are compelled to do points they do not wish to provide for money.
" I believe a whole lot of them are in pain, as well as a whole lot feel lonely. Merely put, they wish to acquire our time as well as our bodies.".
People hosting still compose a big percentage of the customers at host bars right here, but at Bar 123, for instance, approximately 40% of the consumers on an offered night are currently from other profession.
The reasons for that expanding allure are bound in South Korea's fast financial rise. Within 50 years, the country moved from post-war devastation to OECD participant.
According to Jasper Kim, head of the Asia-Pacific Global Research Group in Seoul, something vital was shed along the means.
" I believe that with all this fast development comes rapid modification, and also Koreans simply do not recognize how to handle it. Significantly, commercialism is overtaking basic societal standards that you would anticipate a pair of years earlier.".
Jasper Kim states South Korea's infamously lengthy working hours have left several Korean females really feeling lonesome, while the nation's technological breakthrough has left many individuals really feeling separated.
" The human element of Korean culture that existed before just doesn't exist today. Individuals are focused on innovation, people are concentrated on their jobs, they aren't concentrated on human relations any longer.
" In several means, Korean society today type of advises me of 1960s culture in the US, where it's on the edge of some sort of social revolution.".
The grandpa of Seoul's host bar scene, Kim Dong-hee, agrees that a number of the ladies who involve host bars are not spending for sex but also for friendship, which is why he opened up a new chain of freshly-marketed electrical outlets intended at the mainstream market - called Red Model Bars.
Red Model Bar hosts.
Picture inscription,.
Hosts at Red Model Bars can not touch customers.
" Men want to have visual pleasure and also wish to feel points, they're responsive. Women like to chat as well as to listen. As well as that's why I considered opening up a bar similar to this - a sort of discussion bar.".
Red Model Bars are various to standard host bars in one key regard - there is a no-touching rule. Hosts rest on one side of the table, consumers on the various other, and no physical get in touch with is enabled, and also absolutely no sex.
Possibly therefore there is an absence of furtiveness amongst the people that work or consume below - the lights are reduced, the decor mostly dark red and also the space is split into discreet cubicles, but it is an open-plan room and hosts and customers are divided in each booth by a large table.
This brand-new company version depends completely on women paying the matching of hundreds or perhaps thousands of bucks to chat to fine-looking young males over a drink. Still, it seems to be working - three brand-new branches are due to open this year.
Sitting at a table at one end of bench was just one of their normal clients, a flower shop called Kim Nayu. She informs me she comes below on a daily basis to meet her preferred host and also discuss concerns she is contending job.
The cost for this slice of male focus is $487-650 (₤ 300-400) a day.
" Talking to friends would be less costly" she admits, "but they do not listen as much. They're busy, as well as in a hurry to talk regarding themselves. Right here, individuals will certainly take notice of me as well as they'll listen to me.".
" I spend a great deal of money yet it's worth it wherefore I obtain emotionally. People pay to go to see a psychologist or psychoanalyst, so it's similar but less stressful.".
Nayu's much-loved host Sung-il claims it can be tough to keep his individual and also professional life different.
" Honestly I 'd be existing if I say I have not been attracted to take points even more with some consumers, since we're human, we're guys, but there are rules.".
Among his customers talked a great deal to her husband regarding him and when the three of them met, Sung-il as well as the hubby became buddies.
" No one conceals - the employees don't hide that they work here, and also customers can be open as well.".
This visibility is presenting a new sort of challenge to South Korean culture, different from the often seedy underworld of standard host bars and also their hinterland of male prostitution.
By offering women a "decent" method to challenge traditional sex duties and bend their economic power, these new bars ask concerns of Korean culture that are ending up being more challenging to disregard.
Listen to the full record on BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents. You can pay attention by means of the Radio 4 internet site or by means of the Crossing Continents podcast.
The attraction of host bars can be subtle. Below, she says, she has even more interest from her male companions, even more selection and also, crucially, more control.
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James has been functioning at Bar 123 for a couple of years. Instead, he tells me, it is all down to the host's very own analysis.
And that's why I believed of opening a bar like this - a kind of discussion bar.".