South Korea’s rapid economic development has suggested some shocking adjustments within its conventional social framework, consisting of the rise of so-called host bars, where wealthy females pay the matching of thousands of bucks for male business.

In the dim light of a basement, a lots flawlessly groomed young males kneel in rows, calling out their names.

Muscular, with glossy boy-band hairdos, they stuff side-by-side into the slim area, waiting for us to make our selection. Outdoors in the passage, even more of their coworkers are showing up for another night at work. It is 2am, as well as we are their first customers.

Surprise under the sidewalks of Seoul’s ritziest postcode, Gangnam, the guys at Bar 123 become part of a growing industry, which expanded out of the lengthy customs of Japanese geisha as well as Korea’s kisaeng houses yet with one essential difference – the customers below are all women.

Called “host bars”, these all-night drinking areas offer female customers the chance to pay as well as pick for male companions, sometimes at an expense of countless extra pounds an evening.

One of the ladies I fulfill at Bar 123 is Minkyoung, a waitressing manager for a five-star hotel. When or twice a month, she states she comes to host bars.

The attraction of host bars can be refined. Right here, she says, she has more attention from her male companions, more choice and, crucially, more control.

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” In normal bars the men that consume with me have just one objective – to have an one-night stand. I don’t want that, so that’s why I come here, I desire to have fun,” she states.

Hosts are hired by bars such as this one to provide companionship and also amusement. Formally that suggests putting drinks for their clients, dancing as well as talking with them, as well as vocal singing karaoke.

Host bar in Seoul

Sex is not officially on deal in a lot of host bars. That would be prohibited yet even Minkyoung seems happy to touch and flirt with her host, as well as the males right here approximate that around half the clients wish to spend for sex, either on or off the facilities.

James has been operating at Bar 123 for a couple of years. In Korean culture, he says, there is a great deal of satisfaction and negotiating a price for sex is never ever done clearly. Instead, he tells me, it is all to the host’s own analysis.

” The guys here are pros – we understand what we’re doing,” he says.

” After speaking with a lady for a hr we basically understand how much money she makes and also what she provides for a living. We’ve currently evaluated her individuality and also what she wants to offer.”

James as well as various other hosts say their customers include several of South Korea’s elite, and that the cash and advantages available are astonishing. One client James satisfied, during his initial week in the work, asked him to sign himself over to her for 2 years.

” She stated ‘let’s make an agreement. I’ve obtained this item of paper and I’ve numbered it 1-5. Whatever you document alongside those numbers, I’ll obtain you.'”.

James claims at the time he took it as a joke however considering that learnt the same lady spent ₤ 60,000 ($ 97,000) on one more host.

” If it occurred now, I ‘d do it – I ‘d be believing straight.”.

Ironically possibly, host bars outgrew one of Korea’s most entrenched and also, some say, misogynist organization customs – the area beauty parlor. These are personal drinking areas where groups of males select, as well as are served by, appealing female people hosting.

It was the hostesses’ requirement to allow off heavy steam after work, claims veteran host Kim Dong-hee, that produced the preliminary demand for host bars, with all-male personnel.

” What these hostesses desire is to [make us] do the exact same thing they needed to do in their own office. These girls are required to do points they do not wish to provide for cash.

” I think a great deal of them are in discomfort, as well as a lot feel lonesome. Merely placed, they wish to buy our time as well as our bodies.”.

Hostesses still comprise a large percentage of the consumers at host bars here, yet at Bar 123, for instance, approximately 40% of the consumers on a given night are now from various other profession.

The reasons for that expanding appeal are bound in South Korea’s rapid economic increase. Within 50 years, the country changed from post-war devastation to OECD participant.

However, according to Jasper Kim, head of the Asia-Pacific Global Research Group in Seoul, something vital was lost along the road.

” I think that with all this fast growth comes rapid modification, and Koreans simply don’t know just how to cope with it. Significantly, commercialism is overtaking standard social standards that you would anticipate a couple of years ago.”.

Jasper Kim claims South Korea’s notoriously lengthy functioning hours have left several Korean females really feeling lonely, while the country’s technological breakthrough has actually left lots of individuals feeling removed.

” The human aspect of Korean society that existed before merely doesn’t exist today. Individuals are focused on innovation, people are focused on their jobs, they aren’t focused on human relationships any longer.

” In numerous ways, Korean society today sort of reminds me of 1960s culture in the US, where it’s on the verge of some sort of cultural change.”.

The grandfather of Seoul’s host bar scene, Kim Dong-hee, concurs that a number of the women that concern host bars are not paying for sex but also for friendship, which is why he opened a brand-new chain of freshly-marketed electrical outlets targeted at the mainstream market – called Red Model Bars.

Red Model Bar hosts.

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Hosts at Red Model Bars can not touch clients.

” Men intend to have aesthetic pleasure as well as want to feel things, they’re responsive. Ladies like to speak and also to pay attention. 강남룸 Which’s why I thought about opening a bar such as this – a type of discussion bar.”.

Red Model Bars are different to conventional host bars in one key regard – there is a no-touching rule. Hosts rest on one side of the table, clients on the various other, as well as no physical call is permitted, as well as certainly no sex.

Probably because of this there is a lack of furtiveness among individuals that function or consume right here – the lights are low, the decoration mainly dark red and also the space is separated into very discreet booths, however it is an open-plan area and also customers and hosts are separated in each cubicle by a large table.

This new company model depends entirely on females paying the equivalent of hundreds and even thousands of bucks to speak to attractive boys over a drink. Still, it seems to be working – three brand-new branches result from open this year.

Sitting at a table at one end of the bar was one of their normal customers, a flower shop called Kim Nayu. She tells me she comes here each day to satisfy her much-loved host and also review concerns she is contending work.

The cost for this piece of male focus is $487-650 (₤ 300-400) a day.

” Talking to buddies would be more affordable” she admits, “yet they do not listen as much. They’re busy, as well as quickly to discuss themselves. Below, people will certainly take note of me as well as they’ll pay attention to me.”.

” I spend a great deal of cash yet it deserves it wherefore I obtain mentally. People pay to go to see a psychologist or psychoanalyst, so it’s comparable but less difficult.”.

Nayu’s favorite host Sung-il claims it can be tough to maintain his expert and also personal life different.

” Honestly I would certainly be existing if I say I have not been attracted to take things even more with some consumers, due to the fact that we’re human, we’re men, yet there are regulations.”.

One of his consumers yapped to her partner concerning him and also when the three of them satisfied, Sung-il and the spouse became friends.

” No one hides – the workers don’t conceal that they function below, and customers can be open also.”.

This visibility is posturing a new kind of obstacle to South Korean culture, various from the sometimes sleazy underworld of traditional host bars and their hinterland of male prostitution.

By providing females a “commendable” way to challenge typical gender roles and also bend their economic power, these new bars ask inquiries of Korean society that are becoming more difficult to overlook.

Listen to the full report on BBC Radio 4’s Crossing Continents. You can pay attention through the Radio 4 web site or via the Crossing Continents podcast.

The attraction of host bars can be refined. Here, she says, she has even more attention from her male friends, even more selection and, crucially, even more control.

James has been functioning at Bar 123 for a couple of years. Rather, he tells me, it is all down to the host’s own evaluation.

As well as that’s why I believed of opening up a bar like this – a kind of discussion bar.”.