South Korea's rapid economic development has suggested some startling changes within its conventional social framework, consisting of the rise of supposed host bars, where affluent ladies pay the matching of thousands of dollars for male company.
In the dark light of a below ground area, a lots perfectly groomed young males stoop in rows, calling out their names.
Muscle, with shiny boy-band hairdos, they cram alongside right into the narrow space, waiting on us to make our selection. Outdoors in the passage, more of their coworkers are arriving for one more evening at the office. It is 2am, as well as we are their first customers.
Hidden below the pavements of Seoul's ritziest postcode, Gangnam, the men at Bar 123 are component of a growing market, which outgrew the long traditions of Japanese geisha and Korea's kisaeng houses however with one important difference - the consumers here are all females.
Called "host bars", these all-night alcohol consumption spaces provide women customers the chance to pick and pay for male friends, sometimes at an expense of hundreds of extra pounds an evening.
Among the women I meet at Bar 123 is Minkyoung, a waitressing supervisor for a luxury resort. As soon as or twice a month, she claims she comes to host bars.
The attraction of host bars can be refined. Here, she says, she has even more attention from her male friends, even more option and, crucially, even more control.
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" In routine bars the men who consume alcohol with me have just one objective - to have an one-night stand. I don't want that, so that's why I come right here, I want to have enjoyable," she says.
Hosts are employed by bars like this one to provide friendship and also amusement. Officially that implies putting beverages for their customers, chatting and dancing with them, and also vocal singing karaoke.
Host bar in Seoul
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Sex is not formally on deal in the majority of host bars. That would be illegal but also Minkyoung seems pleased to touch and flirt with her host, and also the men right here estimate that around half the customers wish to pay for sex, either on or off the premises.
James has been operating at Bar 123 for a number of years. In Korean society, he says, there is a great deal of satisfaction and working out a rate for sex is never ever done clearly. Instead, he informs me, it is all down to the host's very own analysis.
" The men below are pros - we understand what we're doing," he states.
" After speaking to a lady for a hr we generally understand just how much cash she makes and also what she does for a living. We've currently analysed her personality and what she wants to give."
James and other hosts say their clients consist of some of South Korea's elite, and that the cash and also rewards on deal are incredible. One client James met, during his very first week in the job, asked him to sign himself over to her for 2 years.
" She claimed 'allow's make a contract. I've obtained this paper as well as I've numbered it 1-5. Whatever you document alongside those numbers, I'll get you.'".
James states at the time he took it as a joke yet given that discovered out the very same lady invested ₤ 60,000 ($ 97,000) on another host.
" If it took place currently, I 'd do it - I 'd be believing straight.".
Paradoxically possibly, host bars grew out of among Korea's most established and, some say, misogynist service traditions - the room hair salon. These are personal drinking spaces where teams of guys pick, and also are offered by, eye-catching women hostesses.
It was the people hosting' demand to allow off heavy steam after job, states professional host Kim Dong-hee, that created the first demand for host bars, with all-male personnel.
" What these people hosting want is to [make us] do the very same point they needed to do in their own work environment. These women are forced to do things they do not desire to provide for cash.
" I assume a great deal of them are in pain, and a lot really feel lonesome. Simply put, they intend to acquire our time and our bodies.".
People hosting still compose a large percentage of the customers at host bars right here, yet at Bar 123, as an example, up to 40% of the clients on a provided night are now from other walks of life.
The factors for that expanding allure are connected up in South Korea's quick financial surge. Within 50 years, the nation changed from post-war devastation to OECD member.
According to Jasper Kim, head of the Asia-Pacific Global Research Group in Seoul, something vital was lost along the means.
" I assume that with all this quick growth comes rapid change, and also Koreans simply don't recognize how to deal with it. Increasingly, commercialism is surpassing fundamental social norms that you would expect a couple of years back.".
Jasper Kim says South Korea's infamously long functioning hours have actually left numerous Korean females feeling lonely, while the nation's technical advance has actually left many individuals really feeling detached.
" The human component of Korean society that existed in the past merely doesn't exist today. Individuals are focused on modern technology, individuals are concentrated on their work, they aren't concentrated on human connections any longer.
" In numerous means, Korean culture today type of advises me of 1960s society in the United States, where it's on the verge of some type of social transformation.".
The grandfather of Seoul's host bar scene, Kim Dong-hee, concurs that a number of the women that come to host bars are not spending for sex but for friendship, which is why he opened a new chain of freshly-marketed outlets focused on 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 visual satisfaction as well as wish to really feel things, they're tactile. Females like to speak and to listen. As well as that's why I thought of opening a bar similar to this - a type of discussion bar.".
Red Model Bars are various to typical host bars in one key respect - there is a no-touching regulation. Hosts sit on one side of the table, customers on the various other, and no physical contact is enabled, as well as certainly no sex.
Possibly consequently there is an absence of furtiveness amongst individuals that work or consume here - the lights are low, the style generally dark red and also the room is separated into very discreet booths, yet it is an open-plan area and also clients and also hosts are separated in each cubicle by a huge table.
This brand-new company version depends entirely on women paying the equivalent of hundreds and even thousands of dollars to speak to good-looking boys over a beverage. Still, it seems to be working - three brand-new branches are because of open this year.
Resting at a table at one end of the bar was one of their regular consumers, a floral designer called Kim Nayu. She tells me she comes right here each day to fulfill her preferred host and also go over issues she is having at work.
The cost for this slice of male attention is $487-650 (₤ 300-400) a day.
" Talking to friends would be less expensive" she confesses, "yet they do not pay attention as much. They're hectic, and quickly to speak regarding themselves. Below, individuals will certainly focus on me as well as they'll pay attention to me.".
" I spend a whole lot of cash yet it deserves it for what I get emotionally. Individuals pay to go to see a psycho therapist or psychoanalyst, so it's similar but much less difficult.".
Nayu's favorite host Sung-il says it can be difficult to maintain his individual and also professional life different.
" Honestly I 'd be existing if I claim I haven't been attracted to take points even more with some consumers, because we're human, we're guys, however there are guidelines.".
One of his customers yapped to her hubby concerning him and also when the 3 of them met, Sung-il as well as the husband ended up being close friends.
" No one conceals - the workers do not conceal that they work here, and also customers can be open as well.".
This openness is positioning a new type of challenge to South Korean society, different from the often shabby underworld of traditional host bars and also their hinterland of male prostitution.
By offering women a "commendable" method to test conventional sex roles and also bend their economic power, these brand-new bars ask inquiries of Korean culture that are coming to be tougher to ignore.
Hear the full record on BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents. You can pay attention by means of the Radio 4 web site or via the Crossing Continents podcast.
The appeal of host bars can be subtle. Below, she says, she has more attention from her male buddies, even more selection and also, most importantly, more control.
James has actually been working at Bar 123 for a couple of years. Rather, he informs me, it is all down to the host's own analysis.
And that's why I believed of opening a bar like this - a kind of dialogue bar.".