Korean Job Discussion Forums

Coffeecup · Joined: 30 Jun 2003

I was walking around Sinchon looking for some food before turning in. I was standing on a main street which is actually very near those two "Zen I & II" bars, it's half a block away from that glass-shelter subway entrance near a Synnara Records and the TTL building on the opposite side of the Hyundai Dept store entrance.

I am standing there kinda zoned out a little looking at a building and I see this short Korean young man pacing a bit. He looks like he has the decency of a card shark and is dressed like one too. Some big gold earing in one ear and his hair looks like he dyed it too many times.

All a sudden this really nice group of 3, it's two attractive young women and what appears to be a slightly overweight guy, all at most mid 20s and all apparently know one another. The two girls are definately between good and great looking, definately respectable and of a normal life style.

They walk by me, and at that time the card shark guy approaches the two girls (while their male friend is walking with them) and takes one by the hand and some bowing occurs. Then appears some kind of flirtation "won't you come this way" followed by more of that. Then the two girls seem to make some decision and more communication is made to mr. card shark. Then the two girls actually look to their slightly overweight "olderbrother/oppa?" looking guy and appear to tell him and wish him to have a goodnight. He gracefully appears to slightly chuckle and kindly walk on in his business. It should be said again he was not an acquaintance of the approacher.

Then much to my disbelief the shark, all by himself with these two new great looking girls, does more hand shaking and all this courtsy stuff like some kind of square dancing. The girls actually receive this cheesy -ss flirtation like it's really nice or something! Like he was proposing marriage and they were sort of thrilled. I should also say this guy was all by himself but obviously working a job.

Then the guy implies come this way, he actually jumps out into the street, and like some kind of "gentleman" he stops traffic both ways and leads them across the street. By this time I am thinking something is fishy. Because traffic was at a full stop I decide to follow 30 seconds behind. Sure enough he has taken them to a white van, with clear (not shaded) windows and has actually loaded them into this. They seem rather hesitent but decide to get in. Then all of a sudden out of nowhere this slobby guy, apparently not a player but just a driver, gets into the van driver seat and starts to wisk them away.

On the back side of the van is a business sign which says "Maharaja," the name of a popular world wide nightclub a decade ago but haven't seen around recently. Even as they drove away I looked at those two girls and they had this strange look like they were getting into something I couldn't seem to understand.

That was it, they were gone. I've seen this "Maharaja" van around before. But in any event, I later walked by that same area of mr. card shark when I was on my way back home and sure enough he was out there, working alone (or some other buddy was around).

Does anyone know what this guy was doing? Is this a direct relation to those "male hosts" in Japan that everyone likes to make fun of? I definately don't think the women were into prostitution because they were way too classy for that. Furthermore the chubby older brother didn't seem to be "worried" but instead let them go like "hey, hehe have fun." Were they going to a simple drinking club?

In any event, man that is so lame. Fact is those girls were WAY good looking, all they had to do is dress a little more provocative and they could have had REGULAR men flocking to them buying THEM stuff, not this card shark stuff whatever it was that they probably had to pay money for. Again does anyone know exactly what that stuff is?

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

They call those guys "PICKIES" as they pick girls out of the street and try to encourage them to go to 'Booking Clubs'. They are employed by the bar/club to bring in as many women as possible.

A "Booking Club" is a place where guys and girls meet.. kind of like a disco.. nothing sexual about it.. its just their job to get girls into those clubs so it evens out the male/female ratio..

They are overpriced places for the guys.. and whichever girls come in.. are set down at guys tables and they talk for awhile.. and if they like the conversation they stay and talk more.. if they don't like each other.. they move the girls around to other tables.

Women drink for free.. men usually pay something like 40,000 to 50,000 won for a table I believe.. or each.. something like that.. too expensive for me to enjoy.. but thats basically what thats all about.

Coffeecup · Joined: 30 Jun 2003

awwww booking clubs, that's what that was. Yah I knew it couldn't have been anything really bad or strange, because for one the girls as well as their male friend acted like it wasn't anything bad, and also the windows of the van were as clear as water (i.e. I think anything suspect would have been tinted). And besides those girls were just too normal pretty to be involved in anything more seedy.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

helly · Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Location: WORLDWIDE

Much of the time, women do drink for free in the booking clubs. If they are booking, that is.

They definitely get in free. Once they are seated at various tables, they drink the guy's booze. If they are hesitant to be "booked" and would rather sit with their own group of girls at a separate table, they would be buying their own. But, in my experience, this rarely happens.

As a side note: Coffeecup, the fact that these two young lovelies appeared so classy should have nothing to do with whether they were into prostitution or not. You may be surprised at who is involved in what.

kylehawkins2000 · Joined: 08 Apr 2003

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if they were involved in prostitution. It certainly doesn't seem to have the same seediness to it here. The women seem to look relatively classy sometimes........sort of defies the stereotype...

The booking club thing sounds like a likely scenario if they didn't know the card shark guy though....

FierceInvalid · Joined: 16 Mar 2003

Booking clubs have vans just for the sprookers to have a wider range? That doesn't sound very financially wise to me, but who knows....

jaebea · Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Location: SYD

They make a killing on the drinks and extras.

Bottles of say, Johnny Walker Black that we can buy for $45 AU (around 36 500 won), will sell at a table for say, $95 AUD (around 77 000 won).

Do the math, when each table has 2-3 bottles of the stuff, plus charge for nibblies or fruit platters, plus a few very overpriced beers, and you can see that the margins are huge.

If they're picking out classy/nice looking women, then the spruikers will probably get bonuses. A club's reputation is based on how many nice looking girls are available for booking (the direct korean translation is "quality of water" of a club). So it's in the club's best interests to get the best looking girls into their club, even if that means travelling a little bit far and wide to get them.

jae.

komtengi · Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Location: Slummin it up in Haebangchon

Generally booking club is a korean nightclub, as most bars dont do as such. Women and men both get in for free, but men will pay more to drink. At a place like Boss in Apkujung, it may cost a group of three women 180,000 won and the same thing will cost a group of three males 300,000. Thats a set price, more booze and more food will set you back plenty. And to really get any booking done tip the waiter.......... Wink

YiSunSin · Joined: 08 Jun 2003

William Beckerson · Guest

No, just stalkers from the looks of it.

Gord · Joined: 25 Feb 2003

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

Ahhh, he's a just curious newbie, and who can blame him? His description made it all sound so exciting that I couldn't even begin to guess that he just saw something as mundane (to us anyway) as a nightclub tout trying to lure a couple of hotties for free anju.

It kinda reminds me of my second night in Korea when I heard I siren's song off in the distance. Was it some ancient religious ritual? A political rally with teargas on the way? I followed the noise for at least 6 blocks to investigate only to find... a vegetable truck! Embarassed

To be a newbie again. Good times.... good times....

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

I agree.. I quite like coffeecup posts.. great writing style.. and it really draws you in.. I don't think I've yet read an uninteresting Coffeecup post.. always kind of grabs you by the seat of your pants and you know you are in for the ride..

Great writing style