Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wormholes101]

Do Korean people really travel so much that they need this many places to sleep?

[J.B. Clamence]

I've always assumed that they need a place to do "the nasty", since most young people seem to live with their parents and a lot of married couples live in tiny apartments with their kids.

[Derrek]

When you are here long enough, you will learn that sex is the major Korean passtime. Forget all of the crap you hear about conservativism, etc. They dress conservative, but they screw around on each other unlike any people I have ever seen. Married, unmarried, you name it -- they play. It's the dark secret of Korean culture. Of course, VERY few Koreans will admit to this -- many even after you get to know them well. I sometimes wonder if it's taught in schools that they need to hide all of this from the foreigners. There are whole areas of this city -- literally sevearl blocks -- filled with women selling sex. I didn't know about that until someone showed me. It's not easy to find, even though you might walk by such a place every day and not notice.

I have a few ajumma-friends who are a few years older than me. They love to hear my stories about how Korean girls act towards foreigners in sexual ways. They act shocked, but at the same time I know they are interested in playing around on their husbands because they tell me they want to. One I can understand -- she coexists with her husband for the sake of the kids, but they hardly communicate, and didn't have sex for like 1 1/2 years (by his choice). Many nights he didn't come home, with no explanation. She was often flirting with people online and I know I could have a romance with her at any time, although I told her no way if she is married. Her friend is worse -- a devoutly religious woman who has a husband who treats her very well, but she just isn't attracted to him. So she has struggled with what to do about her urges, and now is seeking a romance of her own -- also online. I'm sure they don't tell me everything about their goings-on, which is OK.

When I hear Koreans blab about how the USA has such a high divorce rate, I remind them it's because people don't coexist after it's over in their minds, as Koreans do. They get a divorce. I think that due to cultural reasons, when divorce becomes more accepted, this country will have a terribly high divorce rate far above most every other place.

Women are quick to blame it on the men and the culture of the Korean man. Maybe this is true, but it takes 2 to tango.

Also, not sure how long you've been here, but those barber shops that are everywhere -- if they are below-ground, they are also prostitution.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

[some waygug-in]

I agree with most of what you said, although I have never been introduced to one of those "areas". There was a small area near where I used to live, it was only half a block long and if you blinked, you would miss it.

My korean friend, (male) is always trying to get me to go with him to visit one of these places. I explained to him that I have a girlfriend. He just smiles and says, but you are a man, aren't you?

When talking to him more about it, he says that he sees nothing wrong with going there once a month or so. "Sometimes my girlfriend doesn't satisfy me". I asked, "what if your girlfriend did that"? He didn't like that senario much at all.
Then I asked if his girlfriend knew that he goes there. He replied that he always tells her that he never goes there.

I suppose though, if I didn't have a girlfriend, the temptation to visit theses areas would soon overwhelm any misgivings I have about it.

Cheers

[peppermint]

[Kwangjuchicken]

[Real Reality]

Yogwans are the Korean equivalent of the Japanese Ryokan but without any meals included.

One note of caution: some of these place double as "Love Motels"--discreet places where Koreans can get a little extra-marital action. On one occasion, a foreign guest went out for the afternoon and came back to find his room had been allocated to a couple on an hourly basis; to cut a long story short he was informed of this after he walked in on them in the shower. A cursory glance around the place should leave you in no doubt, unless you think heart shaped beds, condom machines on every corridor, and an extensive range of 'blue' movies are usual hotel facilities.
bang-ee issoyo? Do you have a room?
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/cityguide_travel/travel/hotels_in_south_korea_in_general/_review/291929/

You're staying in a love motel and you still want to go to the barber?
Where else in the world would that sentence make any sense?
Part I. In Korea, a barbershop pole means, as you'd expect, that this establishment is a barbershop. Two such poles, however, mean that you get a little extra service with your haircut, if you know what I mean.
Part II. In Korea, people tend to live with their parents, even once they're married. This equates to very little private time. (Again, know what I'm saying?) So men take their wives for little getaways to these cheap motels, commonly referred to as 'love motels'. Backpackers also often stay at these places, because they're pretty cheap accommodation.
http://www.wsrgraphics.com/oldblogs/2003_01_01_old.html

[Derrek]

[just because]

I thought this was a joke???
If seriously you really don't know then you must have your head in the ground. It is all about the poon baby.
poon poon poon poon.

















poontang

[Holyjoe]

DVD "Bangs"... well... do exactly as they say on the tin.

I'm assuming the OP knew what it's all about because of the cheeky wee smiley in the post...

[J.B. Clamence]

[kangnam mafioso]

there are millions of yeogwans in seoul because there are millions of people, subways stop at midnight, there is a lot of licit and illicit sex occuring before and after marriage, many people commute into seoul very far from their homes and most unmarried koreans live with their damn parents so there ain't no place to get it on unless you want to go to a video bang, which kind of sucks.

there are some really nice yeogwans in seoul and very seedy ones as well, depending on how much you want to pay. most are in the 30-40,000 per night range which is convenient compared to places like london and new york where a budget room can cost $80-110. do the math, folks.

if you're just looking for a cheap place to crash, another option is the 24 hour saunas scattered around the business areas -- which have nap rooms for about 7,000.

[Mr. Pink]

Have any of you ever travelled during the holiday season?

I doubt Seoul fills most of their yeogwans/motels, but the small towns out there definately do!

I went to Seokcho once with some mates from work, and it was hard to find a place, we ended up bunking in some Adjuma's house, as all the motels were FULL.

I also went to Mok'po during tourist season: Most places were packed, we found a guy who kept a room for "foreign" visitors at his motel, so we got lucky...it was still Korean style though.

So I think they are needed in the tourist type areas.

In Seoul - it is probably like many posters said, all about the sex, or for people passing through.

[Swiss James]

In the area where I live (Gangseo-gu) there are an unbelievable number of love motels, business clubs, Room Salons, and little barber shops. Even though I suppose you could almost call it a red light district, it's taken me months of living there to realise just how many of the places were offering the same services under various guises.
In a way I kind of admire the tact that Koreans show about the whole thing.

On the beeping thing, I'm curious now and want to try something- the actor who played opposite Julie Andrews in 'Mary Poppins' was called Dick van Dyke.