South Korea's rapid financial growth has suggested some startling adjustments within its conservative social structure, including the rise of supposed host bars, where affluent women pay the equivalent of thousands of bucks for male company.
In the dark light of a below ground area, a loads completely groomed boys stoop in rows, calling out their names.
Muscular, with glossy boy-band hairdos, they stuff alongside into the narrow area, waiting for us to make our selection. Outdoors in the passage, even more of their coworkers are getting here for an additional evening at the workplace. It is 2am, as well as we are their first consumers.
Covert underneath the pavements of Seoul's ritziest postal code, Gangnam, the men at Bar 123 belong to a growing market, which outgrew the long customs of Japanese geisha and also Korea's kisaeng residences yet with one important difference - the consumers here are all ladies.
Referred to as "host bars", these all-night alcohol consumption rooms provide women consumers the opportunity to choose and pay for male buddies, sometimes at a cost of countless extra pounds an evening.
One of the women I fulfill at Bar 123 is Minkyoung, a waitressing manager for a first-class hotel. She claims she comes to host bars one or two times a month.
The allure of host bars can be refined. Here, she claims, she has more attention from her male friends, more choice as well as, most importantly, more control.
PROMOTION
" In regular bars the men who consume with me have just one goal - to have an one-night stand. I do not desire that, so that's why I come here, I desire to have enjoyable," she says.
Hosts are hired by bars similar to this one to offer companionship and amusement. Officially that suggests putting beverages for their consumers, chatting and dancing with them, and singing karaoke.
Host bar in Seoul
Sex is not formally on offer in the majority of host bars. That would be unlawful but also Minkyoung appears happy to touch and also tease with her host, and the men right here approximate that around half the clients desire to pay for sex, either on or off the premises.
James has been functioning at Bar 123 for a pair of years. In Korean culture, he states, there is a whole lot of satisfaction as well as discussing a price for sex is never done clearly. Rather, he tells me, it is all to the host's own analysis.
" The men below are pros - we understand what we're doing," he states.
" After speaking with a girl for an hour we primarily know just how much money she makes as well as what she does for a living. We've currently analysed her character and what she agrees to offer."
James as well as other hosts say their customers include a few of South Korea's elite, as well as that the cash and also rewards available boggle the mind. One customer James met, during his first week in the work, asked him to authorize himself over to her for 2 years.
" She said 'allow's make a contract. I've got this notepad as well as I've numbered it 1-5. Whatever you list alongside those numbers, I'll obtain you.'".
James states at the time he took it as a joke yet considering that figured out the very same woman spent ₤ 60,000 ($ 97,000) on one more host.
" If it occurred currently, I would certainly do it - I 'd be assuming straight.".
Ironically probably, host bars outgrew among Korea's most entrenched and, some state, misogynist business traditions - the area hair salon. These are private drinking spaces where groups of men select, as well as are served by, eye-catching women hostesses.
It was the hostesses' demand to allow off steam after job, says professional host Kim Dong-hee, that produced the preliminary demand for host bars, with all-male team.
These girls are required to do things they don't want to do for money.
" I believe a great deal of them are in discomfort, and a great deal really feel lonesome. Basically, they wish to get our time and also our bodies.".
Hostesses still make up a large percent of the clients at host bars here, but at Bar 123, for instance, up to 40% of the clients on a provided evening are currently from various other strolls of life.
The reasons for that expanding allure are locked up in South Korea's rapid economic rise. Within 50 years, the country changed from post-war destruction to OECD member.
But, according to Jasper Kim, head of the Asia-Pacific Global Research Group in Seoul, something crucial was shed along the road.
" I think that with all this fast growth comes fast adjustment, and also Koreans simply do not recognize how to deal with it. Progressively, capitalism is overtaking basic societal norms that you would certainly expect a pair of years ago.".
Jasper Kim says South Korea's infamously long working hours have left many Korean females feeling lonesome, while the nation's technical advancement has left many individuals really feeling removed.
" The human aspect of Korean society that existed before merely doesn't exist today. People are concentrated on modern technology, people are concentrated on their jobs, they aren't focused on human connections any longer.
" In several means, Korean society today kind of advises me of 1960s society in the US, where it's on the brink of some kind of social change.".
The grandfather of Seoul's host bar scene, Kim Dong-hee, concurs that most of the females who concern host bars are not spending for sex however, for friendship, which is why he opened up a brand-new chain of freshly-marketed electrical outlets focused on the mainstream market - called Red Model Bars.
Red Model Bar hosts.
Picture caption,.
Hosts at Red Model Bars can not touch clients.
" Men want to have visual enjoyment as well as want to feel things, they're tactile. Women like to speak and to listen. And also that's why I thought of opening up a bar similar to this - a type of discussion bar.".
Red Model Bars are different to conventional host bars in one essential respect - there is a no-touching policy. Hosts rest on one side of the table, customers on the various other, and no physical call is allowed, and also definitely no sex.
Possibly as a result there is a lack of furtiveness among individuals who work or drink below - the lights are low, the style mostly dark red and also the space is divided right into very discreet booths, yet it is an open-plan room as well as clients as well as hosts are split in each cubicle by a huge table.
This brand-new company design depends completely on females paying the matching of hundreds or also countless bucks to speak with attractive boys over a drink. Still, it seems to be functioning - three brand-new branches are due to open this year.
Sitting at a table at one end of bench was just one of their routine customers, a flower shop called Kim Nayu. She informs me she comes below every day to meet her preferred host and discuss issues she is having at job.
The cost for this piece of male focus is $487-650 (₤ 300-400) a day.
" Talking to pals would be more affordable" she confesses, "yet they don't pay attention as much. They're hectic, as well as quickly to talk concerning themselves. Below, people will take notice of me and also they'll listen to me.".
" I invest a lot of money however it's worth it for what I obtain mentally. Individuals pay to go to see a psychologist or psychiatrist, so it's similar however less difficult.".
분당유흥 Nayu's favorite host Sung-il says it can be difficult to keep his personal and also professional life separate.
" Honestly I would certainly be lying if I claim I haven't been tempted to take things further with some clients, due to the fact that we're human, we're men, however there are regulations.".
One of his clients spoke a great deal to her husband concerning him and also when the 3 of them satisfied, Sung-il and the partner became close good friends.
" No one hides - the workers don't conceal that they work right here, and also customers can be open also.".
This openness is positioning a brand-new kind of obstacle to South Korean culture, different from the often shabby abyss of traditional host bars and their hinterland of male prostitution.
By providing ladies a "commendable" means to test conventional sex roles and also bend their financial power, these new bars ask questions of Korean culture that are coming to be more difficult to overlook.
Hear the full record on BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents. You can listen via the Radio 4 internet site or by means of the Crossing Continents podcast.
The attraction of host bars can be subtle. Below, she states, she has more attention from her male buddies, more choice as well as, crucially, more control.
James has been functioning at Bar 123 for a pair of years. Rather, he tells me, it is all down to the host's very own evaluation.
And that's why I assumed of opening a bar like this - a kind of discussion bar.".