In the image above, a woman stands in a "window shop"; much like the red light districts of Amsterdam, she's on display as an option for sex. There are many women like her, and these women have many clients. To give you an idea of how many: A report by the Korea Observer revealed that the National Tax Service estimated that Korean corporate credit card spendings on sexual services exceeded $1 Billion USD in 2013!
$733.1 million USD is spent at "kiss rooms" and "room salons," $206.9 million USD at karaoke bars, and $100 million USD at yojeongs. While "kiss rooms" are rooms where a client pays a woman to be his girlfriend and cuddle-buddy, "room salons" are karaoke bars where, in some cases, a client can pay for sexual services. Some karaoke bars that are not room salons can call a prostitution agency for the client so that they can enjoy the night singing with the girls before going elsewhere afterwards for sex. And finally there are yojeongs, which are high class brothels where the women dress in traditional Korean hanboks.
That's a lot of money for sex, and according to the Korean Institute of Criminology, this sexual obsession is not limited to the corporate world. 1 in 5 Koreans in their 20s buy sex at least four times a month. Currently, child and teenage prostitution is on the rise as many Korean runaways are getting involved. And as people who read about the Korean entertainment industry already know, the entertainment industry itself is also ridden with various prostitution scandals.
While Sung Hyun Ah was found guilty of partaking in a prostitution ring involving other so-called celebrities, 'Boys Over Flowers' actress Jang Ja Hyun committed suicide in 2009 with a note confessing that she had provided sexual services for 30 influential men in the industry. Just two years ago, the CEO of Open World Entertainment was found guilty for sexually harassing his own idols and trainees. Even Yoo In Na once admitted that the CEO of her previous company had attempted to force himself on her.
The spread of prostitution, shady business, and the amount of sexual abuse that goes on behind closed doors is disturbing, yet some believe that the Korean government is reluctant to do anything because the sex trade actually makes up 4% of the nation's GDP. Back in 2009, when the economy was declining, the government had even rid itself of a regulation that required corporations to explain expenditures that exceeded $500,000.
Korea's prostitution problem is a shocking reminder of how much prostitution is widespread, even when it's hidden from the public eye--not only in Korea, but all over the world.
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