Where do young Koreans go for sex?

Here's the question:

I have a short question: Where do young Koreans go to have sex? I mean, they all live with their parents, right?

Short question with a long answer. I'm going to broaden the scope of the question by expanding "sex" to include all forms of hanky panky.

You are correct that Koreans tend to live with their parents until marriage. There are exceptions to that (moving to Seoul from X small/country city, divorced parents, good job, long commutes etc...) and more and more Koreans are choosing to move out, but the norm is still to stay at home, especially considering housing costs. The Grand Narrative has an excellent write-up on Flatting, Premarital Sex and Cohabitation in Korea, so check that out for sure. I can't any solid "First Age of Sex" surveys on Korea, but I did find this one.



I took the average of the East Asian countries in the survey and hit close to 18 which is just above the global average. I don't have any reasons to think that Korea is that much different than their neighbors, but I'm sure some of you Korean sociologists might be able to add some thoughts.

So, with all of these people living at home, it begs the question as to where they are going to have a little consensual fun. We know that the people in or beyond their late 20's (with money and a little courage) can simply stop by their friendly neighborhood love motel when the urge hits, but what about the rest of the youngsters? Going to a love motel is pretty suggestive, a little more pricey and if people just was a little over-the-shirt lovin', a motel might be too much.

There are options...

DVD Rooms

Judging by the name, these places seem quite innocent, but once you walk in the door and find a bed or huge bed-like couch where the standard couch used to be as little as five years ago, that innocence disappears. I can't find the link, but a few weeks ago, I saw a survey on Naver which said that the number one place for "college students to have sex for the first time" was in DVD rooms. Korea Times also has an article mirroring those results. They're cheap, sound harmless and carry less of a stigma than the love motel.

Noraebang

Like the DVD rooms, the noraebang typically offers privacy, low prices and very little shame. A young couple can go in there and sing, dance, smoke, drink and smooch as much or little as they want.

Love Motels

You all know the love motels by now. I wrote about them and Brian loves to write about them. They come fully equipped with lotions, condoms, tissues, overly fancy shower and bathing facilities and, of course, softcore Korean porn to help the shy young lovers get in the mood. While going to these places might be a bit intimidating for first-timers, the sheer seediness will take care of that apprehension. They're also pretty cheap and oftentimes have hourly rates.

The Park

Don't believe me? Go to Hangang Park late at night on the weekends. Not only will you see the sex-starved twenty-somethings snuggling all day under their blankets in plain view, but when the sun goes down, the action can get a little more heated. No, there are not people getting too wild or anything, but there certainly is something going on. The LGBT scene has got some different rules. I've talked about it a lot on Ask the Expat, but Korea Beat has a good amount on the subject as well.

I'm sure there are a whole host of other spots that I don't know about either as it changes from generation to generation. For instance, the older generation used to head to the drive-in theaters. I'm pretty sure there was no Back Seat Betty's frequenting city overlooks, but it was certainly done one way or another in Korea. Another spot that you can still find around the country is a "dabang" (다방). Many of you will know these places as a discrete place where hookers entertain their guests, but many years ago (1970-80s), these places used to be more varied and innocent. There were the ones with ladies of the night and the ones where young couples could escape from the grips of their parents, drink coffee, chat, listen to a Korean DJ and even get a little close in partitioned cubicles. The latter aspect of the dabang is not seen anymore as they have been totally taken over by the sex industry or have changed themes completely.

So, the youngsters are out there and they appear to be having some success in finding a little privacy. Did I miss any?

Bird Watching in South Korea

Here's the question:

I am finding no information on this topic, so I thought I would see if you can help me: Where are good bird watching sites in the Seoul area? I live in Bundang (Jeongja), so obviously closer is better, but anywhere reasonably close would be great. Also, are there any groups that go out bird watching together? I am less-than novice, but I would love to find some good places to enjoy the hobby.

This is a tough one, but I did manage to find some pretty solid information for you. I do know that Korea has quite a few species if birds and is a great spot for migratory bird watching in the winter, but outside of that, I have no first-hand wisdom to offer. So, rather than assuming I know where the birds are, I'll provide you with some decent links on bird watching all over Korea.

* Birds Korea

* Travel-Wise Birds

* Bird Watching Trip Report

* Another Bird Watching Trip Report

* And another Bird Watching Trip Report

* And yet, another Bird Watching Trip Report

* The DMZ

* Mokpo

* Cheonsuman International Birds Watching Fair

* Eulsukdo Migratory Bird Sanctuary

* Eco-Tourism in the Wetlands

* GORP Birdwatching in Korea

* A map of where the birds are

* A forum for bird watching in Korea

* A solid page full of useful websites related to birding

* Fat Birder

I know that's a ton of links and, honestly, there are a ton more, but these are the ones that I found particularly helpful.

If any readers happen to know more about this subject, please feel free to leave a comment with a link and I'll post it in the main text.

Water Parks, Spas and Resorts in South Korea

Here's the question:

I have searched all over the net for this but am not getting good results. Is there a list of waterparks/resorts for all over Korea? So far I am only getting caribbean Bay and Ocean Park. I have heard there are tons more but they are not showing up in my searches.

With all the serious and heavy questions I've been getting lately, I was thrilled to see this one. Thanks. Caribbean Bay and Ocean World easily get the most exposure (thanks in part to Lee Hyori), but there are more. Korean Water Parks are actually getting some pretty positive press, so I would encourage everybody to take a weekend and stop by some of them. The Korea Sparkling site has info on the big ones, but I'll list them here as well as a few lesser-known spots.

* Caribbean Bay

* Termeden

* Tiger World

* Sealala Spa & Water Park

* Seorak Waterpia

* Ocean World

* Spa Castle

* Asan Spavis

* Spa Valley

* Ocean Castle

Most of those are water parks and/or spas. I thought about writing a review for each, but I would just be copying and pasting, so I figured you could click on the links yourself. I should also add that this list is by no means all of the spas and resorts on the peninsula. There are plenty more. For a nation of non-swimmers (not really), I think they're doing a pretty good job! Enjoy!

Update 6/26/09: Brian's got a good one of water parks in Jeollanam-do.

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

Rock & Ice Climbing, Bouldering and Rock Walls in South Korea

Here's the question:

I'm leaving for South Korea (Bundang) in two weeks to teach and want to know if I should bring my climbing gear. I mean, are their any good rocks, walls or boulders there? Is it worth the extra weight?

Thomas G.

Easy question here. Yes, it is worth it (because climbing equipment is very expensive here) and yes there are some excellent rocks to climb around on in Korea. However, I am not speaking from a lot of experience. I have gone climbing only twice since I've been here and one of those times, we were rained out. There does seem to be a close-knit groups of dedicated climbers on the peninsula though.

There's a climbing club called Korea on the Rocks that has endless info about climbing in Korea. They also are pretty big on ice climbing which is not that common in the West. I preferred bouldering while in the States and they even have some good resources on that.

The first time I went climbing here was with Korea on the Rocks. They're all pretty good climbers, but are more than willing to help the noobs. Many of them are long term expats and have cars which is always nice and super convenient for those hard-to-find climbs. If you don't their site provides forums, directions and other helpful links. Also, it never hurts to check out Adventure Korea. They always have some good ideas.

You could also take a gander at...

• Rockclimbing.com
• Asiarooms.com
• Indoorclimbing.com
• World-wildlife-adventures.com
• Iguidekorea.com
• ABCofrockclimbing.com

I'll also mention that the Korean climbers that I have seen are pretty damn amazing and they apparently have that reputation around the world. If you're okay with some traveling, then Korea is a perfect place for you to continue your climbing.

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment

Volleyball and Other Sports Facilities in Seoul

Here's the question:

Where's a good place to play volleyball in Seoul?

Joshua

Sports, huh? Not my strong point, but I can help.

While it certainly appears to be a concrete jungle, there are a lot of sports facilities dispersed all around Seoul. You can find a basketball goal or a soccer field at just about every school in town and there are also dozens of non-Hangang parks that offer such facilities. However, it seems that the greatest concentration of sports facilities are located around the Han River in designated riverside green areas called Hangang Riverside Park.




The Hangang parks are hit or miss. Sometimes you can go there and no one will be on the field or court, but other times they might be booked for weeks ahead of time. For volleyball you can head to Gwangnaru, Jamsil, Jamwon, Banpo, Ichon, Yeouido, Yanghwa, Mangwon, Nanji. They all have some sort of facilities that should be okay for what you're looking for. I can't say which one is the best though. Korea hosted the third leg of the Women’s Beach Volleyball World Tour in 2008, so I can only assume that some of the courts are decent. They've invested a lot of dough in it as well.

If you're looking for indoor volleyball, then it might be a little harder. Like many baseball fields and basketball courts, it will require reserving a court for several months and paying a pretty hefty fee. Of course, that fee would be reduced if you got a big group together and split it, but then you have to deal with the issue of getting a big enough group together.

As I said, I'm not the biggest exercises guy, but I don't mind getting out there every once in awhile if there's the promise of a little barbecue and beer afterwards. I've never seen a shortage of places to enjoy the day and get in a little something for your health, so I good luck and happy hunting.

If your in the mood for some other sports and recreation facilities, check out this site.

Contributer and expat extrondinare, OpenMicah says...

For any public school or university teachers out there, one thing I would say is to check with the faculty at your school. Usually public schools have inter-school volleyball leagues some time in the fall, and teachers from one school usually play teachers from another school. I bet the teachers who play on your school volleyball team (especially the men) play occasionally with their buddies somewhere else out side of school and wouldn't mind you coming along.

I also would check with any foreigner or Korean friends you know working for a Korean company. They might actually have a company volleyball team that rents out a court once a week for a few hours. I had a friend working at a company, and all the guys in the office played basketball once a week on a rented court. He invited me and I split the cost with them. With 20 guys, it was only 20,000W a month. It wasn't competitive play or anything, but it was probably the only cheap way to play sports indoors. In the winter, especially.

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

Namyangju, South Korea: Nature Lovers Paradise

Here's the question (or request in this case):

I'm interested in finding out where things [in Namyangju] are (cool must see sites..artifacts...historic locations...traditional South Korean
outfits.....western foods....other than junk food....Mcdonalds....maybe even a
supermarket). I'm trying find my way around.....and figure out who the potential
good friends are.

Namyangju is located just northeast of Seoul in Gyeonggi province. It's also conveniently nestled right next to Guri which is pleasant city full of great things to do, but let me focus on Namyangju.

Namyangju is pretty large and since I don't know where in the city you live , I'm going to have to use the marker that Google Earth provided. As you can see you're pretty far outside Seoul, but close enough that traveling to the city on a weekend wouldn't be a big deal at all. It's only 30 minutes to Dogok station. That being said, there's plenty to do and see in your area that traveling to Seoul isn't even necessary outside of the occasional urge for non-Western international food.

As I often do, let's start with nature in your area and I'd like to point out that you picked a wonderful area for such escapes. The most famous recreation area in Namyangju is the Natural Recreation Forest at Mountain Chungryeong. It's full of great landscape, dense forests and beautiful valleys. The park also has forestry fields, sports facilities, pools, camping grounds, nature observation areas, and is a great place for both relaxing family vacations or a mountain hike. If you're into that sort of thing and want to book a cabin or reserve a camping ground, call 031-592-0681. I called them and found an English speaker there as well.

Gwangneung Forest is also located in the area. This place is the best natural forest in Korea because of its "treasury of mountains and forests, as well as a fascinating mix of animals and plant species. The Gwangneung forest, has a total of 841 different sorts of plants settling in the forest with 75 families and 244 species of vertebrates which include 19 kinds designated as the precious natural treasure and 22 kinds designated as the rare animal. Among all of the birds living in the forest, the most famous is the Korean redheaded woodpecker."


I called them at (031)540-1114, but did not find any English speakers there. Also, they appear to be closed on Sundays. Still, it looks nice.

You can also check out Mt. Chuknyeongsan Recreation Forest.

Besides those spots there's also a ton of other neat places are sure to keep you busy for many, many weekends. You've got Mt. Cheonmasan, Mt.Ungilsan [Sujongsa Temple] and Mt. Suraksan for some hiking. There's Bukhangang River where you can hike, pincic and do some water skiing. There's also an annual festival that features crafts, music and other cultural festivities.

While on the topic of skiing, you can hit the slopes in the winter months at Mt.Cheonmasan Ski Resort and Seoul Resort. For rental fees, check this out.

The major tourist attractions are Gwangreung Royal Tomb, Hongreung Royal Tomb, Yureung Royal Tomb, Sareung Royal Tomb, Paldang Resort Complex, Studio Complex, Bamseomdo Island, and Moran Art Gallery. You can also check out the Mongolian Cultural Village.

For all other tourism related info check out Gyeonggi's tourist site, Namyangju's site and even Guri's site. I'd spend some serious time on the Namjangju site though. It's loaded with solid info. In case I forgot anything, take a peek at this site as well.

Now, on to the other stuff...western niceties. One of the only challenges you'll face living outside of Seoul might be the inconvenience of getting food that you want when you want it. As you get used to Korean food, you'll slowly assimilate and your taste buds will change, but when you're really hungry, sometimes Korean food just doesn't cut it.

So, what are your options? Let's start with Costco. Depending on your location in Namyangju, there is a Costco relatively close to you. Here's a bigger picture.



You'll have to pay 35,000 won for a one year membership and then you'll be fine on at least some aspects of western cuisine at home. For restaurants, I would take a look here. There seems to be a pretty good amount of eateries for you. There appears to be one western bar called Oddysee Bar. I don't know anything about it though.

As far as making good friends, I would suggest you get out there and start traveling. Check into Adventure Korea. They're always up to something.

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

Bundang, South Korea: Living and Thriving

Here's the question:

I am arriving in Bundang a week from tomorrow and would like a little more information on the city before I get there. From the research I have conducted myself, it looks like the perfect place for me, but I would love to hear more about it, so I can share the info with my friends and family.

Thank you,
Heather

When moving to a suburb of Seoul, I always think it's smart to take a look at where you might be living in relation to the city, so let's start there.

Here's a google map. (Click here for an interactive road map)

As you can see, it's southeast of Seoul. It's also connected to Gangnam-gu via the Bundang Line. Aside from the newer and constantly-expanding subway line, there are buses that conveniently service the area as well. Expect both to take around 20-30 min to get into Seoul.

Also, the Airport Limousine can be found near Seohyeon and Ori Stations. From there you can get a ride to Incheon Airport for about 12,000 won.

The subway closest to your school appears to be Seohyeon Station.



For Seoul nightlife (restaurants, bars/clubs, shopping) you can get from Seohyeon to Gangnam Station in 40 min; Itaewon in 66 min; Apgujeong in 51 min; and Hongdae in 74 min. If you want to check out transportation all over Korea, then take a look at this Korea Sparkling page or if you want to play with Seoul subway travel times then click here. For a quick list of restaurants, shopping and night spots you can visit Seoul Style.

Of course, you'll be living in Bundang, so let's take a look at what it has to offer. Like Ilsan, it's a well-planned city. Parks, schools, malls, restaurants, golf courses and modern buildings have been woven together to make a clean, safe and attractive city.


I always like to point out parks in the area and Bundang has plenty of small and big ones. Most would say that Bundang Central Park is the nicest and I would probably agree. It's got the basics like most Korean parks: a pond, some sports fields or courts, a place to exercise and some trees. It also has a bungee jumping site. It's a great place to go on a Saturday afternoon with friends. If you're into a biking or walking, try taking a little cruise next to the Tancheon tributary. There are also five water parks along the Tancheon if you're into that. If you're the really adventurous type, you can follow it all the way to Yongin and check out their folk village. If you're into nature or hiking, then take a look at this site to get some ideas. I would seriously recommend several weekend day-hikes. The other parks are smaller, but all of them offer some sort of break from the concrete jungles that envelop the city.

As I mentioned in the post about Ilsan, it's always nice to know where you can get some western food at restaurants, but having a strong base of western flavors and groceries at home is always crucial. Here's a map with the closest Costco from your school. It would take about 25 - 30 min on a bus.



Most of the dining action and a wide variety of drinking establishments can be found around every subway station. Seohyeon and Jeongja stations are good places to start, with the majority of "Western Bars" being at Seohyeon station in the shopping corridors directly outside of Samsung Plaza's two main entrances. You can check out Monkey Beach, Dublin Bar, and Lose Control for starters, but there are plenty more dives in the area. You're also pretty close to a major Korean theme park, Everland, which in located in Yongin.

Overall, you can expect to find a nice, cozy city full of moderately wealthy Koreans and a tight-knit expat community. Like most people, you'll be totally happy in Bundang. I have been to Bundang several times and have never had a bad time. My wife's family lives down there as well and am always up for a quick cruise south. Enjoy!

If you want to see more pictures of Bundang click here and here or for a ton of Bundang-related blogs, click here.

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment.