A couple of days ago, an apparently angry Korean-American male by the name of Sam singled out Jeff in Pusan as a “lustful predatory foreigner,” linking to the few examples of scantily clad Korean women Jeff has posted on his blog. Not only was the attack completely uncalled for, the target was surprising — I mean, if Sam wanted to go after a foreigner for linking to pics of scantily clad (if clad at all) local women, I would have been the man to go after. And fuck, as an added bonus, I’m a foul-mouthed non-Christian. My only saving grace is that in the end, I didn’t “steal” one of the tribe’s women; I stole a woman from another tribe that, given its illustrious history of stealing women from just about the entire Eurasian landmass, wasn’t in much of a position to complain. Anyhow, in honor of Sam, and courtesy the Chosun Ilbo, we have proof positive that melanin-deficiency is not the sole determinant of predatory male behavior:
The Munhwa Ilbo reported Friday that criticism of “misplaced commercialism” is being directed at a restaurant in Seoul which allows visitors to “appreciate a sleeping, well-proportioned Russian beauty” in a glass booth while they eat.
According to the paper, as soon as one enters the unnamed restaurant in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul, one’s attention is immediately drawn to the glass booth in the middle of the restaurant. If the hermetically sealed glass booth’s curtains are drawn open, the image of a long-legged Russian beauty, laying enchantingly in shorts and a sleeveless shirt, is revealed.
Mr. Han, the owner of the place, said, “As a way to break out of a business slump, we built the thing so that diners could experience both dining and visual pleasure through ‘peeping’ at the beauty in transparent glass… The customers’ views vary, but we get young women asking to be hired for part-time work and there are a lot of people who pass by our restaurant just to look.” After getting the idea from a restaurant in California, he opened his Cheongnam-dong store in March, and is now planning to open franchises in Apgujeong-dong and Jeju Island.
The paper reported, however, that the responses from costumers have been rather negative. Mr. Pak, an office worker, said, “I felt sorry for the woman in the glass booth,” and Mr. Lee, another office worker said, “It’s not a strip show, so whatever it’s trying to show isn’t really coming through.”
Korean men ogling one of my white sisters trapped in a glass cage (and a shitty visa situation, no doubt). I guess I should be full of righteous racial fury, right Sam? Hey, despite the fact that your post revealed serious racist, sexist and homophobic tendencies, at least you had the courtesy to trackback to Jeff, which is more than we can say for some people (see below).
6 Comments
touche! I’m trying to decide which I hate more: the eroticization of Korea or women who allow themselves to be degraded in this manner
Sam,
do you think, the women have “fun” to be goggled at in this disgusting fashion like a monkey in the zoo? They’re doing it for the money to make a living in Korea… thank God, that you have a luckier fate than them.
sugar shin,
it seems that your argument would justify prostitution. similar idea only differing in degree, right?
pray tell, where exactly have I displayed homophobic tendencies?
This is obviously a blantant ripoff of Sky Bar in LA, which also features models in a glass case. The difference is that the LA version is intended as a commentary on LA’s cult of appearance and general superficiality. Here in Korea, the installment–appearing with new twists (why must the girl be foreign?) and sans its reason for existance–is just as thought-provoking but certainly in ways unintended.
- The definition of “original” in Korea is “not previously imported”
- The local restauranteur’s interpretation of the Sky Bar piece was “human zoo”–which when brought to Korea means that the most apt “animal” should be a foreigner
And on and on.
I think the reason why it has to be a foreigner behind the glass is the same reason why pantie models have to be foreign women also and that is …
the image of a Korean woman is suppose to be above showing her body in public… they are suppose to be modest… a virgin before marriage… (guess the catch phrase of that sentence is suppose to be)
and if the owner of the bar was to put a Korean behind the glass the out cry from the public would be terrible. But since it is a foreigner it is seen as a novelty. And for most Koreans Novelty means copying something first???
PING:
TITLE: Asia by blog
BLOG NAME: Simon World
By popular demand (precisely one person, but I’ll take) Asia by blog is back to give you a taste of what’s what in Asia recently. Firstly Hemlock finds himself waiting alone outside the HK General Post Office waiting to indulge his philately. Conrad qu…
PING:
TITLE: Asia by blog
BLOG NAME: Simon World
By popular demand (precisely one person, but I’ll take) Asia by blog is back to give you a taste of what’s what in Asia recently. Firstly Hemlock finds himself waiting alone outside the HK General Post Office waiting to indulge his philately. Conrad qu…