Coming soon to a high-rent district near you (Chosun):
The crudely named U.S. chain restaurant Hooters, which uses scantily-clad waitresses to sell food, will open its first outlet in Korea in January.
Hooters Korea, the local arm of the U.S. chain, said Wednesday it will open a branch in the Apgujeong district of southern Seoul on Jan. 18. Since opening the first outlet in the U.S. state of Florida in 1983, the chain named after a slang word for breasts and using the slogan “delightfully tacky, yet unrefined” has been moderately famous for its waitresses clad in a uniform that shows rather less skin than a swimsuit.
I realize that the shape of Korean young womanhood has changed some over the past decade or so (I have noticed with my own eyes and in the news), but I still think they are going to have a hard time finding enough ‘Hooters girls’ who fit the type.
Interestingly, the other international branches are also Asian:
It has 500 chains worldwide. In East Asia, Korea will be the fourth country to have the chain following Taiwan, Singapore and China. Hooters Korea plans to throw a VIP soft opening with a “Hooters girl” competition on Jan. 16.
I guess that makes some sense that the restaurant would choose to expand into Asia. With full frontal nudity on TV in Europe, a bunch of scantily-clad young ladies is relatively tame.
Of course feminists are angry, as usual:
Women’s groups are already protesting, saying Hooters unabashedly makes women into sex objects for commercial profit.
If they are serious about this, I guess Uhm Jung-hwa is in trouble.
BTW, this is the first time I have noticed a blog that started up in September. Korea Pop Wars looks like a good source of information on anyone interested in learning about the Korean entertainment industry.
53 Comments
Hmm, I think it will be easier to find girls for Korean Hooters than one thinks. After all, breast augmentation procedures have been on the increase over the last few years. It won’t be the same as back home of course. However, in regard to the whole protest by feminists, I think there is cause for concern. Korean women are still second class citizens in Korea. Just look at how male politicians treat female journalists!! Older drunk guys aren’t likely to be kicked out for groping one of the ladies. At least that what I think anyways. I remeber one of my drunk army buddies grabbed a “hoot” at Hooters one time back home and we ALL got kicked out. I was pissed off because it happened while I was taking a leak and didn’t get to see it.
Following in China’s
titfootsteps.Haven’t they been talking about opening a H(.)(.)ters in Korea for years now? Korean guys have room salons, anmas, “barbershops,” etc. etc., you think they care about “a uniform that shows rather less skin than a swimsuit”? Bah.
I see a big potential for incidents. well-heeled Korean leerers taking offense at the downscale foreign leerers, or xenophobically monitoring any perceived differences in the level of flirtatiousness as the girls bounce from one table to another.
Nicer nips = bigger tips. Tipping is done in room salons, not in restaurants. There’ll be some business initially, but the attractive girls won’t stick long for a few thousand won an hour, and Hooters will be closed in 18 months.
I have to yet to spend my money at Hooters, but the regular customers say they think the managers at Hooters are basically the shits of human life.
“Have you ever noticed something about those guys who are managers at Hooters?”
Doesn’t seem to vary at all, regardless of the franchise location. I only go by hearsay. And that’s in the States. It will be far worser in South Korea.
Good point seouldout. Besides, these overpriced foreign restaurant chains in Korea make most of their money off of families and single women.
Will there be a tradename war with Hooters Bar near Kyodae Station?
Can’t you people see that this is all an ROK concession to Kim Jong-il?
Why, racing girls… I am surprised Marmot dinna mention this already.
Michael is right. In western society women have been expensive. They can charge money by wearing a scanty clothes and let men oggle at their body parts.
In Korea, women have been cheap. Girls have to do a lot more than to show their boobs, asses and legs.
Men would not pay till they see the whole thing, touch the whole thing and you know what.
Women are cheap in Korea. You get a coffee delivered (what kind of nuts have coffee delivered when there are plenty of instant coffee packages are sold in convenient store?) and ask the young thing what is the going rate. I think it is about $50. You can bargain it down.
Some women wrongly accuse Christianity for enslaving women but think again. Without Christianity, women are just play-toys. When God comes into a country, frivolent sex stops. Marriage becomes sacred thing and men and women behave as they should.
When God leaves, the country once again plunges into degeneracy. Women make money by selling their bodies. Men drink and buy sex all day long. All day long.
I hate to break it to you, Baduk: all night long too.
In the U.S., on the whole, the Hooter’s chicks are quite unattractive, but obviously nicely endowed. However, their wings are damn good, and decently priced too. I’d happily accept a plate full of hot wings from a cute Korean chick, small, medium, or large breasted, as long as it included an ice cold beer too. Naturally, I’d prefer a plate full of wings and beer being served by a cute, topless Korean chick.
Why only one restaurant is opening in Seoul?
–Remort
Could someone wake me up when Robert gets back to blogging…? ZZZZzzzzzzz…
The one in Singapore had a couple of, shall we say, “augmented” lasses from Taiwan to give the place a sense of living up to its name. However, last time I was there–although the gals were generally nothing to scoff at–it was disappointing to anyone expecting mammarian exuberance.
I think Seouldout has it figured out. The Budweiser Carnival behind the Finance Center lasted in the Japanese format (i.e. scantily-clad cuties) only about two months. We’ll have to visit Hooters quickly while it lasts. Does anyone know the exact location?
From my comment section:
Danke.
Remort,
I bet you buy Playboy magazine to read about its political column.
Funny, just noticed the facade for this place on Friday and laughed at it. I would bet that they are probably going to go out of business within a year if not sooner.
http://www.hooterskorea.co.kr/
Oh yeah, Playboy magazine is, once again, not coming to Korea. The very nice Playboy people were here to negotiate a license, we spent months working on it, but in the end the Korean publisher determined — thanks to the Kangan Namja flap — that “Korea is not ready for Playboy” and chickened out before signing the license agreement. And, get this — the magazine was to be published in a non-nude format. That’s right, this Playboy was to be a magazine you’d really read for the articles.
Since one of the things I remember from the editorial meetings was Playboy’s firm stance that its reader likes, respects, and appreciates women, and cherishes them as friends (in contrast to the Maxim reader, who — according to Playboy — despises and fears women as much as he despises and fears working for a living), it’s no wonder that “Korea is not ready for Playboy” while Maxim is a big hit. Where is the Playboy reader here in Korea?
And Baduk is right: Korean men expect and demand a higher level of sexual content when they go out for that kind of thing. Sitting there with your wife and twelve year-old son, snacking on chicken wings while pretty girls walk around in fairly modest short pants (under which they wear pantyhose), that’s not going to cut it here. So the question “Where are they going to find the right girls?” is probably off target. Where are they going to find the right (male) customers for the extremely mild Hooters experience?
Hell, any country that has men showing up for the Playmate auditions is not ready for Playboy.
Thanks for this post. Keep us abreast of all developments!
I can just see what is going to happen. A bunch of drunken Ajussis go into the Hooters restaurant and demand Soju while cursing at waitresses.
When waitresses bring out the food and wine, these Huns touch waitresses in all the wrong places and do it en mass. Hooter girls will cry and run into hiding.
Is it over? No, real fun for the spectators begin.
Then, Ajummas(ugly and warlike) hired as the backups, sort of the second string, come out and curse these Adjussis back and throw them out while charging them for the food.
This will be something to watch. Koreans will gather outside not to oggle at Hooter girls but to look at these Ajummas manhandling (womanhandling) drunken Adjussis while cursing them to the max, calling their mother names.
“Koreans love to fight. Sex, even good ones, can not match really good fight in terms of excitement. I think Kimchi is the reason for this Korean trait. “
Actually Mad TV (a show at Fox channel) had a skit where men go into a Hooter’s restaurant and a bunch of ugly waitresses show their ugly body parts and tell most disgusting stories.
Just wait and see. The Hooters will hire pretty babies (the first sting waitresses) and ugly Adjummas (the real workhorses).
Baduk:
Read Playboy for the articles, ok, sure, it works.
As long as Hooters serves a mean hamburger with bleu cheese and mayo, I’m happy.
Merry Christmas! Party at Robert’s pad!
–Remort
a-letheia,
Bite me.
Is that Robertesque enough for ya?
Merry Christmas! Felice Navidad!
“Men shall live forevermore because of Christmas day”!
Jesus is the reason for the season, no matter what some might say. Am I a Christian nut? No.
I am a believer; I believe in Jesus and what He promised!
I checked out that Mad TV Hooters skit on youtube. Pretty funny.
I don’t think I am going to rush out to this place. I never went out of my way in the States, no interest I guess. I can see it now…a confused concept with Koreans sharing single orders and killing time at tables that the management wishes they could turn quicker. Me thinks it may become a TGIF or Bennegan’s with bad uniforms. I hope I am wrong but the moment you see a child celebrate a birthday there the die will be cast.
baduk, likewise!
I doubt if Hooters Korea will even dare explain to Koreans what “hooters” means.
Yes, I agree. Children’s menu coming soon!
Hooter’s will find no shortage of young women to act like purile idiots in short skirts.
Just look at the “domi” culture.
Korea: Where men are sometimes men, women are definitely women, and feminism is still light years away.
Talking about children, the next big restaurant chain to assail Korea maybe Chuck-EE-Cheese’s.
Did it already happen?
As far as I know, it hasn’t happened yet. I did not see the Chuckee(the grinning mouse) in Korean headlines yet.
Since Koreans are really into raising small brats, the restaurant chain will be a big success. You can charge $10 for a small hamburger and $5 for a slice of pizza. And, $3 for a drink and another $5 for French fries. $3 per a game token and $8 per a glass of Beer. Basically, $150-200 per family.
ChuckeeCheese’s will do a lot better than the Hooters.
LOL!
Wasn’t that another firm?
yankabroad,
You are wrong. Feminism is alive and well in Korea but in different way.
In Korean-society, which looks wealthy but going broke inside, feminism comes down to women’s survival. In other words, dollars and cents.
Basically, Korean women are finding out they can sell themselves much higher price if
1)divorce if husbands do not bring enough money
2)flirt for possible future mates
3)do not give up on their careers
4)use sex as a weapon to conquer and enslave men.
5)Think about selling themselves in beer halls and noraebangs to make money.
6)As long as it makes money, doing nude pics are honorable. These sluts are considered to be heroes, the women with abilities.
7)Don’t have babies.
Korean women are into making money these days. They will use their feminine assets, acquired by cosmetic surgery, to do that.
Korean men are looking into other countries for the alternatives.
You’re right Baduk. Chuckee is the way to go. Especially with “cheese” in the title.
Hire Canadians to walk around in animal outfits speaking English phrases to the brats. (Visas permitting.) The brats can scream “harroo” and stomp around to their hearts’ content, as they must do to maintain their precious “기”. Why hasn’t anyone thought of it before?
Chuck E Cheese is a better way to go. It uses the “If it’s not expensive, it can’t be good theorem” Parents can use the experience for bragging rights. A trap run by a rat to trap humans!
Dogbertt, just remember there are two sides to every deal. Kim & Chang can’t be on both sides of every deal in town.
That, Counselor, is a funny line for those who had to pay for legal “services” in Korea.
Mr. Carr. Are you saying there is more than one law firm in town? When I saw the Grand High Exalted Mystic Poobah Jeffrey Jones on a stick of chewing gum I was convinced otherwise!
If you guys wish to enter the market you will have to become a fallen Mormon and have your own golf tournament.
Uhm Janghwa is some piece of ass.
H&T, you have to follow that up with a good link. Naked is best!
Yeah, but try telling _them_ that.
Brendon “Playboy” Carr.
By the looks of the website linked above, it appears Hooters is open to hiring foreigners in Korea.
Foreign waitresses wanted, attractive, shapely, good Korean skills, willing to work long hours for no tip, fending off crude passes from the kind of losers who eat at Hooters. Yeah. Right.
“Foreign waitresses wanted, attractive, shapely, good Korean skills, willing to work long hours for no tip, fending off crude passes from the kind of losers who eat at Hooters. Yeah. Right.”
My thoughts exactly.
My solution: an extra layer of padding in those bras.
Well, I wondered what it would look like, and found this blog which had done some benchmarking of Hooters Taiwan. Those are less revealing than the outfits most information desk ladies wear in Korea. Can you say Bankrupt Hooters?
http://koreaspondent.blogspot......html#links
Wow, those outfits, especially the pantyhose, are so 1983.
I noticed that they are also looking for a cook and “cooky”. Think there might be a few here that would qualify?
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[...] Hat tip- Marmot’s Hole who also wonders where the workers will come from. GI in Korea thinks we should offer Kim Jong-IL a Hooters franchise as part of a denuclearizing deal. World peace, one plate of wings at a time. [...]
[...] Hat tip- Marmot’s Hole who also wonders where the workers will come from. GI in Korea thinks we should offer Kim Jong-IL a Hooters franchise as part of a denuclearizing deal. World peace, one plate of wings at a time. [...]
Just what Kim Jong-IL needs…
World peace one plate of wings at a time….