So I took the opportunity to visit one in Gyeongju in the southwest. I was doubly intrigued about the park because Korean attitudes towards sexuality can seem schizophrenic. Plus, since most Koreans live with their parents until marriage, many young people have no space to have sex or just hang out.
Frank discussion of sexual problems and attitudes that have existed in western media since the s are only a couple of years old here. Yet love motels, where couples with no private space of their own can rent a room for an hour or a night, abound in every neighbourhood, and cheaper room cafes provide the same service for teenagers. Massage parlours are every half-block and bikini bars, where men are served drinks by young women, are visible near some universities. From the official tourist write-up :.
Being more adult, over 19 and stout of heart, I gave it a shot. It was a cold night, so please excuse the shaky camera work β my fingers kept freezing. The Love Castle is on a main road, opposite a number of fancy restaurants. The front gate opens up into a statue park:. Clearly, a lot of thought had been put into this place.
The displays are well-made, well-lit and the path wends inside and outside up a hill. Having captured my attention with the statues, the first room began with displays of historical sexual iconography:. I have no idea about its origin or veracity.
A few times I thought someone had either recreated historical artwork or just imagined it: Were there really wooden dildos? The paintings, at least, seemed authentic:. From there I moved to cartoon figurines of β fantasies? Slice of life reporting? Social criticism? Back outside to more statues β some were cute, and some seemed almost like art:.
