SEOUL — Vice Media recently debuted a new video that peers into the sex toy and novelty retail industry in South Korea.
Because of changing attitudes toward sex and a relaxation of laws governing adult toys, South Korea’s sex shops are moving off the seedy corners and into the mainstream, Vice Media found.
New sex shops are opening up on the ritzier streets of Seoul and welcoming a growing number of customers.
One established shop — Red Container — has expanded to 14 stores in recent years.
“Times have changed,” said Kang Hyungil, owner of Red Container, who told Vice that each of its stores average about $70,000 in monthly gross sales, much less than the $100,000 a month he made when there weren’t that many pleasure products stores throughout the Seoul metropolis.
“When I first started, I had two objectives: Create a space for young people who are interested in sex, and then create a place where they can see the toys without embarrassment.”
The 13-minute Vice video, titled “The Vice Guide to Sex: Sex Toys in Seoul,” also checks out the 10-month-old Piooda Adult Lifestyle Store in the Haebangchon district of Seoul, an elegant shop that draws a parade of curious sex toy and novelty customers.
Check out the video here.
