KMK: Hooker Hill Itaewon

A few weeks ago a trip to scout out the gay bars in Itaewon also led to an exploration of Homo Hill’s infamous sister street Hooker Hill. Running parallel and just one street over, Hooker Hill remains one of the most known red light spots not only in Itaewon but of the whole city. Mostly because Hooker Hill caters to foreigners whereas other red light districts in the city actively discriminate against non Koreans. With so many other options, literally so many, most Korean guys who look for prostitution don’t need to even consider Hooker Hill.

At the bottom of Hooker Hill you’ll find Pearl Bar. It’s not a standout, but it does anchor the beginning of Hooker Hill. Once you go further up you’ll come across discreet brothels, girlie bars, as well as not so discreet windows of Korean women in frilly negligees or slinky silhouettes posed behind opaque frosted doors. These women bide their time until a prospective client comes sauntering pass. They pounce. Come hither looks, beckoning gestures, and urgent calls combine to entice every able bodied male to come inside. This is where my personal experience ended and I had to instead rely upon the tales of a couple army guys I treated to drinks at The Grand Ole’ Opry.

Once inside the ladies aim to get their new gentleman friends liquored up. This involves overpriced watered down drinks at double or triple the usual price. If you’re truly clueless they’ll get the guy to purchase drinks for them as well or slyly pour themselves a drink with the assumption that their new gentlemanly friend would of course pay. Of course, no one’s there to drink so a guy could bypass that and get down to business. Business averages to about 60,000 KRW to 100,000 KRW but my new drinking buddies told stories of the clueless newbies paying hundreds of thousands of KRW. I guess research is the key?

There’s also more going on Hooker Hill than the aforementioned ladies of the evening. For starters, there’s an actual gay bar on Hooker Hill. Almaz, a lounge bar, usually humming along before the main gay bars on Homo Hill get going. Inside it’s low key lighting drenched in reds. There’s also an outside patio. Not a bad place to start the night before heading to Homo Hill. Then there’s The Grand Ole Opry where I bought a few rounds for my storytellers. It’s exactly how you imagine: deep southern honky-tonk with country music blaring and Mama Kim serving up cheap strong drinks. The dance floor open. And the decor? Who doesn’t love a wagon wheel looming overhead?

Next up would be Polly’s Kettle. The old Polly’s sprawled over two stories, packed with soldiers, locals, English teachers, and everyone in between.  Now it’s a brothel. The new Polly’s Kettle just a few doors up on the second floor may be smaller, but retains all the fun from it’s former locale. Booze, neon and music all come together for a good night out.