[Korean Culture] The Motel Culture in Korea

In Korea, many people think of motels as 'places for people having an affair'. This is true in reality as well; many middle-aged people having affairs do so at motels.

Many middle-aged people have affairs in mountaineering clubs. Motels located nearby the foot of mountains are said to have very good business...

@ XTM

The reason why motels in Korea have gained their notoriety as the mecca of affairs is because of the 'daesil' (or rental) policy.

Korea is pretty much the only place in the world where motels rent out their rooms for a certain duration of time during the day.

Guests can stay at motel rooms for 3 - 4 hours at a lower price than one night's stay. For example, if the rental fee for one day (2 PM ~ 11 AM the next day) is ￦60,000, you would use the room for 3 - 4 hours at a price of ￦30,000.

As couples having affairs often used these motels to have dates while avoiding the public eye, Korean motels became known as a key place for affairs.

The Conservative Korean Sex Culture and Motels

@ https://hcinews.com

The reason why Korea has so many motels is partly because of affairs, but it also has much to do with the conservative Korean sex culture.

Due to Confucianism and its influence since the Chosun dynasty, Korea is incredibly conservative when it comes to sex. Many grown-ups in Korea view pre-marital sex with contempt. While the Korean youth yearns for more progressive and free expressions of love and sexuality, the Korean society is not yet ready to accept such changes.

@ Yeogi Eottae (여기어때)

In other countries like the United States, it's completely fine to bring over your romantic interest to your home. Many people start living together even before they get married. There are many places that lovers could go to enjoy dates without having people interfere with their love lives.

In contrast, sex in Korea is still associated with guilt and shame, so lovers don't have places to freely spend time together. That's why the Korean youth don't have other options than to pay and rent motel rooms.

Korean Motels, the Downsides and the Secrets?!

The downside of motels in Korea is that many of them stink of cigarettes.

Many Korean motels allow smoking and have ashtrays and lighters prepared in their rooms.

If you're travelling Korea and you've come to stay at a motel, but you don't like the smell of cigarettes during your stay, check if your room is a no-smoking room! For non-smokers, it is a good idea to request for a no-smoking room.

@ https://www.agoda.com

Also, there are many place in Korea that are named 'Hotel' but are actually just motels.

That's because Korea changed its laws to allow motels to use the name 'hotel'.

So hotels in Korea are divided into two categories: regular 'hotels' and 'tourist hotels'. Regular hotels are basically the Korean motels, while tourist hotels are the fancier hotels you normally think of when you hear the word.

Here are the differences between regular 'hotels' and 'tourist hotels'. Check the four following things when booking your accommodation in Korea!

1) Tourist hotels don't have a 'daesil' option.

In other words, if you can rent the room for a few hours instead of for the day, that's a regular 'hotel'.

2) Tourist hotels have 30 rooms or more.

3) Tourist hotels provide breakfast, have staff that can speak foreign languages, and have various other facilities.

4) Regular 'hotels' are classified into stars, but tourist hotels have the star system.

The Transformation of Korean Motels?!

@ https://news.joins.com/article/19826193

Nowadays, the reputation of Korean motels is becoming more positive among Koreans in their twenties and thirties!

There have been changes in the ways people use motels. Instead of using them for sex, people are now using motels for accommodation when they are traveling or when they are on business trips! More and more Koreans also use motels as party venues or study group meetings.

Many people really do go to motels for weekly study group meetings! When 4 people use the 'daesil' service, they can use the computer and Internet while freely chatting for a cheap price of ￦30,000. Libraries or cafes aren't very suitable for meetings because you can't talk loudly in them. In motels, not only is chatting acceptable, they also include a computer, making it perfect for student group meetings or exam preparation!

@ Daejeon ET Motel (대전 이티모텔)

It has also become more common to use motels to throw parties with friends

Hotels are quite pricey to throw parties in, and condos come with the trouble of going all the way out to the suburbs.

Motels are affordable and equipped with decent facilities, and are easily accessible! More recently, lots of Korean motels even have rooms specifically for parties!

I'm also planning to use a motel to throw a party with my friends!

And that's how the reputation of Korean motels is changing into 'affordable and accessible mini hotels'.

▲ MBC News Clip about the Transformation of Motels

So, today we learned about Korea's motel culture!

Recently, more and more motels are becoming equipped with with facilities like pool tables, arcade games, swimming pools, party rooms, meeting rooms, karaoke, or saunas. Many motels have even better facilities than that of some tourist hotels, so don't think too badly of Korean motels!

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