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historic hill grave

Anapji royal pond garden

When approaching Gyeongju hundreds of little bizarre round hills are to be found everywhere. Even within the city’s parks. Later on I shall find out that these are ancient tombs. Gyeongju – capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla (57 BC – 935 AD) -with its surrounding UNESCO world heritage temples, sights and the very conspicuous tombs-hills is a tourism magnet today attracting eight to nine million tourists every year. My host Craig used to live in Chungju where he hardly received any hospitality requests. Since he moved he receives significantly more requests. Craig works at the university as an English teacher. He guided me and another guest from Denmark to the Anapji royal pond garden which was part of the palace complex of ancient Silla. There are replicas of ancient buildings. Within these buildings you’ll find models of the historic Kingdom temples.

Anapji royal pond garden

Dharma Bell at the national museum

People interested in South Korea’s history – especially in the history of the Silla kingdom – shouldn’t miss the national history museum of Gyeongju. The entrance is free. It’s mainly historic jars, adornments or crowns of former kings presented there. The audio guide tour can be recommended however it is read by a screen reader program which turns it in to a very monotone and sometimes very tiring affair.

newly discovered zodiacs at the Love Castle

Gyeongju has a museum about sex. The sex museum Love Castle. http://www.lovecastle.net/index.html I didn’t expect something like this here. So I’m giving it a try. Even though I got a coupon from the tourist information for a 1.000 Won discount with an entrance fee of 11.000 Won the price is still pretty steep. So then it’s got to be good was my thought.

Penis pot

The first department deals with history. Historic sex paintings, toys and jars or little clay figures showing genitals or copulating people are exhibited. But only two boards explain something about the figures and the paintings in English. I can’t find any explanation if these jars are original. But they seem like effigies to me which is my first disappointment. If the national museum is for free, this museum here usually charges 12.000 Won per adult they should have at least one real historic artefact. Well perhaps they do but I simply couldn’t read it. The historic sex toys – if they are historic at all – don’t have any English explanations as well. Also those look like cheaply redesigned facsimiles to me. I would have hoped to find more facts about these devices. From which time do they originate? Did only kings and queens have the privilege to afford or use such devices or also regular people? Were those toys accepted in the populace? Could a blunder publicly offer such goods?

glancing at glanses

Standing gardens of Gyeongju

tasty Lolipop, horny cow, butterflies in ones pants

I’m leaving the first building and am being guided to a beautifully designed garden. I quickly realize for what most of the money collected at the cash desk is being spent for. I see a wonderfully designed patio. A neatly modelled fountain floats through it, the pavement consists of nicely arranged natural stones and tiles and there are flowers everywhere. Here you’ll find giant plastic crafts. Such as oversized and coloured penises, copulating couples twice as tall as regular people or for example a wooden turtle with a penis head. Some of those structures made me smile but that’s about it. Even though this part of the museum seems to be dedicated to modern sex art I missed some information either about the author of the crafts – were they all designed by the same artist? Is she or he famous or were those crafts just an order by the museum? Is the artist Korean? – or more info on the sex position – what is especially exciting about the shown position? What is the advantage for her or for him…? What is it called? A comparison between English and Korean names of the position would also have been interesting. Not least a board with sex tips or advice how to have very exciting sex.

close to doggy style

Totally ignored by the museum: The Asian porn, porn comic and porn animation movie industry which is a big thing in Japan and South Korea and originates from Japan and here after all. At least I can’t think of any American animation hard core porn. Which are the biggest artists or production companies here? Also I can’t find anything about geisha girls. Which is also special for Asia and who were not prostitutes!

I love colored people!

Well, at least the museum dedicates one department to animal sex. It gives it some variety.

Unbeleavabel that 20th Century Fox licensed this ;)

Another topic I was hoping to find is: homosexuality in Asia. Still most homosexual people face a lot of discrimination here. Later on on my trip one gay host tells me that he would probably instantly get dismissed if he told his principal he is gay. Also he lets me know a story of a South Korean actor who was very famous until he came out. After that he wasn’t hired by any production company any more. Still he owns some restaurants in Itaewon – the foreigner district of Seoul – and people come to his restaurant.

Unless it’s about sex education such a museum is not for children of course. As this one here does only show a few penetrations I’d say it is okay to bring your children here. And this is the point. I spot one Family who took their little offspring – perhaps six years young – to the museum. I think they are a cool couple. So I am looking for a department about sexual education. But even for those visitors or for parents having problems teaching sexual education to their kids the museum does not seem to be a big help.

But Disney's licensing department tops it all! :)

Sure, sex is mainly about fun. But it also has its dark sides. Prostitution and AIDS would be two. Also these topics are completely faded out here. Are there any historic records about prostitution? Something about the first cases of AIDS in Asia? Which takes me to the next subject: contraception. Also nothing about this topic.

Lipstick

I am being guided to a sex shop. As I originate from the country which opened up the world’s first sex shop I don’t expect too much but would also say it’s okay if I don’t find a hyper speed dildo with vibrations close to light speed promising the best orgasm in the universe for my next female host here. (Eventually I don’t like to come without a fitting present that leaves a good impression) Expectably the sales mix has been beaten by every German Beathe Use sex shop but at least it is more a place where couples will find inspirations. But also here some info about the acceptance of sex toys in Asia would have been interesting. When were the first sex toys imported/produced? Were they accepted right from the beginning?…

Car Sex

The last department deals with car sex. But it just consists of a car – which you can’t enter :) and a board showing different positions (once again only with Korean explanations). Also no info on how car sex changed sexual life from the 1920′s on. Some say that even car sex contributed to the naming “the wild 20′s” It would have been fun to have had different types of cars seats so that couples could have gotten in position (of course with their clothes on) just for fun or for a funny photo session.

parking positions

In my opinion they could have dedicated one department to Sigmund Freud and his thesis.

Sex in (the) green

And how is it with the South Koreans or Asian sex today? How often do they have sex? How satisfying is it for her and for him… ? How long is Asian intercourse on average? Why is the intimate shaving not usual here? Why is it not common in Japan to take the pill?

So I leave the museum with more questions than when I entered it. The sex museum might be an innovation. Perhaps even revolutionary for South Korea. Western tourists rather stay away from it. Long story short: Neither sex Artists, people interested in history about sex, nor couples looking for inspiration for their next sexual adventure get their money worth here. I rather recommend a visit to the nearby Gyeongju World Amusement Park. People looking for excitement will leave this theme park with much more satisfaction!

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Special thanks to: Craig Cocking (New Zealand; host and text revision), Mark Reynolds (UK, host Ulsan), Hubertus Neidhart from Webspace Provider Network for excellent web page hosting services; Christoph Flossmann, Lilith Pendzich;