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Korea places
I am thinking of visit South Korea for a holiday and would like to visit the gay saunas and hot springs. Would appreciate if anyone can provide some info on these places. Thanks.
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Wow - there are loads of hot springs / saunas, but are there any gay ones? I went to Korea a few months ago and had a fantastic time, but I got the impression that any gay life is waaaaaaaaaaay underground, with the exception of the bars around the seedy Itaewon area in Seoul, which is frequented mostly by expats. Like Japan, Korea is a homophobic place - if anything even more so, due to the more conservative society.
Having said that, it's a fascinating place, the people are friendly, and you should definitely go!
Gay Saunas exist! Even this straight man found one.
I went to a gay sauna by accident in Seoul. I couldn't describe where it was, but it was right in the city center (not itaewan). I didn't realise it was a gay sauna until I was sitting in the sauna. I quickly learned where I was, and what was going on! I'm not gay. I really just wanted a sauna. The strange thing was there were no indications that this was a gay place. No manly statues, paintings, gay sounding sauna title etc. There was an old lady taking money at the door, and an old man who cleaned and kept organization around the place. The place was pretty nice. I shouldn've knew right away when they had no full size towels for the customers, so I couldn't wrap a towel around my waste since the towel was the size of a face towel. They gave no shorts out either, like other saunas in Asia do.
I'm sure a gay man might have a lot of fun there. Anyway, so don't worry I'm sure you'll bump into something!! I wasn't even trying to find this place!
I was told it was a gay sauna by gay men inside the sauna. I told them I had no idea! Then I was told to prove this was true I should go take a look in the back locker room, and to take a look at the upstairs -- if I dared to. I did. The things going on in both of these areas were far from being straight. Anyway, plenty of orgasmic opportunities for anyone in there.
I told a young Korean man sitting next to me on the airplane the next morning about my experience. He said it was surely impossible, and I must be mistaken. I know it was not impossible, as I was there.
According to my Spartacus guide (a little dated - 2001-2002), there's barely any mention of gay places/hangouts.. and certainly no "gay saunas". The only reason why I'm being annoying about this is because the bathhouse is one of the last places you want to get busted at..
I went to a gay sauna by accident in Seoul. I couldn't describe where it was, but it was right in the city center (not itaewan). I didn't realise it was a gay sauna until I was sitting in the sauna. I quickly learned where I was, and what was going on! I'm not gay. I really just wanted a sauna. The strange thing was there were no indications that this was a gay place. No manly statues, paintings, gay sounding sauna title etc. There was an old lady taking money at the door, and an old man who cleaned and kept organization around the place. The place was pretty nice. I shouldn've knew right away when they had no full size towels for the customers, so I couldn't wrap a towel around my waste since the towel was the size of a face towel. They gave no shorts out either, like other saunas in Asia do.
I'm sure a gay man might have a lot of fun there. Anyway, so don't worry I'm sure you'll bump into something!! I wasn't even trying to find this place!
The sauna you describe is the Mun Hwa Sauna behind the McDonald's at Chongno 3-GA in downtown Seoul. I have been going there for over 20 years, and it is indeed gay, although it didn't start out that way.
Immediately east of the McDonald's walk down the narrow walkway, make a slight dog leg at the first little alley and continue all the way down to the end of the narrow walkway and look left just past the little hotel for the word Sauna on the glass doors. Pay your 6000 won to the lady in the glass booth (9000 for overnight after 6:00 P.M.), drop your ticket in the basket, pick an empty shoe locker and take the key with you back to the locker with the same number. The lockers, tubs, showers, sauna and steam room are on the ground floor, but the real fun and frolic take place upstairs. Don't be shy if you see someone you fancy--nobody else is! It's always worth the time and money if you like Asian men as I do.
shouldn've knew right away when they had no full size towels for the customers, so I couldn't wrap a towel around my waste since the towel was the size of a face towel.
Those tiny towels you describe are actually standard Korean bath towels. I've been travelling around the country for 2 weeks and cheap hotels and guesthouses give you that as the standard towel.
Talking to English people living in Busan, they couldn't find full size bath towels for sale anywhere until they found Home Plus, a Tesco (British) affiliate department store.
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Hi, I am planning to visit Seoul with my friend in Oct 12 and would like to visit the bath-house in Seoul. Any good recommendations that are easy to find given that we do not know any Korean? Thanks!
www.utopia-asia.com has -to my knowledge- the best and mostly updated infos, for most of Asian countries (Taiwan, Japan, Korea). Seems regularily being updated.
I went to Equus in February and liked it - and close by I saw the (new?) Hyundae sauna, prominently (rainbow colours all over) featured in one of the small streets in Itaewon...not to be overseen.
I was in Equus on a saturday night and there was a mix of Koreans and American (military)....all very horny.....
don't know how it is during mid-week......
Tiny towels
