4 Things About Korean Love Motels Travelers And Expats Need To Know
Going to South Korea on a trip? Here are some facts about Korean love motels if you want to check out this intriguing aspect of modern Korean culture.
Every relationship has their ups and downs and when there is a down, one of the best ways to fix this is by spending time with your partner and reassuring the person about your love for him or her.
I think a healthy conversation with your partner and spending some intimate time together, can help reinforce your relationship.
But is this possible in South Korea?
Well, most often young people who still live with their parents and not with their partners or older married couples who have their parents and children with them, find it hard to enjoy some time alone with their significant other.
Enter, the Korean love motel! Yup, that’s a thing!
Korean love motels can be a great place to rekindle a strained relationship or maybe even just strengthen an already healthy relationship. Or maybe you know…indulge in some “private time”.
Now if you’re curious to know more, don’t worry. I’ve put down the important facts you need to know about Korean love motels in this article below. Check it out!
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What are Love Motels?
Love motels are pretty much what their name suggests it to be – a place that provides accommodation (of course at a cost) for couples on an hourly basis or sometimes for a short or fixed period of time.
These love motels are meant to give couples their privacy while spending time together, without any sort of disturbance.
The reason why love motels are so popular in Korea is because in Korean culture, children who aren’t yet married continue living with their parents until the time they get married.
So, this means that people even till their early thirties still live with their parents. But during this time, it is normal for youngsters to find love interests and form relationships.
Over time, these relationships begin to get intimate and young couples find it hard to act upon their intimacy while still living with their parents.
So, this was one of the main reasons why these love motels became so popular over the years because they have made a place for young couples to spend some time together.
They are not required to stay overnight if they do not wish to, as they are charged only for the time spent in the room.
Things you Need to Know About Korean Love Motels
1. Most love motels conceal the guest’s identity
When young couples decide to “get a room” for themselves, it is pretty clear that they are getting a room to get some private time for themselves and obviously they do not want their parents finding out their dirty little secrets, if at all.
So, there are some love motels that even conceal the identity of their guests by making a quick down payment initially, with no questions asked and can quickly scoot away with the room key.
Well, maybe if you’re using a love motel, you might want to keep a track of the time you’re spending in your room.
This is because these love motels often charge on an hourly basis and you don’t want to end up overpaying your dues, while you make your final payment.
2. They are not seedy and actually pretty comfortable
Whenever we stay at any hotel, we look for those with the best facilities and good amenities we can use to get our money’s worth.
Well, even these Korean love motels have rooms that cater to all types of affordability, from rooms with just a bed, a television, reclining chairs and a bathroom to rooms with high end facilities apart from the basis facilities like a couch, Wi-Fi, DVD sets, gaming equipment, a jacuzzi or a bathroom with a bathtub etc.
Talking about “facilities”, for those couples who want to explore the extent of their intimacy or maybe even take their relationship to the next level, some love motels even provide opportunities for BDSM or role playing by having the required equipment in the room they’re going to be given.
Most of these love motels also provide a few basic things when you sign up for a room, that include a few snacks and beverages, razors, bath bombs or bubble bath gel and contraceptives.
Also, some of these love motels offer two types of room settings, the western type and the Korean type. The western type of room will provide you with a bed, while a Korean room will provide you with a mattress spread over the floor.
3. These love motels have discreet entrances
A lot of people visiting these love motels do not want to make it obvious that they are visiting one, because of the main reason they are often used for.
So most often, you will find that these love motels are located in quieter streets on a side-road or maybe on an extremely busy street, camouflaged among other regular hotels, restaurants and bars, which makes it not too obvious that it is a love motel.
But one thing that makes them stand out from the other regular hotels are their sign boards which usually have loud and garish colors.
Most often you can be sure that you will not find a love motel anywhere close to a child-friendly area like near residences, schools and parks.
4. They really set the romantic mood with their decor
A lot of times, many couples love to take pictures together wherever they go.
And what’s better than having a lovely background where the walls are full of graffiti or beautiful paintings, while the room has classy decorative pieces that can let couples click as many pictures as they want to relive their intimate memories even after some years.
The Lesser-Known Facts About Korean Love Motels
Well, while the fact that these love motels are most often used by couples is emphasized on, one of the lesser-known facts about these love motels are that they are also used by travelers who want a break during a long journey.
This can be to relax, eat something and freshen up or even by people who require just a few hours of accommodation while on a business trip.
One of the reasons non-couples choose these love motels is because they work out cheaper than staying at a regular hotel where they would be charged for an entire 24-hour stay.
Since these love motels often cater to even travelers, you will find some of these love motels near bus stops, railway stations and airports, so people can use them easily while in transit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Korean love motels:
1. Much does it cost to stay at a Korean love motel?
Well, depending on the type of room you’re getting, the facilities and amenities you’re looking for, the number of hours you would wish to check-in and of course, the location of the love motel (whether it is near the city center or in a quieter area), the prices of a room in a love motel can start at around $20 for an hour and increase in price, as per your room requirements.
Some love motels let you take up rooms on an hourly basis, while some love motels have a minimum requirement of three hours.
2. Are Korean love motels age restricted in terms of entry?
In the present day, very often we find young couples and by young, we mean couples in their early teens.
While the world of relationships has advanced, the young teens are still not of the right age to make their own decisions.
Therefore, Korean love motels are age restricted and permit only adults, above the age of 18 to enter and get a room.
Well, I’m quite sure that any parent with a teenager will heave a sigh of relief reading this part.
3. Are Korean love motels safe?
Well, a love motel is often considered to be similar to any other cheaper-range hotel, as it does have all the facilities and amenities like any other regular hotel. So it is likely that these love motels are safe.
It is just that these love motels are most often used for the purpose of privacy and by intimacy-seeking couples, so some people may sometimes tend to doubt their safety.
However, it is also important to note that these love motels are also used for the purpose of pit stops and transit breaks.
But not all love motels are child-friendly, so for those of you who are traveling with your family, it is recommended you choose a regular hotel to stay at, rather than a love motel.
4. What are the booking methods for a Korean love motel?
You will often find that these love motels aren’t freely available for booking online. But yes, there are some love motels that you can find with a little bit of digging online, that are available for online bookings to be done.
But most often you will have to go to the love motel in person and book a room at their front desk.
Also, in the present day, the booking options are made easier through digital means of booking, by entering your requirements at the front desk digital kiosk and you can book a room as per your choice.
Here’s a tip though, for those of you who are able to use Korean Apps (because all the details and information will be in the Korean language), then you can book a love motel using the apps Yanolja and Yeogi Eottae.
The final takeaway about Korean love motels
Well, for those of you who are traveling to Korea for a business trip and have to have a pit stop on your way.
Then you can try checking-in at a room in a love motel for a few hours, it will definitely work out cheaper for you than staying at a 24-hour check-out hotel.
Also, for those youngsters out there who are looking for avenues to meet up with your partner and enjoy some private time together, you can choose to spend a few hours in a love motel.
They have the best of facilities like any other hotel and will also give you a few hours of accommodation at a cheaper price!
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