Episode 7: Sex Work in Korea

By: Dustin Coones

Synopsis

Changjun is appointed as Chief Prosecutor. At the hospital, someone attempts to kill the unconscious underage escort, with a woman seen leaving the premises. The primary victim's son is arrested based on his relationship to both victims. Thinking that Dongjae is secretly trying to destroy evidence of his connection to the escort's case, Simok and Yeojin team up to pursue and arrest him.

via Netflix

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Discussion

Through the drama Stranger, we gain insight into the South Korean perceptions of sex work and, in particular, how these views negatively impact women in this industry. These perceptions are largely rooted in the morality of sex work, which tends to stigmatize and dehumanize sex workers who are primarily – though not exclusively – female. In other words, the “sex trade is considered immoral in South Korean society… prohibition, prevention and regulation of the sex trade are based on moral judgments” (Ko 2006: 322). In the following discussion, I will (1) illustrate some of these negative perceptions and/or judgments using the drama Stranger and (2) argue the broader implications of this on Korean society and on sex workers themselves.

First, I wish to make clear that not all the women working at these clubs are in fact engaging in sex work, however, Stranger suggests in a few scenes that some of these women are engaging in such work (e.g. the hotel visit by the underage escort to Changjun’s hotel). Overall, I think we can see these women portrayed in a generally negative light – as criminals. Like in episode 4:

We can also see instances of this subtly, like in the background when these women are handcuffed and dragged through a police station. They are frequently being interrogated and treated as less than simply because of the misguided immorality associated with their work. In episode 7, the investigation into Gayeong's attacker continues and we begin to slowly learn more about her background. Hopefully, this character is explored in a much deeper fashion in future episodes in order to show a different side to not only her but the women working in this industry.

With these examples in mind, I think these negative associations point towards larger attitudes regarding sex workers in Korea. Primarily, that such work is inherently immoral and that those engaging in such work are criminals. There are several issues with this perception and here I wish to focus on two. First, by criminalizing sex workers it makes it difficult for victims of an attack, such as assault or rape, to come forward. Second, it unfairly creates an environment which allows for the discrimination and stigmatization of individuals. Thus, primarily female workers become robbed of their agency, their dignity, and, in a more literal sense, a source of income. I agree with Ko, who suggests a lot of the time the discussion around this topic forgoes one important element: how or why women become involved in sex work (2006: 322). Lie offers some insight into this in that “prostitution does not arise simply out of men’s sexual desires or “deviant” women’s willingness to offer sex for money but because of underlying structural conditions and concrete social organizations of sexual exchange” (1995: 310). I’m curious to see then, how the rest of Stranger plays out and if this topic is addressed in any more depth compared to what we have seen thus far.

Word Count: 491

Discussion Questions

How did you interpret the portrayal of escorts and sex workers in this drama? Did you agree with my interpretation? Why/why not?

In the present patriarchal system, which is ambivalent in its attitude towards sex

work, there are no names for the women in the sex trade except negative ones: prostitute, whore, hooker, or victimized woman. When we refuse to use these negative terms,

what are our alternatives? Sex trading is illegal, and women become criminals when

they make money for a living and sometimes for their family (Ko 2006: 322). What are your thoughts on this passage? Would you support the decriminalization of sex work?

Could a society, like Korea, become open enough to allow for the decriminalization of sex work? And even if decriminalization of sex work were to occur, do you think this would help slowly remove stigmas surrounding sex workers? Are there, perhaps, other cultural factors that I may be missing here?

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Bibliography

Ko, Gaphee. “Sex Trade/ Sex Work in Korea and Asia.” Inter-Asia Cultural Studies 7, no. 2 (2006): 322-325.

Lie, John. “The Transformation of Sexual Work in 20th-Century Korea.” Gender & Society 9, no. 3 (1995): 310-327