By I find it comically ironic that the Korean police say they can’t find any prostitution going on at a place named “Hooker Hill”:
South Korean police raided clubs on Itaewon’s Hooker Hill on Tuesday night as part of a nationwide crackdown on prostitution, but they found “nothing suspicious” and made no arrests, a Yongsan police spokesman said Wednesday.
The spokesman said closed-circuit televisions installed by bar owners on street corners throughout Hooker Hill, an area famed for its prostitution, made it difficult to catch sex offenders.
“They can watch us, and all of our movements and steps in advance before we start patrolling the area,” he said.
Hooker Hill is near U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan, and most of the clubs are off-limits to U.S. troops. [Stars & Stripes]
How about taking the cameras down if they are located on street corners? How about undercover cops? It is not a matter of that they can’t find prostitution going on, it is a matter of they don’t want to find prostitution going on and here is why.
11:26 pm on October 15th, 2008 1
Whether there are cameras on "street corners" I don't know. But I've seen the cameras – they are installed on the outside walls and overhangs of every club – presumably this is legal.
You can't get anywhere near a club without them knowing you are coming. They serve two purposes: looking out for someone wanting to bust the club owner, and looking out for potential customers.
11:51 pm on October 15th, 2008 2
Ever see that old TV show Hogan's Heroes? The Korean police remind me of the character Sergeant Schultz: "I see nothing, nothing!"
I'll be a few ship-man-wons help keep the police from seeing anything suspicious too.
3:00 am on October 16th, 2008 3
When I was stationed at Yongan in the late 80's (87-90), none of the clubs in Itaewon were off-limits, even after some big fights. Some of the bars had nothing but hookers working them and others didn't and you quickly learned which ones to avoid.
You had to worry more about mama-san in the street asking if you "want nice girl" or the hookers blocking the street to keep you from getting by than the bar girls.
9:44 am on October 16th, 2008 4
The clubs on Hooker Hill have been playing musical hours since the annoucement of the crackdown but after the cops gave up on Tuesday it has been business as usual. It's not a matter of not being able to shut it down it's a matter of not wanting to shut it down. Of course I don't believe it should be a crime anyway, legalize and regulate it and everyone will be a whole lot happier… well except the Korean Mob and the cops that are on the take…
12:59 pm on October 16th, 2008 5
Sergeant Schultz: “I see nothing, nothing!”
When will governments ever wise up and "Legalize it, Tax it and give it a good Scrubbing twice weekly???"
11:00 am on November 13th, 2008 6
[...] • Found on Google, Windows Live, Yahoo! Search ?Nothing Suspicious? On Itaewon?s Hooker Hill Oct 16, 2008 … South Korean police raided clubs on Itaewon?s Hooker Hill on Tuesday night as [...]
1:08 am on November 24th, 2008 7
I am a soldier stationed here in yongsan and I go into Itaewon every weekend and really a lot of the clubs and bars on "Hooker Hill" are ON limits according to the MP's I talked to. And its actually pretty comical to see the hookers come out and try to get people to come in with them!! As for me I just stay away from the doors.
11:44 am on June 29th, 2009 8
[...] district. The new location sits atop an adult store with the Leeum Art Mueseum up the hill, and “Hooker Hill” a few blocks down the road. It is an odd, but right fit for the off-kilter, soft, and imported [...]
8:46 pm on December 9th, 2011 9
I was looking at pictures of soldiers on http://www.hookerhill.org and was just shocked that that kind of drinking was going down.
10:11 pm on December 9th, 2011 10
..and what makes you think all the people in those photos are soldiers?
2:17 am on March 14th, 2012 11
No prostitution? I’m seeing pictures on http://www.hookerhill.org/ of guys soliciting. What a joke! I don’t know how they let this continue and then just deny it.
2:28 am on March 14th, 2012 12
Don’t know why WHO lets this continue? You mean the Koreans, right?
3:19 am on March 14th, 2012 13
#11 I didn’t see any “soliciting”. I saw a guy showing off his six-pack to a woman wearing very little and standing in a doorway.
During my many trips to Hooker Hill, I never needed to do any “soliciting”.
You sit down, order a drink and wait for AnJuma to ask you if you “want a nice girl”.
There is no “soliciting” in a place called Hooker Hill. However you used to be able to rent some Pogi for $20.00 back in the 80s and $40.00 in the 90s.
A girl’s got to eat you know
7:18 am on April 18th, 2012 14
Hooker Hill been there since after the korean war.Americans have millions of dollars there.
9:16 am on April 18th, 2012 15
Retired GI #13. The increasing cost of living just sucks. When I was stationed at Yongsan in ’79-’80 you could get a short time for $10 & an overnight for $20. Just before payday you could get an overnight for $17 or $18. There used to be 2 fat ajimas who used to hang out at the bottom of hooker hill advertising for their girls who would get pretty graphic with their mouth motions showing what their girls could do. Let me tell you there was no false advertising here, those girls could suck a golf ball through a water hose. The girls looked ok (there was 1 of those girls who I had one time who was really pretty) & a Bravo Juliet only cost $6, HOOAH!