By This really shouldn’t come as no surprise that Korean bar owners would want to do away with the curfew:
When a U.S. soldier was stabbed outside the door of her dance club in early February, Oh Hee-ja blamed it on an overcrowded bar.
What she didn’t blame was a more relaxed, two-hour curfew that U.S. Forces Korea says has accompanied an increase in off-post violence since it was put into place last summer.
When USFK commander Gen. Walter Sharp set a shorter 3-5 a.m. curfew in August, he said troops were responsible enough to stay out later without getting into trouble. But earlier this month, he said there had been a steady rise in off-post violence since the new curfew began.
The old weekend curfew was 1-5 a.m.
But several bar owners said the curfew hadn’t caused a spike in crimes, or in business. Many, like Oh, who owns the King Club, said they don’t think there should be any curfew.
“These troubles always happen at any places where lots of people are gathered,” she said. “It doesn’t have anything specifically to do with the curfew.” (……..)
South of Seoul in Pyeongtaek, a city near Osan Air Base and Camp Humphreys, bar owner Yi Hun-hi said U.S. servicemembers are better behaved than in previous years and don’t need the curfew, which he called “the stupidest thing.” The more restrictions, the more likely they are to misbehave. he contended. [Stars & Stripes]
USFK has not released any statistics, but I have compiled ROK criminal prosecution statistics that show a rise in incidents since the curfew was eased though that does not necessarily mean the increase in incidents had anything to do with the curfew change.
Oh by the way here is a shocker for everyone, there are gangs that hang out at the Kings Club:
Since the Feb. 1 stabbing outside the King Club, on a hill next to Itaewon’s infamous red-light district, Oh said her business has dropped so much that she’s having trouble keeping the club open.
She said bouncers took two fighting soldiers outside the club that night. But they continued fighting until one stabbed the other, whom she believes was a member of a military police unit. She said one of the soldiers was in one of several military gangs, whose presence she called a “public secret.”
Let me just throw this out there, hopefully someone has looked at if the increase in violent acts has anything to do with increased gang activity and not the curfew?
Anyway you got to love what this one Itaewon resident had to say about the place:
But Lee Myung-jee, 53, has lived there for a year and said the neighborhood is noisier and more dangerous than her last home. She said Itaewon is full of what she called “unclean” expats, transgender people and toughs seemingly ready to cause trouble.
I take she hasn’t lived in Hongdae before either.
11:33 am on April 27th, 2009 1
I think some of the problems bar owners have with the curfew are not what you expect. Sure an earlier curfew is limiting their business, but a later curfew is also restrictive in a way from some. Part of the effect of the curfew is that is driving and directing their business hours.
Some bar owners actually complained about the 3AM curfew because of the changes they had to make in scheduling their employees. Some had to get shift workers or open later.
Without a curfew, you may find more bar would close earlier than they do now. More would shred out according to their chosen business preference. You might find more sport bars choosing to close at 1AM and dance party clubs might stay open until daybreak. The way its done in most western nightlife places that don't have a curfew.
11:41 am on April 27th, 2009 2
I forgot to add my explanation. Sports bars, where people go to play pool and darts, tend to open much earlier than all night party clubs.
11:43 am on April 27th, 2009 3
"Itaewon is full of "unclean" expats, transgender people and toughs ready to cause trouble". Interesting! Unless those are our Soldiers (not) then the curfew has nothing to do with it. How fondly I remember those huge MPs and KATUSA MPs walking up and down Hooker Hill (when it was REALLY Hooker Hill).
Add "drink" and Dudes (military or not)and you will have fights. Curfew ONLY insures these fights will be at the NCO Club.
I will repeat myself: No curfew at Ft Hood or Campbell. They are MAN enough to drink in the states. So, WHAT MAKES KOREA SO DIFFERENT? Also, why do so many people want to blame the curfew. I spent seven years in area III without a curfew! The only fight I was involved with was another soldier, in the barracks, at sometime before 22:00. Down in the "ville" there was trouble sometimes. Drink + Dudes = trouble (sometimes!!!).
If 8th army brass can't figure this simple stuff out, that is just sad.
Two suggestions: Number one- no third country women working in the GI bars (SOFA)bars. Number two- No curfew. Treat them the same as you do every where else they SERVE. Get those big MPs and KATUSA MPs back up on the "hill". Not at a certain time, all the time. I really enjoyed my time in Korea
I would hate to be there now — in uniform 
12:22 pm on April 27th, 2009 4
I last went to Itaewon back in the fall of 2006. It had gone way, way downhill compared to my previous visit in 1993. However, it's not just Itaewon, all the military villes are crap now. Songtan is probably worse but how do you compare them?
Korea is different as you still have a large single military population that comes over on short tours and many just want to drink and get into trouble. True, it's mostly Army but it doesn't matter to the Koreans or high brass.
It only takes ONE incident (Pvt. Markle, 2 girls run over)to screw it up for everyone. That's how tenuous the Ville situation it is in Korea now.
1:38 pm on April 27th, 2009 5
Many of the bar owners in area I would prefer the 01:00 curfew, for many reasons.
1. The all night dance clubs did good business with international factory worker after 1. Orangistanis owned the place and were in turn fleeced as the GI's were fleeced, everyone got a turn.
2. Staying open til 3, like #1 said, is a killer. There are girls working 18 hours on the weekends.
3. Business has went down. The GI's have time and inclination to go elsewhere.
etc etc etc.
2:02 am on April 28th, 2009 6
Itaewon is mostly Korean now. I went to Itaewon to get away from Koreans, but stopped going because of too many Koreans going there these days.
I never had any problems with any GIs. Of course, I served three years in the CF, so that made it easier.
Start pulling troops out of the country, watch all the spinoff jobs disappear, then the Koreans will start crying.
9:26 am on April 28th, 2009 7
I lived near a base that had a ville and the base closed. Within a month the bars and GI junk shops turned into something else.
2:21 pm on December 25th, 2009 8
You knows what's funny? It says, quote:
"Many, like Oh, who owns the King Club, said they don’t think there should be any curfew."
than why is it that the picture says King Bar
6:10 pm on December 25th, 2009 9
Bloody munts….
Who knew?
9:06 am on October 7th, 2011 10
You have to realize that Korea is a country where traditionally women are sold by their families into prostitution or sold outright to bars. Westerners get confused by this kind of atmosphere and tend to cross the line with other women they meet. Korea use to have a kind of Class system where lower class women could be mistreated, however; women on the street still were treated with some degree of respect. It is not only military personnel that are at fault but the country of Korea is also at fault.
11:54 am on October 7th, 2011 11
I was one of those big MPs that used to cruise the ville while at Casey and Palham in the mid 80′s. Spent some time in Seoul here and there (not as a working MP, but for a week once during TDY for NBC school while I was at Carroll with the 260th) Those were the days, Hooker Hill and Fish Alley. I partook of some local hospitality a time or two (wink). I never felt as unsafe in Itaewon as I did in the TDC ville while off-duty. I never knew when I was going to walk into a club with some drunk 11B/C who I had previously busted for Breach of Peace or something and who recognized me out of uniform.