By A ROK Drop reader was nice enough to send me a few pictures of the fire that damaged some juicy bars in Itaewon that was allegedly started by a USFK servicemember. As the pictures clearly show the juicy bars involved were all on Hooker Hill and appear to include the Texas Club, the Best Bar, and the Capital Bar:
The fire was supposedly started by the GI pouring cooking oil on a stove in the club that was caught on camera. If the USFK servicemember was patronizing the bars on Hooker Hill they are mostly off limits for USFK personnel to include the clubs involved in this fire:
If the servicemember was patronizing these clubs it was likely for prostitution since that is why these clubs are off limits. So I think a plausible scenario is that this guy had a dispute in regards to the price and services he received and got pissed off and threw the cooking oil. Additionally the fire happened after curfew so this GI even without the arson charge would be facing charges from the military for the curfew violation, prostitution, and visiting an off limits establishment. He will likely face ROK criminal charges for the arson which judging by the 3,000 won fine given to the drunk GI that burned down a restaurant in Itaewon back in 2009 could be pretty light. However, since this crime was committed at a time of heightened Korean media scrutiny of GI crimes he could end up getting a harsher sentence than the last guy convicted of arson in Itaewon. I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens.
Once again thanks to the ROK Drop reader for sending me these pictures of the fire.
9:07 am on November 17th, 2011 1
One thing that confuses me about this story is that these clubs, judging by the look and their names, are typical GI “ville” type clubs yet they are off limits? Has their been a tend to mark clubs as being off limits due to prostitution? I don’t mean to sound like an idiot but its been that long since I was there. In my time (1983) the only clubs deemed off limits where the ones that were frequented by ROK soldiers. “Texas Club, the Best Bar, and the Capital Bar” sound like typical GI clubs.
10:16 am on November 17th, 2011 2
1983 vs 2011:
In 1983, my unit used to have company parties in the ville at one of the local clubs. The 1SG greeted you at the door and gave you a raffle ticket (the other half of the ticket went into a coffee can). At sometime during the party, the Company Commander drew ticket stubs from the coffee can. 3rd place was a blow-job – 2nd place was a short time – and 1st place was an overnight with the girl of your choice. The winners were cheered and encouraged to take full advantage of the winning prizes.
In 2011, if something like this were to occur, anyone in the company chain-of-command in attendance would be out of the Army. The Bn Cdr would probably survive, but his/her career would be over (in terms of promotions and decent assignments). But nothing like this ever occurs anymore – so it’s really a moot point to even suggest what might happen.
12:42 pm on November 17th, 2011 3
I’ll tell ya what, it’s a fucking shit time to be in the military compared to the 80s. Listening to the old grunts talk about their time in Korea 20 years ago is enough to make you jealous. To bad this whole damn PC movement had to take place. The old bastards had their fun then decided it was too much for the young guys and made it all off-limits. Damn shame.
8:52 am on November 18th, 2011 4
#2,
Puritanism in American society is as its height right now.
In any case, if they really wanted to make these off limits, they’ve have some MPs patrolling the alley.
8:59 am on November 18th, 2011 5
“To bad this whole damn PC movement had to take place. ”
The PC movement has nothing to do with it. You had a guy who was caught with his pants down and two supposedly born again Christians for president since 1983. Blame what has become of the Republican party.
9:00 am on November 18th, 2011 6
…Yes, the Republicans because they are they ones who made a big fuss about Clinton getting a few BJ’s from some fat chick.
11:34 am on November 18th, 2011 7
9:07 pm on November 19th, 2011 8
What is the army coming to? I mean, in the old days (pre-piss test days) I kept a bong in my wall locker at Fort Riley (during my officer basic training). Never had a problem, as all of the cadre there (both NCO and officer) were Vietnam vets. Hookers (mostly Korean) outside every gate on post 24/7. Those were the days!
I love the “warrior” speak on AFN, by the way. Out warriors this, our warriors that, blah, blah, blah. But our “warriors” can’t have a little fun nowadays, or so it seems…………
10:00 pm on November 19th, 2011 9
“Onward, Christian Soldiers…”
11:09 pm on November 29th, 2011 10
They do have MPs patrolling the alley. I’m not military and they’ve harassed me before.