A sex festival billed as the “first and largest” in South Korea has been canceled after public outcry caused venues to pull out and performers to quit because they feared for their safety.
Thousands of fans were expected to flock to see their favorite Japanese porn stars at last weekend’s ‘KXF The Fashion’ event, but it was canceled just 24 hours before it was due to start.
South Korea is known for having a conservative approach to adult entertainment, where striptease shows and public nudity are illegal, as is the sale and distribution of hardcore pornography.
Local authorities criticized the proposed event as “morally harmful”, and organizers were forced to look for new venues as they struggled to obtain permission, losing tens of thousands of dollars in revenue by having to cancel tickets.
Meanwhile, a group of Korean women protested against the festival, arguing that rather than being a “celebration of sex,” it would encourage the exploitation and objectification of women.
When the organizers finally secured a spot, the actresses’ agent said they could no longer participate. Pictured: Promotional photos from a 2023 event
Thousands of fans were expected to flock to see their favorite Japanese porn stars at last weekend’s ‘KXF The Fashion’ event.
When the organizers finally secured a venue, the actresses’ agent said they could no longer participate, fearing they might be attacked or even stabbed as a reaction against the show “reaching a fever pitch.”
Organizer Lee Hee Tae expressed disappointment that events had taken “such an unthinkable turn” and said he had received death threats.
“They have treated me like a criminal without having done anything illegal,” he told bbcadding that it would have been within the bounds of the law and that no sexual acts should be performed at the event.
He said his goal was to bring an adult entertainment culture to South Korea like it happens in other countries, challenging what he described as outdated attitudes.
However, Mr Lee’s company, Play Joker, has come under fire for a series of provocative stunts it has carried out.
Members of the Suwon Women’s Hotline protested the event last month, calling it “exploitation.”
A shocking video from last year showed a young woman parading through the streets of Seoul dressed in nothing more than a cardboard box, with passers-by invited to put their hands in her and touch her breasts.
Activists have argued that, contrary to claims of equality, the festival targets men with its marketing, which features scantily clad young women.
In a country where sexism and gender violence are rife, they called the event’s cancellation a “triumph.”
“Whatever the organizers say, this was not a celebration of sex, but rather the exploitation and objectification of women, and the sex industry encourages violence against women,” said Go Eun-cha, director of the hotline. for Suwon women, who protested against the event last month.
Activists have argued that, contrary to claims of equality, the festival targets men with its marketing, which features scantily clad young women.
When the event was scheduled to take place in their city of Suwon, the group protested with signs saying the sex industry encourages violence against women.
The mayor condemned the event for taking place near an elementary school and threatened to withdraw the venue’s license, causing it to stop hosting.
Lee found a new location, but his event proposal was again criticized by local authorities and the venue was canceled again.
He then found a ship docked in Seoul whose promoter said he could hold the event, but the charterer threatened to cancel it if it went ahead.
The organizer Play Joker organized an event in 2023, which did not have as much publicity.
After substantially reducing the number of attendees from the original 5,000 attendees he had planned, Lee settled for a 400-seat underground bar.
The Gangnam bar kept the event a secret and said it would hold it, even though the council wrote letters to hundreds of restaurants in an effort to prevent it. But the actresses decided to pull out, citing safety concerns.
However, the company has promised to hold the event in June, and Seoul’s mayor reportedly said the city “has no intention of participating in the future.”