The Korean grandmothers who sell sex

[HomerJay]

Has FBM been misleading us?

Koreans could once be sure that their children would look after them in their old age, but no longer - many of those who worked hard to transform the country's economy find the next generation has other spending priorities. As a result, some elderly women are turning to prostitution.

Kim Eun-ja sits on the steps at Seoul's Jongno-3 subway station, scanning the scene in front of her. The 71-year-old's bright lipstick and shiny red coat stand out against her papery skin.

Mrs Kim is one of South Korea's "Bacchus Ladies" - older women who make a living by selling tiny bottles of the popular Bacchus energy drink to male customers.

But often that's not all they're selling. At an age when Korean grandmothers are supposed to be venerated as matriarchs, some are selling sex...

Another man, 81 years old, excitedly showed me his spending money for the day. "It's for drinking with my friends," he said. "We can find girlfriends here, too - from those women standing over there. They'll ask us to play with them. They say, 'Oh, I don't have any money,' and then they glue on to us. Sex with them costs 20,000 to 30,000 Won (£11-17), but sometimes they'll give you a discount if they know you."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27189951

[JimC]

I blame Mick Jagger...

[pErvinalia]

I feel sick.

Reminds me of something in Australia that has become a bit famous lately for our PM winking and smirking about it on radio (he was captured by cameras). Some grand mother rang in and told her story that she is struggling to live and afford healthcare on the pension, so she has turned to doing phone sex lines. Imagine how disappointed you'd be if you rang up and got her. She really has a grandma's voice. Unless she can disguise it well.