Penis Park Penis Park Penis Park

Korea can be a hard place to understand sometimes.  There is a prevailing conservatism that doesn't necessarily jive with what you see going on around you.  Its hard to pinpoint and verbalize the notion, but often we feel like we're being watched (we are) and someone is waiting for us to commit a major social taboo (we try not to; we don't really care).

To give some examples that might illustrate;
Seemingly acceptable:
Littering
Vomiting in public/public drunkenness
Men using the ladies room when its more convenient & also smoking in public restrooms
Sleeping during work
Fighting in public
Staring for minutes on end at foreigners/hot girls

Not so cool:
Throwing a cup into the garbage that contains liquid
Love motels
Tank tops/sleeveless shirts
Use of hips while dancing on network TV (often filmed waist-up when the gyrating is too much, Elvis-style)

So, you can imagine our surprise when we read about an entire sculpture park of carved penises.  We immediately purchased bus tickets and let me just say, it was probably my 3rd favorite day of the whole trip, after the sand dunes in Mongolia and the Great Wall at Shuiguan. The park lies atop a fishing village overlooking a rough, rocky coastline and angry sea.  The grounds are immaculately manicured and the flower beds are botanical garden quality.  Small wooded nooks along the paths have dong-shaped love seats made from marble, so you can rest and contemplate the ocean.  The meditative rock garden includes a large wooden bench carved into phallus.  Even the fences on each side of the path leading to a small shrine are posted by, you guessed it, wee members. 

Its hard to picture the same old ladies with blouses buttoned to their chins enjoying this diversion.  But there they are; in their visors and gloves and usually-judging eyebrows, laughing and enjoying the penises.  Korea, I love you, but you are weird as hell sometimes.