Logo

I was in Hongdae the other day enjoying another weekend when I came across this little gem. At first I thought it said "Condominiums." You know as in the action to rent out condominiums. However the idea and the image did not fit so I literally stopped in front of the store and re-read the store slogan. CON-DO-MANIA...wait! Hahaha Boy was I wrong.

Granted that I am a grown ass man and I should not be tickled by such things what struck me as hilarious was the environment in which I observed this shop. Granted if I was back in the states if I had saw this store on the street I probably wouldn't laugh. Hell I probably wouldn't even laugh. Simply because Americans are open to both discussing and advertising Sex at every opportunity. But seeing this store in South Korea, where the society is at Code Threat Level Orange on Sexual Prudence it made laugh of how it caught me off guard. Korean culture and social norms are mainly homogeneous. Meaning they work and thrive on collective cohesion and any deviation for their set ways is generally frowned upon. Seriously I have learned that there is little tolerance to interracial dating and marriage. Let alone open discussions about sex.

So taking that all into account, when I saw this little store I laughed not because what was inside the store but of the bold statement that it was making. So to all of you in South Korea trying to break the social mold and to the awkward little Codomania stores that are shaking things up, keep on keeping on!

Joe - OUT!!