Sunday, January 13, 2008

Kara-OK!

Spoke to CZ in Beijing over Skype this morning and she told me of a friend who frequents KTV bars in Beijing. KTVs are karaoke clubs all over China - some are perfectly legit, others provide services other than just karaoke. I went to the latter type by accident one day with my girlfriend MM. The first tip-off that this was a different kind of KTV was the price - they were charging an exorbitant amount.

"Tai gui le! Wei shem ne? (Why so expensive)?" I asked.

"Comes with girls" replied the hostess, pointing to the row of scantily clad women all lined up for my inspection. (That was the second tip-off.)

"Can I get a room with no girls and just... sing?" I persisted.

"No."
At that point MM and I gave up and we ran away as quickly as we could.

Well, CZ's friend, when he goes to such KTVs, has sex with the girls. (This is included in the price, although I believe you are expected to tip, but I have yet to confirm that). His first such experience was with a girl who was very young and fresh - in college actually. His second was breaking in a new girl who had just started working there. His third was with a girl whose surname was the same as CZ's. He told CZ that thinking that it was a compliment. It wasn't.

Boys are stupid.

But this reminds me that one of my New Year's resolutions is to karaoke more. The legit kind, however.

2 comments:

Robespierre said...

I went to a one of those in Shanghai with a business associate, and sex was clearly not included as part of the menu. You paid to have the girls hang out with you and encourage you to buy more alcohol. If the girls liked you or were of the mind to perform the services you describe, the party continued elsewhere. It was clear from the girl that I was talking to that she was doing it for the cash (duh) but seemed not to have gone down that road (perhaps yet). Then again, if a wad of RMB was exposed with an invitation to continue the party back at someone's apartment, I am not sure what would have happened. I frankly found the whole notion of paying to have a girl hang out with you a complete anathema, but perhaps being married requires a clean no additional phone calls kind of relationship.

C-Belle said...

Well, I for one am very attracted to big exposed wads of RMB.