Seoul City Cancels Korea’s First “Sex Festival”, Organizers Respond With Even Bigger Plans

Last month, civil groups like the Suwon Women’s Group Network voiced their strong dissent for the “2024 KXF The Fashion” festival featuring Japanese adult video (AV) actresses, which was scheduled to be held in Suwon city. The event, organized by PlayJoker, had to be scrapped as a national petition was filed against it, and the city government threatened administrative action against the event if it proceeded.

The event poster | Chosun Ilbo 

The organizers relocated the festival to Paju, but they were also met with similar opposition there. The city’s mayor, Kim Kyun Il, was strongly against the event and vowed to use all administrative resources to prevent it from taking place in Paju.

Finally, the organizers tried to secure a cruise ship moored at Jamwon Hangang Park to relocate the festival once again, but Seoul City formally issued a ban against it. The city government sent a formal letter to the venue operator, Us Cruise, about its decision to disallow the event, citing concerns that it might “distort healthy sexual perceptions and promote sex crimes.” The event was banned under the River Act and the Excursion Ship and Ferry Business Act, which prohibits ferry business operators and their employees from engaging in lewd or immoral activities on a ferry or at a ferry pier. The Seoul Metropolitan Government threatened to revoke Us Cruise’s business permit if it didn’t comply.

The event eventually had to be canceled, but the organizers refused to back down. On April 19, a representative from PlayJoker told Korean media outlets that they are planning to hold the event in Seoul in June, but at a much larger scale. To avoid governmental pressure, the organizers are considering renting a private venue and promised to double the number of Japanese adult video actresses previously booked for the festival. On the same day, Seoul’s mayor, Oh Se Hoon, shared his stance that he would not get involved in the festival if the event wasn’t being held in a public space.

Video posted by the organizers announcing the cancellation of the event due to safety concerns for the AV actresses | @PlayJoker/YouTube

PlayJoker also plans to sue the city of Suwon for obstruction of business and spreading false information.