helpeth such as have the leprosy, either taken inwardly drinking whey after it, or the green herb outwardly applied; it hindereth conception in women, being either burned or strewed in the chamber; it driveth away venomous serpents. It takes away black and blue marks in the face, and maketh black scars become well-coloured, if the green herb be boiled in wine, and laid to the place, or the place washed therewith: being applied to the huckle-bone, by continuance of time it spendeth the humours which cause the pains of the sciatica; the juice, dropped into the ears, killeth worms in them; the leaves, boiled in wine, and drunk, provoke sweat, and open obstructions of the liver and spleen. It helpeth them that have a tertian ague, the bodyfor casual relationships.

Many in Seoul are still shy when discussing sex, and Korean uses a host of English loan words for terms including “penis”, “adult shop” and even “sex” itself. Despite the country having some of the fastest internet in the world, the government regularly censors online pornography, placing it on the same level as gambling and North Korean propaganda.



The most conspicuous manifestation of South Korea’s newfound openness is a rash of sex shops that have sprung up across Seoul, the latest fad in a country that latches on to trends with particular ferocity.

Pleasure Lab, in the fashionable tree-lined Dosan neighbourhood, mainly focuses on women, and its founder, Eura Kwak, a former nurse, holds regular educational seminars.

With Kendrick Lamar on the sound system and a clean, minimalist design,