The Lure of the Penis

Boys and girls, gather around. I want to share the story of the young Sinnam virgin.

A long time ago, in a fishing village far, far away, a young virgin set out to collect seaweed. Her beloved fiance took her to some rocks offshore and promised to return. As the day went on, the waves and wind grew stronger. The virgin waited for her love but the sea was too fierce. The water overtook her and she drowned.
Shortly after the village was struck with another tragedy. The fishermen's catch drastically changed and the town struggled to feed it's people. They tried everything with no avail. Whispering began that the virgin was the culprit; soon the rumor was widely accepted. Years later fish started to reappear after one fisherman urinated in the ocean. Encouraged, the townspeople began carving phalluses to appease her unfurfilled soul.

I traveled to Sinnam via Samcheok last weekend. Haeshindang is the park where the penises were erected.

The virgin's shrine. Small bottles of liquor with penis caps lay before her.

The path to the virgin's shrine.

A nice place to "take a rest" in the huge park.

I think Thoreau would have appreciated this pond.

Fishermen pee in the ocean as dogs look on.

A penis with a penis nose. And a swirly penis in the background.

A lucky penis?

Nothing is more natural than holding your penis...except maybe growing another penis out of your head.

The museum had a reenactment of the virgin tale and an exhibit dedicated to sexual anatomy.

An orgasming penis?

A Korean Stonehenge.

Frolicking amongst the penis statues.

Fearful of being thought of as two white pervies, my friend and I intially tried to keep a low profile. No such luck-we approached the park and the bus driver yelled, "HAESHINDANG! HAESHINDANG!" We scurried off hanging our heads in shame. We realized quickly there was no point. The park was anything but taboo. It was doused with Koreans of all shapes and sizes to look at penises of all shapes and sizes. I could not believe the size of the park nor the abundance of penises but the lure of the penis was undeniable.