Korean Ero Icons

Of all the ladies who've set foot in the Korean soft core porn or "ero" (short for "erotic") video industry over the past 20 years, whether as a stepping (or stumbling) stone to other avenues of show biz or just to carve a niche for themselves as an ero actress before fading into obscurity, there are only a handful who have arguably earned icon status in the field.

One who can certainly be considered an ero icon is Jin Do-hee, who made her mark in the classic Milk Cow Lady's Love Affairs series. Pictured above is Do-hee adorning the video box cover for the 1995 original.

Anyone wishing to add a sample of Korean-made eroticism to his or her video collection, should see that at least one of the following names is on it.

The name Jin Do-hee and the Korean phrase for "milk cow lady" have practically become household names in Korea, but they're not household names most Koreans will admit to being familiar with. Although Do-hee achieved her notoriety in the 1990s, she also earned headlines and legal troubles shortly after her retirement, when at least one of the hostesses employed at the entertainment establishment she had opened, turned out to be underage.

After already becoming a big name in the Korean ero industry, Jung Se-hee further garnished her name with the biggest headlines of her career while in Italy shooting for her 2004 photo book Naked Italy. After posing for some racy pictures in front of some religious relics in the Vatican, she was detained by authorities, several rolls of film were confiscated and she was fined. However, the minor setback was not enough to deter her from completing the project.

Se-hee in a shot from the above-mentioned photo book

Although she's made few movies, personal favorite Ryu Mi-oh is probably the most recognizable face (and body) in Korean adult entertainment due to all the modeling she's done. One of her most memorable stunts was when she streaked through the busy streets of Seoul's Gangnam district in broad daylight and the dead of winter, while shooting the opening scene for the 2000 film, The Shackle. She also had her breasts insured for 1.5 billion won (about 1.25 million US dollars). I've seen her (and them) in person and I don't think there was any need for her to explain her reasoning to the insurance company. 

Yes, Yours Truly saw Miss Ryu's charms in person when I was writing a review of a play she was starring in called Bondage, that was running at a small theater in Seoul's Daehangno district during the fall of 2000. I was sitting up front, so she was no more than a few feet away from me during much of the performance. I didn't get a chance to interview or even talk to her afterwards (other than a hello), as she was occupied with a Korean reporter and had another show coming right up, but seeing (ALL of) her up close and in person made a very lasting impression.

Shot of Miss Ryu from a rare 1999 photo book

Even though some may not think she's yet earned this elite status, in this writer's opinion, current ero star Oahm Da-hye (featured here before), who began her career in 2001 as a model and has gone on to make quite a name for herself in ero videos, live Internet shows, and stage, is well-deserving of being included among these ladies.

Not to be considered an icon in the field, but definitely a name worthy of (dis)honorable mention, is Eun Bit (real name Choi Su-young). She gained notoriety in the early 2000s, after reports of her alleged nightclub activities and romps with some prominent male celebs provided the Korean tabloids with some great cover stories.

Also a popular nude model during that time, she graced many of the nudie calendars that one can only seem to get from Seoul's street vendors and appeared in quite a few adult magazines, as well. Eun Bit's adult video career was brief, seemingly ending in 2002 with the movies Exchange Sex Show and its sequel. She now resides in the "Whatever Happened to.." file.