From cars and designer sofas to luxury watches, some big-ticket purchases are best judged in person rather than through a screen.
In South Korea, life-size sex dolls are increasingly joining that list.
Showrooms specializing in these products, commonly known as "real dolls," are popping up across the country, bringing what was once largely an online purchase into brick-and-mortar retail.
Step inside a showroom for real dolls in Eunpyeong-gu, northwestern Seoul, and it could easily be mistaken for a clothes or jewelry boutique. Floral artwork and artificial flowers decorate the space, while antique-style sofas and tables are placed under dim lighting.
Some dolls recline on sofas, while others are leaned against walls, arranged for visitors to examine up close. One, with long, wavy brown hair, is dressed in muted tones beneath warm yellow lighting, almost blending into the surroundings.
"We dress and style the dolls to fit the European-inspired setting, and decide which ones to display based on each customer's preferences and budget," the showroom's owner, surnamed Lee, told The Korea Herald.
Lee opened the showroom about two years ago after hearing from customers who had been misled or scammed when buying dolls online.
"I wanted to create a space where people could actually see and touch the dolls themselves, because what you see in photos or videos can look quite different depending on the camera, lens or lighting," he said.
"This place is designed to feel like an art gallery, so visitors can see the dolls more as works of art. It's simply a space where people can see in person what they would otherwise only see in photos. No inappropriate behavior is allowed here."
Unmarried middle-aged men make up the largest share of customers, Lee said, though the showroom also draws female visitors, mostly in their 50s and 60s.
The dolls are priced between 1.5 million and 2.8 million won ($1,100 to $2,060), depending on size and quality. While about 90 percent are sourced from Chinese manufacturers, others include models designed in-house and manufactured in China.
Stories like this have opened in recent years in Hwaseong's Dongtan district in Gyeonggi Province as well as Daegu.
"Middle-aged and older customers still account for a large share of purchases, but we're seeing more people in their 20s and 30s buying them these days," Lee explained. "There seems to be less of a psychological barrier to buying these products among younger customers."
For years, Korea's sex doll market operated largely out of public view, with products sold primarily online and imports facing tight restrictions at the border.
That began to change in December 2022, when the Korea Customs Service revised its guidelines to allow imports of full-body sex dolls modeled after adults, while those resembling minors aged under 16 or specific individuals remained prohibited.
Previously, customs authorities had routinely withheld clearance for sex dolls, classifying them as items that could harm public morals under Article 234 of the Customs Act.
But in June 2019, the Supreme Court upheld a ruling in favor of a distributor that had sued the head of Gimpo Airport Customs to overturn a decision blocking the import of a sex doll. A series of similar court rulings followed, eventually prompting customs authorities to ease restrictions.
The shift has translated into a steady flow of products into the country.
A total of 2,391 sex doll imports were cleared by customs from 2022 to March this year, according to Korea Customs Service data. The number of shipments withheld from clearance fell sharply from 315 in 2022 to just 18 last year.
"Decisions to withhold clearance are made by review committees for adult products at major customs offices, which consider various factors, including whether a doll resembles a minor or a specific individual," a KCS official told The Korea Herald.
As sex dolls find their way into more homes, specialized services catering to the market are popping up. One such service recently emerged in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, offering at-home pickup and disposal of unwanted sex dolls.
"Sex dolls are made of silicone or thermoplastic elastomer combined with an internal metal frame, making them difficult to process through conventional recycling systems. Safe disposal requires specialized equipment, such as high-temperature incinerators or industrial shredders," a company official said.
"With a wider variety of dolls now available and more accessible, more people seem to be buying different models to try them out and disposing of the ones they no longer want."
While Korea's sex doll market moves further into the mainstream, its regulatory framework remains largely focused on import controls, with little oversight of what happens once the products enter the country.
No single law currently provides comprehensive rules on the sale, display, use or disposal of sex dolls after they clear customs.
Against this backdrop, concerns have grown that dolls resembling minors could slip through customs and circulate in the domestic market, as overseas retailers specializing in such products begin to emerge.
One such online retailer recently drew criticism for offering dolls designed to resemble girls from infancy through their teenage years. South Korea is among the 60 countries listed on the company's website, which claims to serve around 6,000 customers worldwide, according to news reports.
Although customs rules prohibit the import of dolls resembling minors, critics say the standards are highly subjective, leaving potential gaps in enforcement.
"Currently, customs officials determine whether a sex doll appears to represent someone aged 16 or older based on factors such as height, weight and facial features. Because these dolls can be difficult to distinguish from ordinary dolls resembling children, they require careful assessment based on objective criteria, but such standards are lacking," said Jung Bae-geun, a professor of law at Incheon National University.
"While other countries recognize individual freedoms, they tend to take a stricter approach when it comes to sex dolls resembling children or teenagers," he added. "The UK prohibits the import, distribution and sale of childlike sex dolls, while in Australia, possession can carry a prison sentence of up to 15 years."
After years of debate, a series of recent court rulings have increasingly treated adultlike sex dolls as sexual devices rather than obscene materials.
In April, the Supreme Court ruled that a full-body doll modeled after a woman does not violate public morals under the Customs Act simply because it may appear vulgar or sexually explicit, in an appeal over an import clearance dispute.
When a damaged sex doll was discovered at the home of Jang Yoon-gi, who in May was accused of killing a high school girl in Gwangju, debate was reignited, with critics arguing that their impact may extend beyond private sexual use by reinforcing distorted attitudes toward sex and potentially contributing to sexual violence.
Jang, 23, has said that his attack on the teenager was sexually motivated. He is currently in custody to stand trial on charges including rape and murder.
"Some products come with voice features and so-called 'submission' or 'resistance' modes. Features that simulate a 'resisting woman' risk mimicking and normalizing sexual violence against women and children," Women's Party, a minor feminist political party, said in a statement calling for stricter measures on sex dolls.
"There are also places operating under the guise of real doll showrooms where sexual services are reportedly provided."
Some businesses and users, however, emphasize the potential benefits of sex dolls as sexual aids, particularly for people who may face barriers to sexual relationships, including those with disabilities and sexual minorities.
"Viewing real dolls simply as obscene reflects a lack of understanding of socially marginalized groups, including people with disabilities, older singles and sexual minorities. For some, these dolls can help meet sexual needs that may otherwise go unfulfilled," said Song, a Daegu-based retailer who has sold real dolls online for five years.
"It is unfair to label the entire market a social harm based on a few disturbing cases. But as AI makes these products more sophisticated and diverse, some legal safeguards will be needed to ensure responsible use."
