Category: Ville Files

I did not even realize the gas station on old Yongsan Garrison was still open:

The gas station at Yongsan, one of the last vestiges of a once-busy headquarters compound, is preparing to turn off its pumps after 32 years of service. The station, on a hill overlooking Seoul, will close May 1 as part of a plan to return sections of the base to the South Korean government, according to an Army and Air Force Exchange Service news release Tuesday. The gas station reported average monthly revenue of $70,000 between 2021 and 2022, AAFES spokesman Chris Ward said in an email Thursday.

The monthly average fell to $50,000 the following year “and has experienced even further significant declines” in 2024, he said. Six of eight pumps still in service sat idle for more than two hours Wednesday afternoon. The only cars in the lot were parked there by drivers who exited the base through a nearby pedestrian gate.

Jerry Chandler, an anti-terrorism program manager at Yongsan and a four-year South Korea resident, said he is disappointed by the station’s looming closure. Chandler — one of the roughly 500 service members, Defense Department civilians and U.S. embassy staff who still live or work at Yongsan — said he and his wife fill up their two cars with premium gas “all the time” at the station.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, but I also did not know that about 500 servicemembers and DOD personnel are still working on Yongsan Garrison.

Unsurprisingly the Korean bar owners are unhappy with USFK’s decision to bar troops from buying drinks inside of bars for juicy girls:

A month-old U.S. Forces Korea policy banning servicemembers from buying drinks for “juicy bar” workers in exchange for companionship has angered some bar owners, who say it unfairly labels them as “pimps” and is hurting other establishments that cater to troops.

“It’s nonsensical to treat us as if we are whorehouses,” said Yi Hun-hui, owner of the Cadillac Club near Camp Humphreys. Now, he said, some local bar owners are talking about going into a different line of work because they’re angry at the military. “These were people who liked USFK. They were people who supported USFK, and now they’re embarrassed.”  (………..)

The organization’s Pyeongtaek branch already has asked for support from the city mayor and National Assembly members. It is collecting signatures on a petition from businesses, local citizens and civic groups throughout the city, he said. That petition will be sent to U.S. military officials on the peninsula later this month.

Yi, who employs seven Filipina women, said he ordered his female workers to wear jeans and T-shirts instead of skirts and low-cut tops after the Oct. 15 policy letter was issued.

“I did this so USFK would stop its narrow-minded view that our female employees are hookers,” he said.

It was unclear how or whether the new policy was affecting business for other bar owners. Five claimed the policy change was driving down sales for others, though all of those interviewed denied that their own bars had been hurt by the ban.

Lee Deok Bum, said business hasn’t dropped in recent weeks at Sportsman, his 15-year-old bar in Dongducheon, which employees five Filipina women, but he said he and other bar owners in the city are angry about the new USFK rule. He accused the U.S. military of judging South Korean bars by American cultural standards, not by what is acceptable in Korea.

Some bar owners have complained the new policy is unclear and appears to ban servicemembers from buying drinks for anyone, even friends. The policy letter, however, bans only buying drinks and other items for an “employee’s company or companionship, inside or outside a bar or establishment.”

An official at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said the ministry has received no complaints about the new policy from bar owners. The ministry began inspecting businesses that hire foreign entertainers, including some outside U.S. military bases, earlier this year in an effort to reduce human trafficking.

Seo In Ho, owner of Xanadu bar outside Osan Air Base, said most bar owners have interpreted the new policy to mean their USFK clientele can’t buy drinks — even water — for anyone else. One of his friends, a male servicemember, now tells Seo that he can’t even buy the bar owner a drink, and Seo said the ban on buying drinks for companionship is discouraging troops from going to bars at all.

He said all bar owners are being treated as if they are running brothels, and some women who work at bars are quitting because they feel like they’re being treated as prostitutes.

“Our self-respect has been hurt,” he said. [Stars & Stripes]

You can read more at the link, for the bar owner complaining about USFK using American cultural standards to judge the bars, he is absolutely right.  However, USFK has to worry about what is going on back in the US and what Koreans find acceptable is irrelevant when the US military is being routinely criticized by special interest groups.  That is what likely drove the change in policy for USFK since the special interests were gearing up to go after them over the juicy girl issue.

Also I find it hard to feel sorry for these shady juicy bar owners who have been ripping off GIs for years with the juicy girl business model and over priced drinks. With that said I still think USFK should have at least given these bar owners a carrot by making the new policy stipulate that bars that employ third country nationals would be put off limits due to human trafficking concerns.  This would leave the bar owners with the option of employing Korean women which would be much more difficult for USFK to be accused of supporting human trafficking with.  I am surprised though that these bar owners have not come up with workarounds to this policy yet instead of complaining to the Stars & Stripes.

More of the same:

SEOUL, South Korea — The 2nd Infantry Division is asking bar owners for help in reducing troop misbehavior after several incidents sparked negative publicity and calls from local officials for the U.S. military to rein in soldier conduct.

Maj. Gen. Thomas Vandal, 2ID commander, said Army officials met with about 20 owners of bars in the “Ville” outside Camps Casey and Hovey several weeks ago. Citing excessive alcohol usage as the main contributor to misconduct, the division wants bartenders to call military police when they believe a soldier’s drinking is getting out of hand.

“We asked them to help us with this campaign for responsible drinking that really gets at causing our soldiers to stop, pause and reflect before they have that extra drink, before we see it affects their judgment,” Vandal told Stars and Stripes. “They understand the intent. They were very positive, quite frankly,” he said, adding that soldiers getting in trouble is bad for a bar’s business and can lead to being put off-limits to troops. (Stars and Stripes)

You can read more at the link, but does anyone think this will make a difference.

Via the USFK website I was able to get a copy of the actual policy letter signed by USFK commander General Scaparrotti.  Here is the text of the policy letter:

Over at Korea Noodles they have old pictures of Dongducheon and the TDC Ville posted for everyone to checkout.

You can view pictures of what the modern day TDC Ville looks like at this link.

Anyone familiar with the villes in South Korea outside the US military bases knows that these areas are pretty seedy and filled with questionable characters.  Most of these questionable characters are some of the bar and business owners looking to fleece as much money from USFK servicemembers as possible.  However, there are times when some of the USFK servicemembers are just bad as some of these questionable business owners and there is no better example of this than the 2005 Osan Shakedown Scandal.  In March 2005 news broke that the leader of the 51st Security Squadron town patrol 1st Lieutenant Jason D. Davis was regularly shaking down local club owners in the Songtan entertainment district outside of Osan Air Base.  Davis was accused of accepting bribes, gifts, and sex with women at the clubs in exchange for not putting the clubs off limits.  Here is a picture of Davis from his days as a cadet at the Citadel, which he

Davis as the head of the 51st Security Forces Squadron’s town patrol had the ability to put the clubs outside of Osan AB off limits for 24 hours before being reviewed by his leadership for further action.  Davis used this power to threaten club owners with being put off limits if they didn’t provide him with free drinks and prostitutes. He would do this by executing unauthorized sting operations:

He said Davis also had him take part in unauthorized “sting” operations in which Dooge and other airmen would enter clubs and try to buy alcohol or try to arrange sexual liaisons with bar girls — a process known as “bar fining” and a violation of U.S. Forces Korea policy.  [Stars & Stripes]

Davis would then go on to strike up a relationship with the daughter of a club owner.  The Korean woman Kim Mun-hui would then go on to give Davis a number of gifts such as a Chrysler Sebring, a Rolex watch, Louis Vuitton slippers, cash, free drinks, and even a vacation to Guam.  Kim however would go on to become the person responsible for the ultimate down fall of Davis.  However, during Davis’ corruption spree he rented out an apartment outside Osan AB just so he could have a place to have sex with all the various women he was hooking up with in the clubs.  He was doing all this while he was still married to a woman back in the US.

On top of all of this 1LT Jason Davis was a bully to the people that worked underneath him:

Airman 1st Class Nathan D. Dooge, formerly of the 51st Security Forces Squadron, said Davis pressured him to house-sit Davis’ dogs without pay.

Davis encouraged him to drink alcoholic beverages although he was 19 and under the legal drinking age, Dooge testified.  (…………)

In addition, Dooge testified, Davis fired plastic pellets at him from an airgun, locked him for about 30 minutes in the squadron’s women’s dressing room and refused to release him.

1LT Davis’ world of corruption would come crashing down in February 2005 when his Korean girlfriend Kim Mun-hui contacted Osan authorities to say she had been raped by Davis.  This likely wasn’t true because according to unconfirmed rumors this was probably an attempt by Kim to get back at Davis for cheating on her when she found out Davis took a trip to Russia to meet up with one of his Russian girlfriends there.  The Korean police would also go on to charge Davis with keeping a firearm in the off post apartment he kept.  The Korean authorities would ultimately pursue only minor gun charges against Davis, but nevertheless the cat was now out of the bag and authorities at Osan AB were going to have to do something about it.

What is really amazing about the whole Osan Shakedown Scandal is that who knows how long Davis would have been allowed to get away with his corrupt dealings without the rape charge?

The court martial of 1LT Davis was handled very carefully with it being executed during Chusok to probably avoid Korean press coverage.  There was also a pre-trial agreement put in place that assured that the court martial would be over quickly. Also the Korean girl that Davis had a romantic relationship with that exposed his activities to begin with didn’t testify assuring that possible juicy details not already made public was not exposed during the court martial. Davis faced up to 21 years in jail if he was convicted of all the charges he was faced with, but due to the pre-trial agreement this is what 1LT Davis ended up being convicted of:

Davis pleaded guilty to running illicit police undercover operations, accepting gifts and cash from club owners, maintaining illicit sexual liaisons with bar girls, breaking the U.S. military’s curfew that the town patrol had the duty of enforcing, being drunk and disorderly, having sex with women who were not his wife, illegally possessing weapons, illegally keeping an off-base apartment, using racial and ethnic slurs, filing a leave request with false information as to his intended destination and maintaining an improper relationship with a subordinate airman.

Davis only received a two year sentence for all of these crimes.  Servicemembers convicted for something as simple as BAH fraud have received sentences similar to what Davis received. Most interesting is that Davis did not have to forfeit all pay and allowances, which meant he would still be getting paid as a lieutenant while in prison.  The only reason I think of the judge did not impose this penalty is that he wanted to make sure that Davis’ wife back in the US still had income to take care of herself.  Something else that is strange about what he was convicted of was the fact that despite admitting to having sex with various bar girls he was not convicted of any prostitution and human trafficking charges.  Even more strange was the fact that the ROK authorities pursued no real charges against Davis for his crimes.  Not pursuing the rape allegation I understand considering how Kim would not cooperate with authorities.  However, why wasn’t Davis pursued in Korean courts for thee shakedowns he was conducting off duty?  If the anti-US groups want to complain about US servicemembers getting away with crimes here is a perfect example of this, but it has nothing to do with the SOFA and everything to do with ROK authorities not pursuing the case.  Probably to at least create the appearance of doing something the ROK authorities did fine Davis $4,800 for keeping an illegal firearm in his apartment:

But according to testimony in a June 10 pretrial hearing into the Air Force’s charges against Davis, Korean National Police officers found firearms when, armed with a warrant, they searched an off-base apartment Davis was accused of keeping illegally. Agents of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations joined in the March 1 search, according to hearing testimony.

Police allegedly found various weapons and ammunition. Air Force special agent Etai Shpak testified at the June hearing that police found two pistols and one shotgun, a rifle, and various types of ammunition.

Among other weapons allegedly found during the raid, Shpak said, were brass knuckles, thumbcuffs and pepper spray. Korean officers seized the weapons, he testified.  [Stars & Stripes]

Where did these weapons come from?  Are they Air Force weapons?  If so what type of weapons accountability did the 51st Security Squadron have?  If they are not Air Force weapons then how did Davis get them into the country?  If he smuggled them into the country shouldn’t he have received far greater punishment for weapons smuggling?  Additionally what was he using these weapons for?  The amount of unanswered questions regarding the weapons charges is really amazing.  This guy is able to shake Koreans down for sex, money, and gifts and have a number of illegal firearms in his apartment and only gets a $4,800 fine.

Anyway despite the light punishment Davis received from the US court martial he appealed the conviction and tried to get his sentence reduced.  If you can believe it the appeals court actually dropped the negligent dereliction of duty charge against Davis:

An issue not raised, but addressed by this Court, concerns Specification 5 of Additional Charge I. The appellant was convicted, in accordance with his plea by exceptions and substitutions, of negligent dereliction of duty. The specification at issue, after exceptions and substitutions, states “…was derelict in the performance of those duties in that he negligently conducted ‘sting operations’ against Songtan-area business establishments, as it was his duty to do.” (Emphasis added). This Specification fails to state an offense, and is therefore dismissed.  [USAF Court of Criminal Appeals]

Ultimately the light sentence Davis received has only fed into the conspiracy stories surrounding this case that he received the light sentence in order to keep him quiet about higher level corruption at Osan AFB.  It seems to me that if no one in 51st Security Squadron or the Armed Forced Disciplinary Control Board (AFDCB) was aware of what Davis was doing then at the very least they were derelict in their responsibilities.  I’m not saying his chain of command was in on the corruption, I’m saying they may have been told what was going on and decided not to believe it or were too lazy to investigate it thus leading back to my theory they were derelict.  Davis deserved to go to jail and should have received more time then he received, but I would hope the leadership in his chain of command at Osan AB were at least administratively held responsible for what happened.  Maybe that was done I don’t know, however the only thing that was done publicly was that most members of the town patrol were reassigned to different jobs.  Considering all the unanswered questions and lack of accountability for those involved, is it any wonder why the conspiracy theories surrounding the Osan Shakedown Scandal have never gone away?

Note: You can read more GI Flashbacks articles by clicking on the below link: 

Considering how popular my prior posting about the TDC Ville was I decided to publish a posting with even more information and pictures about the premier entertainment district in the 2ID area, the TDC Ville.  A recent trip to Korea gave me the perfect opportunity to walk through the TDC Ville in Dongducheon to take pictures of the various clubs and shops. For the past few years the local Korean government has really tried to fix up the ville and have even re-named it the Bosan-dong Special Tour District in effort to change the image of the ville:

Here is an excerpt from an article about why the local government is pouring roughly $5 million dollars into renovating the ville:

Mayor Oh, Sechang of Dongducheon and his city engineers have decided to give the area outside USAG-Casey’s main gate a face lift. They will be changing the looks and adding many new features to the area known as Bosandong village. Many enjoy the entertainment and shopping, which has been a feature of the area since the Korean War ended in 1950. The mayor and his engineers will add popular sports sections and popular shops such as those found in Itaewon in Seoul near USAG-Yongsan.

“Ever since the end of the Korean War, Bosandong flourished with Soldiers who would shop in the area,” said Jeon, Heung-Sik, Dongducheon Mayor’s Office particular operation region division engineer. “In 2004, the 2nd Brigade left USAG-Casey, which reduced the number of U.S. Soldiers in the area and the plan to relocate the Soldiers to USAG-Humphreys will change the customer base for good. Because Bosandong’s customer base has declined, the area has become run down. The mayor and Dongducheon City will renovate the area to attract customers of all kinds, including tourists not only from other parts of Korea, but from overseas as well.”  [Army.mil]

You can read more at the link, but it will be interesting to see if Bosan-dong ever does become a mainstream shopping area like Itaewon currently is in Seoul.  I actually took one day to go to Camp Casey and stop by the PX and look around before I decided to go and see how much the renovations have changed the ville:

The day I went to Camp Casey the weather was just perfect with sunny blue skies.  Here is the view looking under the subway bridge across the street from Camp Casey towards Camp Mobile on the right:

However, the next day when I went to go check out the ville it was raining heavily outside.  So I put on my rain jacket and proceeded to go ahead and check out the ville that morning despite the rain. Even with the heavy rain most of the pictures didn’t come out too bad plus the rain gave me the ville all to myself the morning that I did my walk through.  Little did I know that the rains would continue to fall for many days until severe flooding damaged the ville and led to this massive US military assisted clean up effort.

Anyway here is the main entrance to the ville on its north side between Camp Casey and Camp Mobile:

The renovations of hanging snowflakes and adding the brick road and instantly noticeable but really Bosan-dong still looks like the ville.  A good Korea analogy is putting make up on Songtan Sally.  It helps a little bit, but it is still Songtan Sally.

From the start of the ville a variety of clubs can be seen that run adjacent to the subway line:

This subway line wasn’t always here and there used to be a train line that ran through the ville that occasionally a drunk GI would get hit by.  Now the overpass that was constructed over 5 years ago has removed this hazard while at the same time providing a quick means of transportation to Seoul for the Soldiers stationed in Dongducheon.  As part of the local government’s efforts to clean up the ville they have not only fixed up many of the buildings but installed a number of public parks and facilities.  Here is one of the public facilities which is actually a common sight around Korea, which is publicly usable exercise equipment:

Before walking down the main strip of the ville I decided to go ahead and walk up towards the Highway 3 bypass and take some pictures from there.  While walking that way I passed a number of mink blanket shops that have been a main stay business in the ville for decades:

I know people who were stationed at Camp Casey in the 1960′s who have told me they still own their mink blanket they bought in the ville.  As walked up to the bypass I took this picture of the entrance to Camp Mobile:

For those that don’t know Camp Mobile is where the CIF facility is at where gear is issued to new Soldiers.  There is also a small runway there as well where in the past I was able to conduct helicopter insertion missions with the 1-503rd Infantry when they were stationed at Camp Casey.

Here is the major intersection that leads to Camp Casey from the Highway 3 bypass:

I can remember the traffic jams that use to plague this area a few years ago when this bridge was being built.  From the intersection I could see the old Camp Nimble water tower:

This camp was closed down in 2005 as part of the USFK transformation plan to consolidate forces on the peninsula in preparation for a massive consolidation of forces on an expanded Camp Humphreys further down south.  Camp Nimble I could see was completely leveled leaving only the water tower.

From the intersection I made my way down a side alley to head back to the main area of the ville:

Here is the Miss Oh Shop:

Just past this shop I entered another alley where a few bars were located:

Here is Cheers which was known as being an officer hang out when I was stationed at Camp Casey:

The next club used to be the Peace Club, but is now called Club Peace for whatever reason:

Back in the day the Peace Club was a nice place to hang out because they didn’t have Juicy Girls but eventually they brought in a few Juicy Girls that kind of ruined the atmosphere.

Anyway here is the Phoenix Club:

And here is the D Club:

By the way if anyone has any current information or stories they want to share about the various clubs mentioned in this posting please feel free to leave a comment.

I continued down the side alley heading back towards the main strip of the ville:

Here is the view looking back towards Club Peace:

Here is just another view of the back alley and the Poory Chop Store:

The alley exited near this park that was constructed in recent years as part of the renovation of Bosan-dong:

Not too far from the park is Phrawgh’s Tavern which some readers of this blog might recognize 😉  :

Near Phrawgh’s is Mojo’s American Bar:

Here is a picture of yet another newly constructed park that has a statue of some keys for some reason:

Anyone know what the keys are supposed to signify?

Anyway from the park I walked back over to the main entrance of the ville and took this picture of the King Club which is the first club that can be seen when walking into the ville:

Here are few of the stores and clubs further down from King Club such as the Caesar’s Palace Club:

Here is the Golden Gate Club and Bar 37:

Here is Club Ocean:

In the central area of the ville is this stage area where various public events can be held:

At one corner of the park is the Universal Paradise Club:

Here is a picture of the Harley Club and Club JJ:

Here is the Empire Club that used to be where the Black Rose was located:

The Black Rose used to the be the club that primarily only black soldiers used to hang out.  The Black Rose is nothing more than a gift shop now.  Here is a picture of the Deep Club and one of the many custom tailor shops in the ville:

I still have one of my custom suits I had made 10 years ago in TDC and still wear it from time to time.  You can get some high quality suits made in the ville for a very affordable price.

Here is the VIP Club:

Here is a picture of the joint US-Korea “Crime Prevention Center” located in the center of the ville near Bosan Station:

Here is the view looking north up the ville down the path I just walked up:

Here is the view looking south where the ville hits a three way intersection:

Notice that the path to the left takes people to the relatively new Bosan Subway Station.  The path on the right takes people to the Love Shop area of the ville:

I ended up taking the center path at the intersection that leads to yet more clubs in the ville:

I walked past first the Dragon Club:

Then the Sky Club:

Here is the Las Vegas Club:

And the Silver Star Club:

Here is the Mustang Club that a few years ago was infamous for fights but I have no idea if that is still the case today:

Here is the Together Club:

Tucked in a back alley is the Pan Korea Club which when I frequented the ville was a Hispanic Club:

Here are yet more clubs, the Player’s Club, Club Queen, and the Bridge Club:

This stretch of the ville is also home to the Rendezvous Club:

I don’t know if this is still the case but this club used to be run by a Korean mafia figure named Mr. Han.  I once saw him karate kick a guy in the face before in the bar that was causing trouble.  Anyone know if Mr. Han is still running this place?

Here is the Head Club that I always thought was the biggest fire trap in the ville:

Upstairs from the Head Club is the Deja Vu Club.  From the Head Club I detoured off on to a side alley that had yet more clubs and shops:

Here is yet another example of a custom tailor shop:

Just down the road is the Blackman Tailor Shop that has been a fixture in the ville for many years:

Down this side alley was yet more clubs such as Club Flex:

And here is the Pop Store Club:

Here is one of the few hotels that service the ville, the Hana Hotel:

Next to the Hana Hotel is the Latin Brothers Club that I don’t remember seeing the last time I was in the ville three years ago:

From Latin Brothers I walked over to the far southern end of Bosan-dong where the ville begins to transition into real Dongducheon.  Like on the north end the south end of the ville has had a makeover as well:

Since I head detoured off into the side alley from the main strip I decided to walk a little ways back up the strip to get some pictures of the clubs I hadn’t photographed yet.  Here is the Sun Club:

Here is the ACE Restaurant, the BMW Club, and the Focus Club:

Finally here is the Cowboys Club:

After taking a few photos of the clubs at the end of the ville, I then turned around to head back out the ville’s southern entrance.  The GS 25 store pictured on the left is kind of the defacto beginning of the real Dongducheon:

If I would have continued going straight down the street it would have taken me towards downtown Dongducheon.  Instead I took a left and headed towards Highway 3 that runs between the ville and Camp Casey.  Here is a picture I took of the alley that runs between the ville and Bosan Station:

This is a picture of the intersection with Highway 3.  Right goes deeper into Dongducheon while taking a left goes towards Camp Casey.  Here I took a left:

As I walked down the sidewalk this area of the ville is dominated by the massive Bosan Station that looks like a giant space ship landed in the middle of Dongducheon:

If this station is secretly an alien space ship at least they brought the Ono Sports Bar & Grill with them:

Across the street from the station was a few more bars and businesses:

Here is Club W:

Here is Marty’s American Sport’s Bar and Grill:

I can remember when Marty’s opened it was one of the nicest places to eat in the ville.  I don’t know if that is still the case considering all the other restaurants that have opened up as well in Bosan-dong in recent years.  For example here is a Brazilian BBQ house called Bossa Nova Grill:

I don’t know if this place is any good but it smelled good when I walked by.  As I continued down the sidewalk I saw plenty of other restaurants in this section of the ville as well:

Here is the Zula Bar & Grill which another one of the new restaurants in the ville:

The ville is of course also full of plenty of pawn shops, money exchanges, game and DVD shops, etc. that are fixture of just about every ville in Korea:

While walking back to Camp Casey, right across the street from the camp is the highly controversial Julie’s Realty:

Many ROK Drop readers may remember that Julie’s Realty was linked to BAH fraud down in Seoul.  I don’t know if they are still trying to pull the old housing fraud trick on servicemembers now, but walking by it appeared they were doing pretty good business:

Here I am looking south standing next to the bus stop across from Camp Casey:

In this area of the ville across the street from Camp Casey many coin and plaque shops can be found since Soldiers can easily visit these places during lunch in order to pick up various items for their units:

One of the unusual aspects of Korea when compared to state side assignments is how many people are always coming and going due to the one year tours that many Soldiers still receive to come to the 2nd Infantry Division.  Every time a Soldier leaves their unit it is customary to have what the Army calls a “Hail and Farewell” to welcome new personnel and farewell departing personnel.  The departing personnel usually are given a plaque or some other gift for their time with the unit which means shops like the one pictured above due brisk business.  The ajushi that work in these shops actually do really good work for a relatively good price.

Something surprising to me looking across the street is how this road that runs adjacent to Camp Casey has been widened:

This used to be a very narrow road that ran through a tight cluster of homes here.  All the buildings on the left side that bordered the base have been knocked down.  This little ville used to be a popular place for married Soldiers to find cheap housing for their families if they decided to bring them to Korea.

Here is the view across the street of the ubiquitous KNP buses that are pretty much parked near every major US military installation to provide security just in case any protesters show up to cause problems:

And that completed my walk around the ville.  Like I said before there has been much effort to clean the place up, but it is still the ville and always will be until the day US Soldiers leave Dongducheon.  If anyone has any stories they would like to share about the clubs pictured here or any other experiences they had in the ville please share with other readers in the comments section.

Note: You can read more from the ROK Drop featured series “A Profile of USFK Bases” at the below link:

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Note: These are comments that I had to manually move over from the old ROKdrop.com site.  Please post new comments down below:

• Jerry
  9:16 am on August 5th, 2011 1

I’ve still got my Korean Blankets from 30 years ago. Never have been able to sleep with anything else on the bed in winter. They sell a similar style blanket at a local flea market, but they just don’t seem the same.

Sad to hear that Camp Nimble is no longer there. It was always fun being across the river from the 2ID and being in the 8th Army.

I don’t recognize anything in the pictures anymore.

• Hector Robinson
  10:11 am on August 5th, 2011 2

I can’t be leave how much TDC has changed in time that i was in TDC back in 1975 thru 1976 and even when i went back in 1985 I really loved it there back then even if i was very young 21 years old then.

• Leon LaPorte
  10:26 am on August 5th, 2011 3

Lt’s see.

CIF was moved to Stanley a number of years ago. Silly but true. The only reason a soldier might ever venture onto CP Mobile is to visit ACAP or they are in the UAS platoon.

For all intents and purposes, Club Flex is the old Black Rose, same owner.

Mr. Han died a couple years ago from a “heart attack”.

The Head Club should be avoided at all costs. Den of thieves, pimps and ice washers.

• Leon LaPorte
  10:38 am on August 5th, 2011 4

Zulu and Ono’s are owned by the Empire Club folks.

Those same folks tried to force the Brazilians out of business. Didn’t work…

The Sky Club… How they are not off limits for PHT and credit card fraud, I have no idea. They seem to do the most business, or any business, after the CP’s and MP’s call it a night. I can’t think of why anyone would go there except for a hand job… But beware, they will make sweet love to your credit card. I have heard of more than one instance of them running a card for thousands of dollars in one night. I guess sometimes your credit card company will back you, sometimes not. The Sky might be in close competition with Head Club and Cheers for the biggest scum balls in the ville.

• Leon LaPorte
  10:47 am on August 5th, 2011 5

Hasn’t been updated in a long time but here’s a TDC bar review some may find of interest. Some infomis out of date. The “Taliban rating” doesn’t mean as much anymore but at the time was very relevant. Many of the mainstays are still there.

http://www.mojosbar.com/clubs/

• GI Korea
  2:08 pm on August 5th, 2011 6

Leon thanks for the updates. If the CIF is closed at Camp Mobile they must be keeping that base open solely because of the airfield then.

As far as Mr. Han I’m sure there is probably more to that story than just a heart attack. It sounds like the Head Club is even a shadier place than it was just five years ago. I remember having to break up some serious fights there before between GI’s. They would play the heavy metal music and somebody would start a mosh pit and before you know it a fight would break out.

• Jeff Fisher
  2:12 pm on August 5th, 2011 7

Jerry,cmt#1/ I left Korea in 88′. Been back a few times,
recently in May. I too loved the mink blankets. For some
reason on previous trips they never entered my mind until
I went into the Friendship Arcade on Yongsan to visit some
of my wife’s former co-workers that are still there(2).
Laid eyes on a stack of those blankets. A rush of memories
rushed into my mind. I bought a queen sized one, only $45.
Wife says Koreans do not buy or use them anymore. She could protest til the end of time, I got my blanket! A day or two later we were in SoDaeMoon, the big market that
is a bargain mecca in Seoul. You name it they got it. Did
not see any there. I was surprised that my wife may be
correct in her statement of the the blankets being passe’

In your#3 you mentioned that “ACAP” and “UAS” platoon. What do those mean? You are very knowledgeable about
TDC. Thanks for your input.

• Jeff Fisher
  2:16 pm on August 5th, 2011 8

Leon Cmt #3, not Jerry. Excuse me for the mistake in the last paragraph in getting the two guys mixed up.

• Glans
  2:26 pm on August 5th, 2011 9

GI Korea 6, you broke up fights? I don’t understand. Were you there as a customer when fights broke out?

• Leon LaPorte
  3:50 pm on August 5th, 2011 10

7. The term used previously for unmanned aircraft was unmanned-aircraft vehicle system (UAV). The term unmanned aircraft system (UAS) is the newest military acronym, to emphasize the importance of other elements beyond an aircraft itself. A typical UAS consists of the:

* unmanned aircraft (UA)
* control system, such as Ground Control Station (GCS)
* control link, a specialized datalink
* other related support equipment.

ACAP is Army Career and Alumni Program, there old timer.

Mobile was mainly were all the MWR warehouses and refrigeration was, along with their motorpool. Also, 403rd AFSB is there. That’s were all the civilian government LARS and such have (had) their offices. The flood took all that out. If I was USFK I wouldn’t even bother reopening the place and move all that stuff to the now unoccupied Camp Castle BUT I heard the ROK army is already set to move in there. Anytime there is a flood, Mobile will get hit as it is the lowest point in Bo San Dong and right next to the river.

6. Yep GI someone in the brain trust that runs this place decided it would be a great idea to put the turtle farm and CIF at Stanley.
7. He was either a customer, walking the ville like a good NCO or on Courtesy Patrol (CP).

• GI Korea
  7:11 pm on August 5th, 2011 11

Glans in 2ID they have what is called Courtesy Patrols (CP’s) that walk around the ville and basically try to keep people out of trouble. As I mentioned in my comment my experience dealing with these clubs is dated but the Head Club was usually one where trouble would break out. Leon has much better knowledge on how things are now.

• Glans
  9:46 pm on August 5th, 2011 12

Leon LaPorte 10 suggests that GI Korea was an NCO when he broke up fights. Is that true, GI Korea? Are you currently an NCO?

I imagine you as a commissioned officer.

• Leon LaPorte
  10:01 pm on August 5th, 2011 13

Commissioned officers should never break up fights or put themselves in a position needing to do so. First it could cause the officer not not be seen as a higher being by rolling in the mud and the guts and the beer. Second, he is endangering the welfare of the soldiers he is attempting to assist.

As I asked a young 2LT once who was attempting to take care of “his” troops, “What if you get hit LT?”. It goes from a minor scuffle in the ville to field grade action automatically. That’s business best left to NCO’s.

• Tbonetylr
  12:23 am on August 6th, 2011 14

Leon LaPorte,
Where do the English teachers hang out and where can one stay a night or two? Is the Hana Hotel(next to Latin Brothers Club) the only option?

• Leon LaPorte
  12:30 am on August 6th, 2011 15

Never was a whole lot of English teachers in that part of town. Last I checked, even English teachers can stay in any hotel they want.

Hawaii Hotel is cheap. The Cima in 2nd market is nice and not overly expensive (W60,000). Or were you asking something else?

• guitard
  6:32 am on August 6th, 2011 16

When I pulled CP in Itaewon, it was always a two man team made up of a Sr. NCO and a Jr. officer. I never once had to break up a fight. Maybe I was just lucky. Come to think of it…I don’t think I was authorized to break up a fight. I think we were supposed to call the MPs (we had radios).

• Glans
  2:00 pm on August 6th, 2011 17

So GI Korea was a lieutenant or captain. When he saw a fight, he said, “You men stop fighting!” and they did.

• Leon LaPorte
  3:34 pm on August 6th, 2011 18

7. How do you know they were men? Why do you assume men would be fighting? Are you a misandrist?

• Glans
  4:28 pm on August 6th, 2011 19

Leon LaPorte, my knowledge of the military is second-hand. In old movies, officers and senior NCOs (formerly known as non-coms) addressed their troops as you men. What is it now? You men and women? You straights and gays? You whites and non-whites?

• scott
  8:39 pm on August 6th, 2011 20

Mr Han passed away few years ago……his “wife” still runs the reindevous

• Sgt Rock
  7:10 pm on August 7th, 2011 21

GI Korea, thankyou for posting these picks. I have left comments in TDC Ville a couple of years ago. I do not recognise the village as it is nowadays. It has changed alot since 1978. Of all the pics you posted I recognize only the Rendezvous and Club Pan Korea. Not sure I would like Bosan-dong. My first and only time with two women was a short time in the ville. Back then we did not carry credit/debit cards. Don’t think they had the capability to run a card back then. Everything was on a cash only basis. Both of them were hot young Korean women. I paid them $5 each and gave them a $5 tip to split. I had them both for around an hour and a half. No Russian or Thai girls back in those days. Just the most beautiful women in Asia, Korean women. As you know it was legal for GI’s to hire lady’s of the night then. I was extremely lucky. Was the only soldier in my platoon that did not contract some sort of VD.

• hardyandtiny
  9:23 pm on August 7th, 2011 22

nice post

• Sgt Rock
  2:14 pm on August 9th, 2011 23

TY, I have many more stories of deviant and sexual exploits in the ROK. No regrets, I met my wife of 32 years there.

• Lloyd Broyles
  11:13 am on August 16th, 2011 24

Wow things have really changed since ’74-’76 when I graced those streets. My favorite hang out with John McComas was in Seoul called the Heart to Heart Club, I think I still own the owner my tab. That place was awsome.

• Fred Wendel
  10:47 am on August 17th, 2011 25

I cant belive thats the same place I was back in 1968.Camp Casy was all 7th. Inf.Div.
The streets were all dirt roads with running water on each side ( open sewers ).Soon as you went out the main gate and crossed the street ( which was only paved for 1/2 mile in each direction ) you would cross the railroad tracks and 3 to 6 girls would grab your hand and try pulling you to their hootch for a “short time” for a $1.Once past that obstacle,you might stop at the first club in the ville,the Bayonet club.Have an OB beer,listen to Jose felecieano,sing ligt my fire,the doors and the rolling stones.Then roll on down the street to your favorite club.
But hey guys,what happened in Korea,stayed in Korea.

• Fred Wendel
  10:48 am on August 17th, 2011 26

xx

• Jeffrey Fisher
  5:09 pm on August 18th, 2011 27

#25 Fred: What stayed in Korea was quite a few of retired guys from the military and stayed there. Some that did not retire, got out and got jobs there so they could stay. Then there are others that did not stay but took a piece of Korea with them such as I did, the lovely and gracious Mrs Fisher. We go back often to visit. I wonder how many guys lay in bed thinking of the great fun they had. Wishing they were pro-active in their decision making process. It does not take a decision to leave Korea or ETS from the Army, the conveyor belt automatically does that when your date comes up.

• Rich V
  6:34 pm on August 20th, 2011 28

I flew UH-1′s out of H-220 (Camp Mobile) in 1987, B Co 2nd Avn. 2nd S & T had the Camp then, we were behind the Hot dog stand just inside Casey gate. Flew the AH-1 with 5/17 Cav out of Camp Mobile in 91/92. God the place looks bad, it used to flood every monsoon season and stink even worse than usual. Peace Club story from 1992. Place was laid back had a few whores hanging out in it that used to work the New York club back during my first tour. Anyway, some Korean TV channel news crew from Seoul was out doing some kind of expose on American GI clubs in the ville. They walked in the door of the Peace Club with the bright camera lights on and were immediatly thrown right back out in the alley by Miss Lee and some of her girls, holding their hands up to cover their faces the whole time while yelling Geseki-ya,Shibal-nam and some words I hadnt heard yet even after 2 tours. I was just walking by, on my way to the T-club and at the time sober to boot, but it was funny as hell. My wife is going back to Korea this October, I sure wish I could go with her but I have a broken ankle and can barely walk, plus a 15 year old who needs close supervision. She probably wouldn’t let me go to TDC any way, not by myself. Club JJ sure looks like the New Korea Club. Any chance of a photo tour of Toko-ri, Hooker hill or Stanley Ville?

• GI Korea
  7:01 pm on August 20th, 2011 29

Rich, you ask and you shall receive. The following link should give you plenty of material to read that you will find of interest:

Archive of ROK Drop’s “A Profile” Series

• Josh
  9:30 pm on August 25th, 2011 30

oh man this brings back memories. was with the MP’s from 2004-2007 here. I remember the king club and mustang club the most. mustang for the crowd/music and king for the girls

• deez nutts
  4:56 am on August 29th, 2011 31

man, i did some major damage in ’08….up club- and limbo…had a girl who would cook me food and pay for the room on her days off…never paid for them….had an awesome time and would do it again….

• johnbe
  3:54 pm on October 11th, 2011 32

There wasn’t one square inch of pavement or sidewalks when I was there 1967-68. Of course none of old TDC remains either, except maybe the Rendezvous Club. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn there’s now indoor plumbing…just kidding! I understand now that GIs can’t even pay a rice bill, the girls that work in the clubs aren’t Korean, probably no more VD card requirement for the girls in the clubs. I remember going to the field near Yongjugol and a bus would stop at night and half of the gals from TDC would get off and pay us a visit. And now there’re female soldiers stationed at Casey. What the heck do they do in TDC? There were the chop houses, the pawn shops, the opium dens, and 20 people hanging off the outside of the kimchee busses. No more Sgt Peppers playing from the speakers outside the clubs. Only Korean booze, cigarettes and money in the village. Everything US was contraband. And you better be back on base by midnight or your pass would get pulled. My mamasan, her girls, and the hootches with paper-thin walls. Only EM were allowed in TDC. Days of old!

• Leon LaPorte
  4:37 pm on October 11th, 2011 33

After the flood the Rendezvous is now a bear, vacant lot. They say they are going to rebuild but I’ve yet to see much happen.

• JFisher
  11:00 am on October 13th, 2011 34

Cmt 32: Opium Dens???? You have got to be kidding. I was in
Korea on off and on for seven years, 64′ thru 88′. Other than
the that I concur with your comments. Would like to know if
anyone else was aware of any “opium dens”.

• johnbe
  11:38 am on October 13th, 2011 35

Semi kidding. The opium den was what we referred to as the place where you’d sit on the bare floor and a mamasan would walk around handing out joints. It was pot, not opium, but we knew it as the “opium den” in 1968. It was down an alley on the opposite side of the street from the Rendezvous. I only went there once, so it could have been a very temporary location.

• JFisher
  12:17 pm on October 13th, 2011 36

#35′: That makes sense! Thanks for the clarification. I miss
Korea, anyway the Korea of the period you mentioned. I go back
often but those times were much more fun for a GI than they
are now—-in my opinion.

• Jack
  12:10 pm on October 15th, 2011 37

Wow what a HUGE change! Trains! I was in the 2nd MP Co in 79-80, when we had curfew (midnight) because of martial law. Seems like a lifetime ago, and still have vivid memories. i had a few flannel shirts Tailor made in the Ville. I swear I had them until 1990, when I mistakingly left them at a friends house. they still looked almost new too. I was in the platoon that patrolled the Vill at night. Hated it> Too many super wannabee cops I worked with. Fights every damn night, guys OD’ing on Scotie yellows etc..But OH how I miss my 13 fiancess lol. Good times. Would love to take my family to Korea some day, I turned them on to the food and as yound kids they loved it and we still eat it. Good places in NY. Glad to see TDC was modernized. I was there when someone who was angry at an MP tossed a grenade into the PMO on Xmas. Hurt a bunch of people luckily noone was killed. Like I said crazy times. Nice site glad I saw it

• JFisher
  12:37 pm on October 15th, 2011 38

JACK#37: Korea is a mecca for tourist these days. You and your
family would have the time of your life there. You can book
tours thru the USO regardless of being retired military or
not. Go onto the USO website. Big bang for your buck in my
opinion. I was recently there (May/Jun). You will be amazed
at the Korea of today, I am sure of it. I was at Cp Pelham
during the time you were there. GO FOR IT.

• James
  8:59 pm on October 31st, 2011 39

I’m really glad I found this site and the pictures. I was station at Camp Castle in ’92-93 but haven’t been back. Fun to go down memory lane. Thanks.

• johnbe
  6:15 pm on November 1st, 2011 40

There is only one club name that has survived my 1967-68 tour of duty: The Rendezvous Club. That’s it. Back then the ville was ugly and it smelled bad, but it sure had character. I went home on a mid-tour 30 day leave and came back early. Couldn’t wait to get back to the diesel stoves, the mud streets, and the behind-the-beaded-curtain chops shops that served yakimandu and Oscar champagne in TDC.

• JFisher
  4:02 am on November 2nd, 2011 41

#40; Could not agree with you more! I had four tours of duty over there. When I got my orders each time, I put in for 30 days leave and made a B-line for the airport and signed up for “duty standby”at Travis AFB so I could arrive there a month before my scheduled reporting in date.

• Jack
  6:03 am on November 2nd, 2011 42

I can’t believe Las Vegas and Silver Star are still around. Do they still have the Silver Star Outlaws? I think Bar 37 used to be The Oasis Club, used to have bbq’s up on the top of that place all the time in the early 90′s. Anyone remember Studio 54?

• marko
  8:54 pm on November 19th, 2011 43

Are there any bars or places to hang out in Bosan that aren’t full of 19 year old idiots looking for fights and prostitutes? I’m tried of dealing with them and just want a place to go after I get off duty.

• Leon LaPorte
  9:46 pm on November 19th, 2011 44

3. Yes! Try http://www.facebook.com/imjinpub

• Denny G
  4:20 am on March 19th, 2012 45

I spent many a night in the Dragon Club back in ’87. The ville sure looks much cleaner now than it did back then. Hard to belive that is the same TDC I used to go to.

• eriey carlos montana
  7:56 pm on March 24th, 2012 46

any of u do knows about shella n roxanne at the king club–?

• eriey carlos montana
  7:57 pm on March 24th, 2012 47

it was 2007 n 2008–with any photos of them,

• John Chanik
  7:36 am on March 25th, 2012 48

Nice to see these photos again. I guess I got it again in email due to somebody’s post. The village was known as TDC, or Tongduchon, when I was there in 1967. There was no Dongducheon or Bosan-dong. All streets and allys were dirt. There was no pavement anywhere. Everything looked like it was on the verge of collapse. During the winter, the clubs were boarded up when the temps were too cold to be outside. Leaving Casey on pass, there were so many girls on each side of the walkway from the MP hootch that we felt like we were on parade. If you got too close, they’d tear your clothes off. There were hundreds of working gals in TDC. No such thing as a “juicy girl” back then. The girls were called “business girls” and could work in the clubs if they had a VD card, otherwise they had to stay outside. There were no Russian or Filipino girls in TDC- all were Korean. All GIs were male, and no officers were allowed on pass with enlisted personnel. There was a midnight cerfew and no civilian clothes were allowed. US currency was considered contraband. Possession of such was a punishable offense. Some TDC clubs had Korean bands that tried to emulate popular bands. American music played in the streets (Beatles, Union Gap, Lemon Pipers, etc.). There were no restaurants, there were only chop houses- a couple of tables behind a beaded curtain in a pawn shop. TDC was just a few years away from the Korean War in 1967, but it was the greatest and I miss it still, these 45 years later. RIP TDC.

• guitard
  8:23 am on March 25th, 2012 49

John: Actually Tongduchon and TDC, and Dongducheon are all the same thing. But Dongducheon is the “modern” spelling. In Korean and Chinese: 동두천 東豆川.

An interesting tidbit – it means “East Bean Creek.”

• John Chanik
  9:07 am on March 25th, 2012 50

TDC has evolved in many ways over the years. It’s not the same place I remember, and certainly all changes are for the better. Renaming TDC to Dongducheon is a modern touch, similar to replacing the Korean business gals with Filipino and Russian juicy girls. That too will pass. During my day, the effort was to get the GI’s money any way possible. It’s good to see the Koreans in Dongducheon are willing to spend some of it now to upgrade the city. I’m sure that is necessary for the day to come when Dongducheon is no longer a US Army camp town.

• BOSANG-DONG KYONGGIDO KOREA
  1:44 pm on May 31st, 2012 51

Back in the late seventy’s early 80’s my mother-in-law which is 92 now was a prominent Bosan-Dong woman group leader and own a few properties around the area back then. What a novelty I was; being a black guy married to one of the local citizen daughter. Ladies would drop by to talk to my mother in-law about this and that unexpectedly meet me. I was surprise to find out a number of these elderly woman had daughters married to GI’s and would return with pictures of their daughter who was married to GI’s accompany with address’s that they wanted to know about. I remember going down to the local book store and buying a map of the united states to better explain the where abouts of where their daughter was station or located in the US. Oh I became acquainted with my present wife while over at my buddy and his yobo hooch. My wife at the time was known as ajuma daughter would drop by to collect rent or just to chi chat with the girls that live in this complex. One day my friend yobo told me that ajuma daughter liked me so I took advantage of the situation and the rest is history. I remember a strange occurrence that happened when my house boy Mr. Kim told me he got a call from some man that wanted to know if I was married and where I was from back in the states and what I was I like. To this day I have never found out who called my houseboy asking about my personal Life. I think it was my mother- in-law. Reason is I have looked at pictures in my wife family album of her mother standing with 3 star Korean general, TDC mayor, Bosan-Dong Rep, polices chief and other prominent figure in the local area. 10 or 15 years ago I could walk around Bo-san Dong and old ladies would asked me how’s was my mother in-law was doing and had no ideal who this person might have been.
My wife explain to me any foreigner walking around would be notice and talk about. In my case so many elderly ladies had been to the house and have not forgotten me I was told. Another thing that really intrigued me on many occasions that I was privet to was how surprise Korean where when they notice how poor American soldiers where, coming from a rich nation like American. I was present at my mother in-law house when I was filling out some paper work to go to Seoul to get married consequently my mother in-law ask what is the state of black peoples in America because she had heard so many bad stories about black people treatment in America, are the white soldier more richer than black one, the man replied not necessary the soldiers they all pretty much the same coming from poor families because America do not have a draft, they join the military for a better life, to travel what ever. they have no health care and it cost a lot of money to go to school and that in general America white people are wealthier than blacks. He then looked at me and said is that true…..mother in-law replied so how can America help us when it does not help it’s own peoples. It is really funny to Korean when they see poor American can’t pay their rent. etc. with their military being so big and shiny and their peoples are so poor and needy

• JFisher
  2:53 pm on May 31st, 2012 52

#51: Enjoyed your post, thanks. I do however want to know if
you comments about the “poor” in the USA refer to now or at an
earlier period. The so called poor in the US would be considered rich in other countries. Not one person in the USA ever dies from hunger. I that was to happen the socialist
would have it on the news for weeks, especially NBC. As a mailman for 19 years and having delivered in the projects up until 2007, I can assure you they all have TV’s cell phones, cars, and are well fed, compliments of the tax payers. Hot and cold running water and clothing albeit not what many outside of that environment to be considered tasteful. Their circumstances are not due in most part tobad luck or bias towards them. If you can not speak the English language properly, do not finish high school, have a criminal
juvenile or adult record, or in the case of girls have babies
with “sperm donors (not fathers), are in the 4th generation
of being programed to live off the government tit, you are doomed to never being able to “be all you can be”. You can not join the military (I was an Recruiter), few employers would ever higher you in a decent paying job with potential. They become comfortable on the “dole”. Evil shit when you consider it. The nanny state locks them into that situation. Why get a job and behave yourself when the total of handouts, housing, food, medical is provided which turns out to be about $20-30@hour. Beats whatever they would make working
on the only type of work they could get. The deaths in those
projects is outrageous. Blacks are 13% of the population and
over 50% of the prison population.

Did you stay in Army? Great move if you did. Great move to have married an Asian–in my opinion. Are you still with her?

• John Chanik
  3:02 pm on May 31st, 2012 53

BOSANG-DONG KYONGGIDO KOREA: 2 guys from my platoon married and stayed in TDC after their ETS in 1968. My house boy was named Kim also, but I know there were many. What unit were you from?

• John Chanik
  7:13 am on June 1st, 2012 54

BOSANG-DONG KYONGGIDO KOREA: Since you did not answer my question, I suspect that you are not who/what you say you are. The Korean people laugh at the shiny US military that protects them from NK? You should know that we are there to protect the people, not to take care of them. I was there in the 60s when the MSR was dirt, the people lived in huts made of straw and mud and the children ran around dirty and naked. The people were impoverished. The smell in the air was a combination of kimchi and open sewers. The lowliest GI had more money than anyone in TDC, with the exception of the mamasans. All the girls in the clubs were Korean business girls, and the blacks (you claim to be black) were not welcomed by Koreans south of Camp Casey’s main gate. The Korean people were dirt poor but they had their gleaming ROK Army. I remember a sign hanging in a TDC shop window that read “If the 8th Army has it, we can get it”. That’s how TDC survived. Slicky boys and prostitutes. They had no viable industry. The air was full of coal dust. It was the most impoverished place I had ever seen. If you drove into the largest city, their capitol, Seoul, you saw people openly urinating on the streets. Now the people have industry. The Hyundai. Big deal. The rice paddies have been replaced by condominiums. I’ve seen the videos online. Tongduchon is now Dongducheon. It’s been given a face list. The old clubs no longer exist. The Korean business gals have been replaced by Russian and Filipina juicy girls, but guys like me who were there in the 60s will never forget what it used to be like. The Korean people today should be thankful for what they got from the US, but instead they have the nerve to laugh? At what? Don’t they know their brothers from the north have nuclear weapons aimed at them?

• JFisher
  9:57 am on June 1st, 2012 55

John#54: I was stationed in Korea in 64′(1st of 4 tour, I am very surprised that you know of two guys that ETS’d from the Army and stayed in Korea. The Army would never give a soldier discharge papers and let him choose to walk out the front gate. Everyone is put on a plane to CONUS in those days. Sounds dubious to me. The military in those days,
especially in the TDC area, had nothing regarding US contractors etc. A person can’t reside in Korea legally without being in that status or recruited by a Korean company of someone located in the states. I am curious to know if any other ROKDrop bloggers have a different take on this point.
I also think you are wrong in saying that #51 is not black.
What is that all about? The blacks were not viewed in a negative way, at least not overtly outside of the TDC area in
my opinion. Their money was wanted as well as any ones. Korea IS a big deal now in technology, electronics innovations, top rated vehicles, they are all over the middle east constructing buildings that will defy the imagination. Their Airport is considered the best in the world
I read somewhere. Get the Dec 2011 issue of Nat. Geographic
and check it out (I think that is the issue). In my opinion you are also mistaken about the nukes pointed at S. Korea
They are developing them to be sure but not to drop them on
the south. Why in the hell would they do that on a small peninsula they share and wipe themselves out too.

• Shawn
  12:07 am on June 18th, 2012 56

Wow, that brought back so serious memories. I hung at Cheers and Peace Clubs mostly and occasionally went down to Togather. Good times.

• skip hadsock/
  4:57 pm on August 2nd, 2012 57

wow impressed cleaned up a lot/2nd engr bn,camp castle back when qhonsen huts,84-86,married wife died 97,kids 17 an 22,retired 2002,back in 1999,stuck uijonbue visted tdc ,seen old mr an mrs park houseboys,cant believe rendevous silverstar an some clubs still there,way many great memories,tanker ahjiema ramen lady in the field,Rich ur not the (huey pilot )stabbed me silver star 85 are you,ha ha,over chick in silver star with a beer bottle,little blood not hurt kept drinking another bar,cant keep a good combat engr down lol all good,good thing about tdc,even when ya just met back then still bonded,even though didnt know each other met at club partying,wow miss the times an memories married yong ye yun,paul friediborns girlfriend but he was married anyway ha ha,beautiful great hearted sexy women,good to me whole life till she died,THX PICS AN MEMORIES GUYS STAY ALIVE BEAT THE SYSTEM!

• skip hadsock/
  5:02 pm on August 2nd, 2012 58

YEA JOHN,THEY HAD TO GO STATESIDE AN COME BACK IF WANTED TO STAY,BUT ACTIVE COULD KEEP EXTENDING I DID,THERE 99 BUNCH OF CIVILIANS EVERYWHERE LIVING NOW,WORKING ETC,I WAS STILL ACTIVE DUTY THEN TOO,64?WOW JOHN YOU HAD GOOD TIMES,CHEAP THEN IM SURE EVRYTHING BEER INCLUDED LOL

• Sed Armstrong
  6:39 pm on August 11th, 2012 59

Although it has been 35yrs since I served with 1st 23/Inf Camp Hovey. After taken the bus ride to Casey for a pass, It seem so change for the future. Thanks for the good old memories of TDC………Can’t hold back the tears….again thanks……. SGT Armstrong A/Company 2nd Plt Camp Hovey 1975-1977………

• Rich V
  4:18 pm on August 17th, 2012 60

Skip Hadsock response to 357

Couldn’t have been me Skip, I was at Ft Lost in the Woods in 1985, besides, I spent my Saturday afternoons and Sundays off taking MWR tours, learning Korean culture etc,etc. Not stabing fellow GI’s in the Country music club in Bosan-dong, some other guy from B co. 2nd AVN.

• thomas lee
  4:49 pm on August 17th, 2012 61

#51 is obviously a fake. Probably a norK trying to make a stir. It’s clear from the grammar that English is NOT the author’s first language.

• Jim R.
  2:02 pm on September 6th, 2012 62

I was station at Camp Castle from 81-82, 30 years ago, which was down the road from Casey. All I can say about these photos is WOW! The place has change a lot. Wish I had more photos of Castle and the ville from the time frame I was there.

• Chelsea payne
  7:35 pm on October 25th, 2012 63

My husband is stationed here at the moment, well, for the next two years. And pretty much everyone either goes to Rendevouz if you like dancing and rap music or the sportsmen for live rock band with a hot chick lead singer. So far I really like it!

• JFisher
  7:54 pm on October 25th, 2012 64

Chelsea: Great “PMA” (positive mental attitude). Hope you take
advantage of the USO tours to really get an appreciation of what
Korea is like outside of the military environment if you have not
yet done so. Make sure you buy a point and shoot camera that can
go in your pocket. You will look back in retrospect and wish you
had later in life if you do not!!!

• Cohiba
  6:02 pm on November 5th, 2012 65

I was a plt ldr in the 1/17th Inf Bn (The Buffaloes) in 85-86. Man what a great tour. Loved partying in TDC. Yeah, I remember the Rendezvous. Obviously has had a face lift in the past 27 years… The Ville is very new and shiny looking compared to sleeze of the mid-80s…

I remember The Liberty Club, The Newhouse Club (across the tracks), The New York Club (the girls all wore evening gowns and two LTs from my Bn married girls from there), Club 54 (my favorite), and Mom’s Place (a little hole in the wall where my Bn hung out). Elysium Joy and Harley Rock n Roll (maybe the “Harley Club” in the pic above?) were little dive bars. I forget the name of the country-western shit kicker bar back then.

There were a couple of other bars on an alley over by Casey, across the main drag from “the ville” (aka “downrange” as we called it)… that stayed open later after the ville bars closed. One was The Log Cabin… I got hammered there with MG Gary Luck, our Div commander one night. Good dude, drank in the Club 57 one night and bought a round for my platoon… we were on a Thunder Run.

Good memories of my tour and real nostalgia for the mid 80s … wish I could do it again. When I was still in the Army and Guard I really wanted a return tour there… Still would like to visit but looking at these pics it’s like it’s a whole new town… In my mind the place has never changed, not sure I’d want to change that…

• runnerrae
  5:19 am on November 24th, 2012 66

hello we live here right now and we i just want to map the shortest way from Jihaeng trainstation to the camp hovey gate. Does anyone know the street or landmark?? Thanks in advance.
Btw love it here, cant wait to try various different food and travel a lot.

• phil
  7:34 am on December 5th, 2012 67

hey you forgot to show a photo of the best breakfast restaurant in all of South Korea thats in the ville named Chongs Breakfast House. Is there a way to get photos of the ville now after the flood

• Dragonfly
  10:24 am on December 5th, 2012 68

I was in B Btry 1/31 Arty from 68-70 at Casey. Does anyone remember Pop Lee? He had a store/pawn shop right as you entered the ville after going over the train tracks. He could get you about anything you’d ever want.

John Chanik, #48: Sounds like you and I had the same experiences and the same memories of what it was like back then. Some of the pictures I have of the villages in the countryside look like they could have been taken in 1868 instead of 1968. Thatched roofs, rice paddies being plowed with oxen, old men carrying huge loads on A-frames. All gone, but not forgotten.

• ed
  1:16 pm on December 10th, 2012 69

great photos. I served 4 tours.

A co 1/23 Nov 77 – Nov 78 (Cp Hovey)
B co 1/38 Dec 79 – Dec 82 (Cp Hovey)
HHC 2X NCOA Jun 84 – Sep 86 Btw Hovey and Casey)
DISCOM May 89 – May 92 (Cp Casey)

hard but good times all tours.

• guitard
  6:19 pm on December 10th, 2012 70

ed wrote:

B Co 1/38 Dec 79 – Dec 82 (Cp Hovey)

Was your company commander toward the end of this tour George Filbeck? George is now a civilian working at Yongsan.

• reza
  3:25 am on December 18th, 2012 71

thank you for nice picture ,,, i am iranian and i love tongdu chon city.
thank’s a lot

• Gary
  9:26 pm on February 6th, 2013 72

The only club I saw that was there in 74 75 was The Rendezvous Club. Does anybody know what happened to the Savoy Club or the New Korea Club that was next door to it?

• Earl bowman
  6:26 am on March 16th, 2013 73

TDC good time 1968

• Earl bowman
  6:36 am on March 16th, 2013 74

john you are in 1968 year book you drove a jeep

• SNIPER
  12:28 am on May 18th, 2013 75

WHAT HAPPENED IN KOREA, STAYED IN KOREA EVEN THE SLANT EYE WHORES IN THE HOMES WITH SLIDING DOORS. 90% OF KOREANS MARRIED TO SOLDIERS IN KOREA WERE BUSINESS GIRLS (PROSTITUTES). ITS SO STRANGE THAT WHEN YOU ASK A SOLDIER IN THE U.S HOW HE MET HIS WIFE HE WILL SAY IN A BUS, A KOREAN SOLDIERS SISTER OR A KATUSA’S SISTER. MOST OF THE GIRLS I MET AT BARS IN KOREA, I MET AGAIN IN TEXAS , FT BRAGG , CALIFORNIA AND THEY WERE STILL DOING THEIR THING BEHIND HUBBY’S BACK. 30% OR MORE END UP DIVORCING THEIR HUSBANDS HERE IN THE U.S FOR SOMEONE WITH MORE RANK OR A GREAT PROFESSION. I REMEMBER MY NBC NCO HAD A FINE GIRL AND I WENT OUT WITH HER WHILE HE WAS IN THE FIELD AND IT WAS LIKE HEAVEN ESPECIALLY IT WAS MONSOON SEASON, WE MADE LOVE IN THAT HOOCH LIKE ROMANTIC PORNSTARS. I GOT CAUGHT WITH HER BY ANOTHER NCO HE TOLD THE COMMANDER WE BOTH DENIED IT, I GOT TRANSFERED TO INSTRUCT A RAPPELLING COURSE IN CHE-JU ISLAND. TDY . YOU FK UP YOU MOVE UP. HE STILL ENDED UP MARRYING HER. I GOT WITH HER AGAIN AND WHEN THEY CAME TO THE U.S HE WENT TO gERMANY FOR REFORGER AND GUESS WHO SPENT A MONTH WITH HER , YESSIR. AND AFTER 2 YEARS OF MARRIAGE SHE DIVORCED HIM AND MARRIED A DOCTOR ( OLDER SURGEON) AND GUESS WHO STILL GIVES HER THE LOVE INJECTIONS AND GREAT MEMORIES AND DRIVES HER IN THAT A SHE BOUGHT ME. THANK YOU JOHNNIE FROM JOHNNIE’S BAR FOR THIS ENCOUNTER. THE BIGGEST BOSS IN TDC, I WAS THERE 1979 TO 1983

• guitard
  1:28 am on May 18th, 2013 76

SNIPER wrote:

MOST OF THE GIRLS I MET AT BARS IN KOREA, I MET AGAIN IN TEXAS , FT BRAGG , CALIFORNIA

You have a very vivid imagination.

• JFISHER
  2:02 am on May 18th, 2013 77

Guitard: I think this guy Sniper went on this same rant a year or two
ago under another name. Bizarre.

• WALLY SPOOK
  10:39 am on May 27th, 2013 78

I WAS IN KOREA 1963-1967 WITH THE ASA LOCATED IN CAMP CASEY. TODAYS PICTURES I LOOKED AT ARE A LOT DIFFERENT. I WAS A VILLAGE RAT FROM DAY ONE UNTIL THE DAY I LEFT. ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. MY FAVORITE VILL CLUBS WAS THE NEW YORK AND SEOUL CLUB.

• KorlingUSMC
  6:22 pm on July 3rd, 2013 79

So, hadn’t been to TDC in about 20 years, went out to the Mustang Club, bought a few beers, came home early. My buddy that stayed there to get accosted to buy girls drinks, which he respectfully declined, decided to put his drinks on his credit card. He legitimately had about 30 dollars worth of drinks. He called American Express this morning, and they had his 30 dollar charge, and two more charges for 85, and a charge for 190. So, from what I can tell, I would steer clear of using a credit/debit card to pay for drinks at any of these bars… Cash only.

• GI Korea
  7:05 pm on July 3rd, 2013 80

@79- Yes that is the general rule of thumb is to not use your credit card at those clubs in the ville. I have heard of many people getting ripped off that way.

• Johnny Meshell
  1:45 pm on July 27th, 2013 81

What a change, 7th inf div medic.67-68 9mo Casey 6mo z

• CampMobileAviator
  3:48 pm on August 16th, 2013 82

I was stationed at Camp Mobile back in 1994-1996 when it housed the Aviation Unit. At the time it was the most forward aviation unit to the DMZ. After I left it became the “turtle Farm”.

I never went to Toka-ri, but I spent MANY hours at the Las Vegas Club and the Silver Star club. We had a club gang called the Las Vegas Gamblers and we hung out and drank all night. We wore jean jackets with a patch of the dead mans hand on the back. I have very fond memories of walking round TDC Ville eating Yaki Mandu and going on Thunder Runs. I don’t remember many Juicey Girls back the to be honest, but an ajima named The Sergeant Major would always ask us if “we wanted lady, come lets go see”. If you said no, she bought you a soju shot and tried to convince you further.

The noodle shops over near the mink blanket shops and the guitar store across the entrance to Camp Mobile were awesome. I’d kill for a chicken cheese ramen from a place that was called OB’s Cabin.

Fond fond memories of the Ville man, so glad I found your site.

• Tony Rozycki
  6:06 am on September 23rd, 2013 83

Thanx for the great pix & captions. I visited TDC ville many times in 1972. This brings back so many fond & nostalgic memories I can’t believe it. Maybe someday I’ll get back. I was trying to remember the names of some of the clubs & this refreshed my memory of several. Fun to see Miss Oh Shop as I made friends with a cute round-faced Miss Oh in ’72 who worked as a waitress @ the Long Beach Tea House on the edge of the TDC ville and wondering if & hoping it could be the same Miss Oh?

• james (jb)
  10:32 am on October 17th, 2013 84

Well I’ll be damn they cleaned up TDC was there 79 – 81 had a blast. Was stationed at camp Hovey 1/38th b. co

loved every minute of it . Loved tok ki ri had plenty of women all over korea. only caught clap once. Brought lots

of clothes and shoes drank hard played hard and humped the yamma’s the next day good good times what I

Iwould give to be at pops store or the black rose

• james (jb)
  10:37 am on October 17th, 2013 85

Hey any one out there from 1/38th B.CO 2nd pltn give me a shout out 1979 nov DMZ trip

• Bob
  7:27 pm on November 14th, 2013 86

I was there in 1966.
HQ HQ Co, 7th Inf Div. Train Fire Committee. I was an assistant instructor on the record fire rifle range out the back gate. I worked firing point number 7, it was 110 steps up to it. Point 8 was 179 steps if I remember correctly. Williams was the A.I. on 8.
Davis on number 6. Wish I could find them.
TDC is not recognizable to me in those photos. It was all MUD and sewage when I was there. I liked the Rendevous and Crown club.
Bob

• NOEL
  10:54 am on February 4th, 2014 87

Everything is new to me since 87-88 and i cant even oriented myself where everything is. all i remember crossing the railroad track and hang out on the club across it and studio54 located in the very end. i sometimes go to toki-re but then everything is nice since is closer to my barracks. used to remember mamasan could lend you money until payday with little interest. we dont have bank then with get our paycheck cash thru payroll officers that come around. How About turtle Ditch. when i got there in process 1/23 changing to 1/503rd and when my tour is half way we have ltc Mayes which became the cnn corrrespondent. miss the old day but i am glad i was station there . but is not as crazy as others eperience and now called TDC Ville?

• Tom
  12:45 pm on February 5th, 2014 88

Wow. Your posts bring back memories. I was stationed at Casey in 1991-92, and went back as a civilian from 1994-99. I knew Mr. Han. He wasn’t the “mob guy” people thought he was. But he could hold his own. I knew he died of a heart attack, but he was a serious runner….. I used to live in Cheers, and spent the night on Mrs. Yuns sofa many times. Good People

• Ji Soon Lee
  11:21 pm on February 15th, 2014 89

I think I was born in Bosan-Dong (Bosan-Ri at the time) in 1961. I wonder if anyone can recognize where the picture in my blog was taken. http://usdalton.blog.com/

• John Barcomb
  10:51 am on February 16th, 2014 90

I shared the link to this great post to FB, 2 Groups, Korean defense veterans and also Camp Casey Group, thanks for your post, sure it will bring back a lot of memories for some, and for some how the place has indeed changed, depending when they were there last.

• frankie gilbert
  8:25 pm on February 16th, 2014 91

At C1/9 Inf Hovey 77 to 78, nothing like the photos I see now of Toko-ri and TDC. Cannot remember a building in Toko-ri that was two storied. Shacks everywhere. Like the fellow said before no credit cards, no computers, no cell phones. Straight leg infantry. I kinda liked the place at 18 and 19 years old for the women. After leaving there and going to Campbell 2 different times there really wasn’t a lot of different off post except in Korea everything was on foot and close, everybody out for a buck on the GIs back epically at Campbell,retired first sergeants and sergeant majors renting out those dumpy trailers along 41A for $4oo plus a month, most likely at $1ooo now.I felt then during the peacetime Army when something was going on and rumors of us deploying going around that the community got all concerned not for us but for losing that money, not a lot of different if you ask me.

• Bob (Tank Commander 68)
  8:12 am on February 17th, 2014 92

#91, the only people who give a CRAP about our GI’s are those who are directly affected (family, etc).
The Politicians of either party sure as he11 don’t care.
They are all FOR sending our guys into HARMS way but be sure you don’t “hurt anybody” or cause any “collateral damage”. You are supposed to DIE first!
I wonder how this idiots can sleep at night knowing they are sending some one into harms way and they have NO intention of WINNING!
We haven’t learned a dam*ed thing since Vietnam!!
The only thing the politicians do well is “snatch defeat from the jaws of victory that our soldiers had won”

• frankie gilbert
  4:42 pm on February 17th, 2014 93

You got that right about the only people that gives a crap are your own and unfortunately there are a few and I really believe very few of them will stick it to you.Mostly the Politicians are corrupt self serving bunch from the smallest hick town to the top, makes my blood boil thinking of the mostly poor Vietnam soldiers that didn’t have a choice and the crap they went thru while the good ole boy system clicked along, a couple years older and I would’ve told you all about Vietnam. During my 9 years of service had plenty of Vietnam vets as platoon and first sergeants during their tour they were a damn if you did and damn if you didn’t bunch. Wish that today’s soldiers could be allowed to complete their mission and go home.

• Evac Run
  8:17 pm on April 23rd, 2014 94

I was there in 84 and 85. Photos are amazing….. I recognize NOTHING. I loved the ville. Partied my @$$ off. It was the land of $10 short times and $20 long times, cheap beer and very cheap soju. They were trying to raise the prices to $20 and $30 towards the end of my tour. We were constantly berating the turtles to not fall for that s*** and stick to $10 and $20. Stupid turtles were wrecking the economy. (And whats up with women from other countries?!?! When I was there it was all Korean girls.)

I was fortunate enough to spend most of my tour TDY which only put me at Casey on weekends. That enabled me to get out of most of the 2nd ID Army BS yet still be there on the weekends to enjoy the ville.

While I had unbelievable fun, ridiculously unsupervised (Army wise) freedom, during my weekly TDY travels, and met some great people, saw some cool places and had some truly awesome times, nothing was as wide open as good ol’ TDC. I was always anxious to get back there every Friday just because of the upcoming partying! Actually wide open doesn’t really fully describe TDC. It was a young mans paradise. Always wanted to get back there…. never did.

• Buffalo on the go
  1:16 pm on April 30th, 2014 95

Don’t recognize anything anymore. Was in the 1/17th CS company at Casey 82-83 (now long gone). Loved the ville. It was the most awesome place for an 18-19 year old man to feel his oats. Soju, OB Beer and business girls. Hung at the Lucky Club (hottest girls at the time) and a couple of the metal bars that had about 6 tables and floor to ceiling speakers. Anyone remember the top ten VD sign as you left the gate? BJ Alley was always at the top of the list! Had the time of my life there. Couldn’t wait to leave and go back to The World (still have my short timers calendar), but I still remember that place as probably the best time I ever had.

Would love to go back someday to take it all in again

• joe
  5:34 pm on July 3rd, 2014 96

Hell yah TDC was a single mans paradse, provided you wrapped your winky. I was ther from 9/86 till 2/88 with 122nd signal @casey. I recognized very little, the first club on the strip was then called the lucky club. Usually # fuc### hana on the VD list. Me and my crue usually hung @ the Starz club, because they didn’t have girls. Just unlimited Heavy metal music, the place really rocked. It must be gone, I did’t see it in any of the pics. Too bad! I always wanted to get back.

• Celebrating American Independence Day in Korea | Doria Travels the World
  4:30 pm on July 9th, 2014 97

[…] activities and food.  This year, I decided to check out Camp Casey’s festivities in Dongducheon since it was the closest venue to where I live now.  Out of my close to 9 years in Korea so far, I […]

• Burgess
  5:00 pm on August 10th, 2014 98

Yes the 79-80-81 period was interesting From Tac Squad Patrolling the village to manning the gate to the trips to see the sights, It was a time for us to grow, lets see the night the soldier threw the Grenade into the Pmo i think I was working on the blotter, lucky we were above the blast area and had some protection the concussion was a bit rough, now when white went for a walk to north korea that was interesting, oh the change of uniforms was during that time to the new camo style, I traded a set of Greens for a new set of camos with a new recruit, making beds , washing your clothes Ironing polishing your boots, nope we had Barny to do that and he charged so little, we know a inspection was going to happen if our uniforms were hanging out, Roy and sweed and me would head out and have fun, now i hope that brought back a few memories.