Jongno small theater for an 80-minute adults-only show: Nine Theater

My boyfriend and I wanted to do something different for a Hyehwa date instead of just having dinner and going to a café, so we went to see a play for the first time in ages. We picked Suspicious PT Shop. From the name alone, it didn’t sound like an ordinary play, and I got even more curious when I heard it was rated 19+ and billed as one of Korea’s most explicit adult plays. I wondered just how high the level could be for it to be introduced like that, but after seeing it myself, I kind of understood. I was seriously shocked, you guys…

Suspicious PT Shop location and performance times in Hyehwa

• Location: 30 Daehak-ro 8ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea (서울 종로구 대학로8가길 30)
• Hours: See performance times
• Parking: Paid street public parking on Daehak-ro 8ga-gil

The show is held at Nine Theater (나인 씨어터) in Daehak-ro. It is just one block down a back street from Hyehwa Station Exit 1 or 2, so public transportation felt more convenient than driving.

Shows are at 7 PM on Monday, Thursday, and Friday; 3 PM and 6 PM on Saturday; and 3 PM on Sunday, with a 6 PM show every other week. We saw the Friday 7 PM performance. Since it runs for about 80 minutes, it would work well to have dinner after an evening show, or eat an early dinner before the play. We ate early at 5:30 and arrived at 6:30, and they let us in right away.

The PT-gym concept starts before the show

As we arrived and headed downstairs, there were quite a lot of posters on the walls. They were definitely pretty different from typical theater posters.

Inside, one side had been decorated like a hair salon. At first I was like, why is there a hair salon here? Then I learned that Suspicious PT Shop is a follow-up to Suspicious Hair Salon. I had not seen the earlier show, but it was fun that they connected the spaces like this.

A little farther in, there was a space decorated like a PT gym.

There was actual exercise equipment and the whole setup had the kind of atmosphere you would expect at a personal-training gym, so it was fun to look around. We even struck a few poses and took lots of proof shots.

A comfortable waiting area and seats, even if you arrive early

There was also a separate space to wait inside. Water and tea were available, and the air conditioning was nice and cool, so arriving early was not uncomfortable at all. The stage was decorated with the PT-gym concept too. Since it is a small theater, the audience sits close to the stage, and seeing the actors’ movements and expressions up close made it somehow… somehow… feel more real and made me focus hard.

You are sitting for around 80 minutes, but the seats were movie-theater-style chairs, so they were more comfortable than I expected.

Is the audience-participation event worth trying?

Before the show began, one of the actors came out and spent some time chatting with the audience. There is also an audience-participation event, and what happens there carries into the performance, so if you are someone who loves attention or has an outgoing E-type personality, I recommend joining in. I think it would make the show even more fun.

Suspicious PT Shop is more direct than expected

And then the performance began. I knew it was an adult play going in, but it was more explicit than I expected in person. Actual adult performers appear in it, and even the intimate scenes are, for real… portrayed quite directly.

I found myself thinking, ah, so that is why they call it top-level explicit. More conservative girls and guys might find it difficult. If you go expecting a regular play, you could end up wondering, where am I and who am I?

On the other hand, if you have always been curious about this genre, or you are a long-term couple or married couple, I think it could be a truly different experience. It might be a little awkward for couples who have only just started dating, though. (Blush.)

Ah, but that does not mean the entire show is just one provocative scene after another. The story unfolds in the PT gym, and there were so many genuinely funny moments in the situations and dialogue between the actors! Being so close to the stage and audience was also part of the fun of seeing the actors’ performances more vividly(?) in a small theater.

For a different kind of show, but checking the content level is essential

Suspicious PT Shop is definitely the kind of show that will depend on your taste. If you go expecting a typical romance play or light comedy, the content may feel very explicit; on the other hand, if you want to try something a little different from everyone else, or the shows you usually watch have started to feel too predictable, it is a play worth trying. Personally, I had so much fun. Still, please do check the content level and brace yourself before you go, haha.