A Bum Deal: The Toilet-Themed Theme Park in South Korea

Fact: South Korea now has a toilet-themed park

Indeed Suwon, South Korea, has boasted its very own Toilet Culture Exhibit Hall and Theme Park since July of 2012. Haewoojae, or “A Place of Sanctuary Where One Can Solve One’s Worries” initially started in 2007 as the world’s first documented toilet-shaped house. The brainchild of Sim Jae-duck, known affectionately in the region as “Mr. Toilet” following his efforts to improve sanitation and plumbing while mayor of Suwon, the building housing the park represents the culmination of a life-long devotion to, and fascination with, everyone’s favorite hole in the ground. Mr. Sim, who passed away in 2009, was also the founder of the pioneering World Toilet Association.

Though not a traditional “theme park” with rides and games, Toilet Culture Exhibition Hall houses the world’s most comprehensive museum chronicling the history of the crapper. With hands-on exhibits and crowd-pleasing sculptures of giant stools, the museum encourages audience participation and “touching.” Visitors are permitted countless photo opportunities as they pretend to do their business in any of the many toilets, chamber pots, and urinals collected from throughout world urino-scatological history, but they are asked to please limit actual bodily functions to the modern facilities located near the gift shop.

Why not study the Korean language and then visit this fascinating tribute to all things pee and poo? Open 10 am – 6 pm Tuesday through Sunday, the museum and theme park is free, but a donation is requested to help further education about health and hygiene, and in particular about toilet sanitation. Wouldn’t it be awesome to purchase your own poop-shaped key chain from this fabulous venue while speaking to the cashier in Korean?

Find out about more wacky tidbits from the Land of the Morning Calm and its northern neighbour in our Korean game of True or False!