Career: Sex Work
Stories either about sex work, or that include subplots about it. Beware, some of these notes are SPOILERS
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1. Sakuran
Japanese Movie - 2007
takes place in a brothel and basically almost every character is a sex worker or sleeping with one
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2. Queer Movie Butterfly: The Adult World
Korean Movie - 2015
giggilos at a brothel
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3. Happy of the End
Japanese Drama - 2024, 8 episodes
Some of the characters, including one of the protagonists (Keito), are in-story referred to as "Scouts." I think they basically work as pimps? But the ways its described is they find people to become sex workers and hostesses. Keito's mother is a sex worker and there are several other sex workers who are given names with speaking roles. Keito also did sex work when he was a child. Chihiro's ex also casually mentions having gone to a brothel. There are also several other non-speaking characters who are implied to be sex workers kept against their will, and some sex workers in the very beginning who are given names and short dialogue but have no other role than to set the scene.
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4. Call Boy
Japanese Movie - 2018
about a gigolo
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5. Extracurricular
Korean Drama - 2020, 10 episodes
this is about sex work
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6. Mosaic Japan
Japanese Drama - 2014, 5 episodes
adult video industry. some people were being arrested on prostitution charges
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7. Felizes Juntos
Hong Kong Movie - 1997
one of the guys is a sex worker, cruising style
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8. Meu Nome é Chihiro
Japanese Movie - 2023
This focuses on Chihiro, who used to be a sex worker. Very good slice of life.
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9. Algum Dia Eu Serei o Amor de Alguém
Japanese Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
this is about transactional relationships. It covers rental girlfriends, sex work, and host bars.
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10. The Bride of Rip Van Winkle
Japanese Drama - 2016, 6 episodes
Two characters work/ed in porn.
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11. Raise de wa Chanto Shimasu
Japanese Drama - 2020, 12 episodes
one of the main characters is in love with a sex worker and we also get to know her colleague
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12. Raise de wa Chanto Shimasu 2
Japanese Drama - 2021, 8 episodes
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13. Rairairai Yo Demo Chanto Shimasu
Japanese Drama - 2021, 3 episodes
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14. Raise de wa Chanto Shimasu SP
Japanese Special - 2021, 1 episode
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15. Raise de wa Chanto Shimasu 3
Japanese Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
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16. Ikebukuro West Gate Park
Japanese Drama - 2000, 11 episodes
A supporting character is a sex worker. She also has a love story with a minor character. There's also another character who has a private client into various play scenarios. And lastly, Makoto gets picked up for sex work when he is working in a host bar.
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17. Ooku: The Inner Chamber
Japanese Drama - 2012, 10 episodes
In episode 4 we meet Sutezo, who is a sex worker. He is quickly abducted for the Ooku. He does not seem to mind being a sex worker, and even enjoys it. This show takes place before Ooku (2010) and before The Castle of Crossed Destinies
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18. The Castle of Crossed Destinies
Japanese Movie - 2012
Emonnosuke was a sex worker for noble ladies before he moved into the Ooku. He mentions that he coonsiders himself like a rat and feels dirty because of the sex work. He didn't choose to be a sex worker. Instead, he did it to support his family, though we get a sense he somewhat resents them for it. This film takes place between Ooku (2010) and Ooku: The Inner Chamber.
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19. A Journey to Love
Chinese Drama - 2023, 40 episodes
FL used to be a baiqi, which I guess is a prostitute. I didn't fully understand, but I believe her father sold her to a the spy network who raised her in a brothel. It was there that she was trained to perform baiqi services as a spy and assassin. Her sex work isn't diminished in the show, and is brought up a few times throughout her romancing with the ML. Though in the first episode the story is set up so that she will be doing sex work, her plan is interrupted and after that she doesn't do so. Her history as a sex worker influences her characterization and how she develops as a character.
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20. Dong Lan Xue
Chinese Drama - 2023, 30 episodes
the protagonist was forced into a brothel before she was employed as a maid. There's also a minor character who is a gigolo at a brothel. She continues to use her flirtatious skills in order to seduce men for information while working as a guard/teacher to her prince. He, however, does not approve out of jealousy.
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21. The Evil Face
Chinese Drama - 2022, 18 episodes
Several supporting characters work at a brothel. Also the FL's sister worked in one as well.
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22. The Summer of Whales
Japanese Movie - 2014
The guys go to a brothel trying to meet up with an ex-girlfriend
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23. Amor entre Fada e Demônio
Chinese Drama - 2022, 36 episodes
during the human arch, one of the central characters (not the main) is a sex worker. Or as it's phrased she works at a pleasure house? Idk they phrased it in a way that I wasn't actually sure what she did with her customers.
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24. 37 Seconds
Japanese Movie - 2019
Yuma tries to have sex with a sex worker. He's kind of rude.
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25. A História de Ming Lan
Chinese Drama - 2018, 78 episodes
One story arch centers around an off-screen sex worker and her brothel. The story starts around episode 24. Some time around episode 60, not sure exactly when, Gu Tingye visits a brothel again several times and especially talks with the head of the brothel. Despite the overall dissent towards sex workers throughout the show, Gu Tingye seems to at least view them as people.
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26. A Lenda de Anle
Chinese Drama - 2023, 39 episodes
In episode 3 we meet Linlang, a debuting courtesan at Lingxiang Pleasure House.
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27. Peões do Amor
Chinese Drama - 2024, 40 episodes
In episode 15 we meet a sex worker. It's implied that she ended up in the work because of her family's debts. Her love was the FL's brother.
We also meet Wulan, who appears to be a sex worker that has also studied martial arts and is a spy.
The two work at the same brothel.
The FL gets jealous when she see's the ML there and he then tries to explain in a few ways that he was not a patron there.
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28. Não Chame isso de Mistério
Japanese Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
A minor character and several characters without speaking roles are sex workers who are murdered by serial killers
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29. Nós Três Sobreviveremos
Thai Drama - 2019, 10 episodes
I believe it starts off at a strip bar where some of the strippers are also sex workers
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30. Perdi Você Para Sempre — 1ª Temporada
Chinese Drama - 2023, 39 episodes
A minor character used to work at a brothel until she married the FL's brother. She ends up working at the health clinic and training under the FL to become a physician as well. This character disappears from the story after the first arch ends
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31. Lost You Forever Season 2
Chinese Drama - 2024, 23 episodes
In the second season, she comes back for an episode when the FL is forced to visit her hometown (iirc).
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32. Watashi wa Uzu no Soko Kara
Japanese Movie - 2017
one of the minor characters is a sex worker, or maybe it was the main character's neighbor sleeps with sex workers? i cant remember
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33. Tiger & Dragon
Japanese Drama - 2005, 11 episodes
The tenth Rakugo story is the "Shinagawa double suicide," which is about a geisha in the red light district who decides to kill herself after her old clients don't lend her money.
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34. Half of Us
Chinese Drama - 2023, 24 episodes
The ML is known to frequent brothels, but not to have sex. He just enjoys the company and music. I feel like this is a minor trope and I kind of want to track where I've seen it now....
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35. Meu Namorado Lindo Que Não Faz Sexo
Japanese Drama - 2022, 9 episodes
One or two of the episodes takes place in I guess its a brothel for giggilos. It's about the FL trying to have sex outside of her relationship, which she ends up choosing not to
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36. Alegria da Vida
Chinese Drama - 2019, 46 episodes
Fan Xian uses the brothels as an alibi and meets several high class workers
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37. A Flower for Three Lives
Chinese Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
One of the FLs is a courtesan, but based on the dialogue she might not be a sex worker.
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38. Tokyo Rampage
Japanese Movie - 1998
There are a few sex workers throughout.
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39. Moneyboys
Taiwanese Movie - 2021
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40. A Crimson Star
Japanese Movie - 2018
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41. Midnight Motel
Thai Drama - 2022, 6 episodes
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42. A Deusa
Chinese Movie - 1934
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43. A Dama de Baco
Korean Movie - 2016
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44. Mamu; and A Mother Too
Filipino Movie - 2018
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45. Brothel 8
Japanese Movie - 1974
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46. The Life of Oharu
Japanese Movie - 1952
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47. Women of the Night
Japanese Movie - 1948
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48. The Sea Is Watching
Japanese Movie - 2002
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49. Cuddle Weather
Filipino Movie - 2019
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50. Playboyy
Thai Drama - 2023, 14 episodes
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51. Cicada
Korean Movie - 2021
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52. Kathoey
Filipino Movie - 2020
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53. Sing in Love
Japanese Movie - 2022
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54. Flowers of Shanghai
Taiwanese Movie - 1998
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55. Bangkok Blossom
Thai Drama - 2024, 8 episodes
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56. Tokyo Hinkon Joshi.
Japanese Drama - 2023, 6 episodes
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57. Princesa Sakura
Japanese Movie - 2013
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58. Kinki
Japanese Movie - 2014
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59. Woman of Tokyo
Japanese Movie - 1933
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60. Apart from You
Japanese Movie - 1933
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61. Bangkok Nites
Japanese Movie - 2017
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62. A Watcher in the Attic
Japanese Movie - 1994
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63. Shinjuku Yasen Byoin
Japanese Drama - 2024, 11 episodes
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64. Heavens x Candy
Japanese Movie - 2024
AV Worker
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65. Crystal Boys
Taiwanese Drama - 2003, 20 episodes
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66. Light
Taiwanese Movie - 2021
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67. A Touch of Fever
Japanese Movie - 1993
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68. Miss Andy
Taiwanese Movie - 2020
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69. A Courtesan with Flowered Skin
Japanese Movie - 2014