A Tale — Of Legendary Libido -2008- -uncute- - Ko...

It started in January. Ko, a 38-year-old producer of low-budget horror VCDs, was dumped by his girlfriend, Joy, a pragmatic accountant who cited “lack of ambition” and “watching Tom Yum Goong three times a week.” Devastated, Ko sought solace at Fulle .

This is the story of the year Ko’s libido became a legend, and how it nearly bankrupted Bangkok’s underground entertainment scene.

By June 2008, Ko... Lifestyle and Entertainment was the worst-kept secret in Sukhumvit. His “menu” was absurd: No sex. But for 50,000 baht, Ko would spend an evening learning your trauma, cooking you khao tom , and leaving before sunrise. For 100,000 baht, he’d bring two friends. For 200,000 baht—the “Fulle Package”—he’d host a dinner party where everyone left feeling seen . A Tale Of Legendary Libido -2008- -Uncute- - Ko...

Within days, Ko... Lifestyle and Entertainment was a scandal. The tabloids ran headlines: and “FULLE’S FORBIDDEN TOUCH.” Never mind that Ko had never touched anyone inappropriately—the public wanted a monster.

To the waitstaff at Fulle , the members-only rooftop lounge that smelled of lemongrass and desperation, Ko was a myth. Not because he was handsome—he wasn't. He was short, with a belly that suggested a lifelong commitment to beer and regret, and a laugh like a broken scooter. But Ko possessed what the Thais call "sanuk maak" —an almost supernatural capacity for pleasure, and more importantly, the ability to give it. It started in January

And in the final seconds of 2008, as the world staggered into a new era of austerity, the man with the legendary libido chose the only thing he’d never tried: ordinary, quiet, mutual love.

Khun Ying Noi, ever the businesswoman, saw an opportunity. “Ko,” she said, tapping a laptop running Windows Vista, “I’m launching a new lifestyle brand. ‘Ko…’—dot dot dot—‘Lifestyle and Entertainment.’ A concierge service for the lonely rich.” By June 2008, Ko

The screen fades to black.