In a recent Vice Japan episode, investigative reporter Yuka Uchida traveled to Seoul to visit Dr. Lee Chang Soo a traditional Korean medicine doctor in order to try human feces wine or "Ttongsul" (똥술) which has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. According to Uchida, Dr. Soo is one of the last Korean physicians who prescribes and makes Korean Poo wine for his patients.
This episode also includes a visit to the Toilet Culture Park in Suwon. This unusual public garden/museum includes many amusing statues and ancient toilets from centuries ago. It is explained how servants would use these hand-held scoops to collect the King's feces. Once done, the first servant would test the odor and the second servant would also smell it and even eat some of the King's shit in order to get a more accurate health level! This was done despite not knowing exactly what healthy excrement was supposed to taste like. (?) O_O
Next up is Mr. Toilet House. Included here is a collection of mini statues of human beings squatted down in the process of practicing the ancient Korean tradition of outdoor defecation. Three of the statues are reported to be of the Buddha, Eve, and Jesus himself!
So to summarize, we have an "investigative reporter" who said "it was hard to find reliable information online". Also, with no fact checking at all, she claimed that Dr. Soo is "one of the last Korean physicians who prescribes and makes Korean Poo wine for his patients." And, according to the Toilet Culture Park manager, long ago, servants would sniff and taste samples of Korean Kings' excrement even though it was not known what healthy feces should taste like.
Riiiiiiiiiigghhtt!
(Does anyone want to buy a river-front condo inside the DMZ?)
NOPE!
Yuka then gets a call from the good Doctor saying that his bowel movement brew was now ready. Can Yuka drink it? Let's see how that goes:
Well, the broadcast of this episode on Chosun TV stirred up quite a shit storm of negative reactions and anger from some Korean viewers according to Kotaku. Is anyone surprised by that?
See also:
Poop steak, from Japan of course
White is Beautiful: Japanese beauty with bird poop powder
Japanese Bikini Girls Playing in Shit
WTF Japan: TOTO's Toilet Poop Bike
The great Golden Turd of Tokyo