Carton of 2 'Choice' condoms, manufactured by Dongkuk Trading Co Ltd, South Korea, c1995

Part of a small personal collection of condoms and packaging dating from around the 1990s, this product is an example of the increased use of condoms internationally following the emergence of HIV and AIDS. Previously marketed as contraception, condom products diversified as they began to be targeted at a wider range of people, which led to new flavours, textures, and colours.

Dongkuk Trading Co., Ltd. is a Korean supplier of condoms that exports products to countries in Asia, Australasia, Central and South America. Despite roughly a third of South Koreans identifying as Christian, Christmas in South Korea is viewed as a day for lovers, much like Valentine’s Day. In 2014, the convenience store 7-Eleven reported that they sold more condoms on Christmas Day than any other day that year.