I might watch it at some point (but not now) but host(ess) clubs have a deeper psychological reason than one might think. Japan has one of the lowest birth rates and lowest marriage rates in the world. Career orientated women and men are becoming increasingly prevalent, and culturally they tend to look closer at the length of time someone works rather than the work they actually do (same with S. Korea). Many offices require regular out-of-office meals (and late drinking sessions) which are seen as a way to socialise with your co-workers but really end up as another unavoidable activity—if you want to keep your job, you better not skip it. Korean children are expected to work from dawn to dusk (most have pre-school lessons, school, after-school classes then private tutors in the evening. It's not uncommon to see kids grabbing dinner after their second session of schooling on the way to their tutors). I seriously doubt Japan is any better. They even have a god damn term for death by overwork (Kuroshi).
Add that all up, and precisely when are you even meant to have the time to go out and meet people? These clubs exist to fill a niche for people who want to go out for some attention from the opposite sex, just as all the Japanese whore houses exist for those who don't have the time to go out and find a partner the ol' fashioned way. Just as the cuddle cafés have sprung up for those who miss that interaction. Just as those eroge games have become massively popular in Japan but yet to really make it to the west (because we have no need for them). There is a flaw in their system of overworking employees and companies are going to be naturally resistant to change, leaving it up to the private sector to find new ways to fill in the gaps.
