South Korean Gym’s Age Restriction Sparks Debate

A gym in Incheon, South Korea, has sparked controversy with a sign that read, “Off limits to ajummas (aunties)” and “Only cultivated and elegant women allowed.” The term “ajumma” typically means an older woman, but it has gained a negative connotation suggesting rude or obnoxious behavior. The sign implied that older women are not ‘elegant,’ igniting a debate about ageism in South Korean society. Reports indicate that several businesses in the country have banned children or elderly persons from certain public places, highlighting a broader issue of discrimination based on age.

Incheon Gym Sparks Ageism Debate

The gym owner, who has not been named, defended the sign in an interview with local media platform Yonhap. He claimed that some older women customers would spend excessive time in the changing room doing their laundry, stealing items like towels, soaps, and hair dryers, and making uncomfortable comments about other people’s bodies. According to the owner, these behaviors had driven some customers to quit the gym. He insisted that his intention was not to make hateful comments against older women or women in general but to address specific problematic behaviors. “I think people who are enraged by [the notice] are, in fact, the ones with the problem,” he told Yonhap.

The sign further distinguished between ajummas and ‘elegant’ women, accusing the former of liking free stuff regardless of age and being stingy with their own money while not hesitating to use others’. A picture of the sign, posted on social media, drew widespread criticism for its ageist and sexist undertones. One user on the local social media website Instiz questioned, “How did the term ‘bad customer’ become the same as ‘ajumma’?” Another commented, “If you have worked in the service industry, you’d know that it’s not just older women who fall into those categories.” Another commenter called it “sentiments of the early 2000s.”

Do Some People Support the Ban?

Despite the backlash, some social media users supported the gym owner’s actions, arguing that the sign targeted women who behaved poorly in public. One YouTube user commented, “The ladies are annoying… They take their kids to restaurants and cafes. They are oblivious and abusive.” Supporters claimed that “ajumma” describes any woman who is territorial or ill-mannered, not just older women. They pointed out that women with children often take up significant space or attention in public places, which they found disruptive.

However, this perspective did not justify the sexist implication of the word. Many netizens highlighted that the ban unfairly targeted only women. Park Sang-hee, a psychology professor, told the television network JTBC that older men exhibit similar behaviors. “Older men behave the same. They also obsess over free stuff and repeat themselves over and over again. Rude behaviors are not exclusive to older women.”

The debate surrounding the gym’s sign reflects broader societal issues of ageism and sexism. While some argue that the sign addresses specific disruptive behaviors, others see it as a harmful generalization that unfairly targets older women. This incident has sparked a necessary conversation about the treatment of different age groups and genders in public spaces, emphasizing the need for more inclusive and respectful approaches.

Re-reported from the article originally published in She the People.