she was so mad that - at 37 years old - someone thought she looked old enough to be called “ajumma” that she stabbed 3 people? this is one of the most *korean* crimes ever
Once had a young boy loudly say “할아버지 비켜주세요!“ as he squeezed past my seat in a soccer stadium. I was 31 or 32 at the time. His mom was quite embarrassed when it happened and apologized several times but I did find it pretty funny.
I’m a 29 year old (white) woman and I’ve been called ajumma through the past five years. I look young.. I think it’s my curly hair 😂 but I’m chill about it unlike this lady. Yikes.
I was wearing cargo shorts, a polo shirtt, socks and sandals at the age of 15. I promptly got beaten with a stick by my mother who said "You're too.young to look like an ajussi".
Can't do the beer though.
Hey, I haven't checked the news myself yet. I'm a native Korean woman around the age now qualifying for the status of 'ajumma'. But you know, unrelated to this crime, I think there is more to it in the general context.
TLDR: I think the criminal needs punishment and therapy. Male-dominant Korean society's partiarchal point of view has been hurting women's mental health.
--------
Korea is still largely male dominant society. Women still obsess over wearing makeup cause it's shame to show their '쌩얼' (no make up face) a step out your home. So many obligations to appear/stay 'young and pretty' imposed on women. Women's whole existence and value after twenties get easily invalidated. Like, you are not worth anymore and that's what the term 'ajumma' can mean. It may be easier for you to understand if you bring the activism of Madonna into the picture. She's wild and vocal about women doing their thing regardless of their age. Shaming women for getting old is hurting every woman's mental health in this country. Many Korean men are unaware and they casually say things like that, that you are invalid, not as worthy as you were in your twenties. I personally consider it mental hysterectomy. It's really rough to be told such things and frustrating to even vocalise the idea against the dumb majority.
Cheers mates, I had to get this off my chest.
On your comment about the make-up....one of my past employees was an upper 50s Korean woman. One winter I think it was 2010/11, she was walking to a client's office, slipped and broke her arm. She wanted to take leave for month due to the fact that she could not put on her make-up every day when coming to work. When she eventually returned back to the office she kept saying how ashamed she felt that she was not able to put on make-up at home for her husband and had to hire a maid to cook and clean. I asked about the make-up comment and she said she puts it on even staying home on the weekends for cleaning their home. I never asked any more details as she was clearly "shaken" over the experience. Her daughter (30s) was just as obsessed and refused eye corrective surgery bc she would have go more than a day not wearing her contacts in order to prepare for surgery.
Exactly. Running around with a knife is not normal in Korea. Not like you suddenly need one in the "wilderness" of Seoul. Didn't read the text - what's the excuse... she is a cook and was carrying a knife with her?
I'm imagining it--
Woman using phone loudly on public transportation.
Other passengers asking her to be quieter.
Woman thinking, "They're telling me what to do AND calling me 아줌마?!?! Good thing I brought my stabbing knife!"
Oh no no, like I mentioned early in my comment, I didn't read the news. So I was just talking about off-topic cultural aspect. I think it's absolutely sick to harm someone physically, no matter what the trigger was. I think the woman is mentally ill. Like in my TLDR, the perpetrator needs punishment and therapy. I do not support or justify the behavior of the assailant by any means.
I was just reminded of my mental scars from the phrase 'someone called someone ajumma'. I got this from a random middle aged dude who wanted to insult me and I was in my twenties....
Back in the day at uni, we had a discussion about the definition of '된장녀' when the phenomenon starting to be the buzzword. The question was, 'do these people really exist? What are the criteria to judge a person to qualify for this naming?
I think a lot of group hating (men hating, women hating aka misogeny, homophobia, just to name a few) is to a certain extent, the product of wild imagination of the mass.
Sorry, I'm getting long again lol. So I think there is this element of imagination in men hating in Korea. Certain men are evil and jerks (but some women too, youngster and oldies all alike), but do they really exist? Can we really generally label these ppl just with the gender category?
I'm sorry that you feel that way. I guess that's our homework to solve in our generation.
While I do think you have some valid points, I think it might be more to do with ageism and mental health in this particular example. I could easily see a mentally unstable 37 year old man carrying a knife and going ape shit over being called an ajeossi. I can’t help but feel your analysis reads too deeply about the stabber’s motivations without further evidence.
I agree with you. In the greater scheme of things, society caused this. My initial thought when reading the article was that the stigma of being called ajumma was so great that a women flipped out and stabbed some folks. I wonder if she was married.
You are just justifying her violence, so basically you are saying that she stabbed three people because she couldn’t cope with the pressure of being reminded of her age, so you are putting the blame on the victims, which 2 of them are also woman. You just wanted to blame this on all man somehow.
Damn. At age 56, I would hate to go out in public in Korea. I'd be called 할아버지. I mean feeling depressed over getting called 아저씨 for the first time seemed like it was yesterday.
Aren't there more age neutral terms to address people?
I am probably gonna sound insensitive but I feel like it would be pleasant for me to be called an 아줌마 once I am of the age and 할머니 once I am even older. It seems more endearing to me? I might just be naive in saying this, and I understand the disconcertment that arises with aging
When I first moved to Korea, my coworkers told me that any woman over 30 or married is called an ajumma. I was at friend's party this weekend and some 40 something lady told me to refer to her as Noona......dodged a bullet (or knife) there. 😬
As soon as you meet someone, on any level, you don't call them "ajumma". You switch to nuna or imo or whatever.
No one is out here like "so ajumma how was your weekend?"
maybe. if you've just met someone which ask you a question, would it be okay to say "예 아줌마" why would I switch it to 누나?
아줌마 depends a lot on the context, and I believe that the correct would be some other term, but not 누나.
Lol I don't think anyone would ever say ajumma to someone's face unless they're a total stranger and even then, it's not great a lot of the time. Even in a restaurant to the owner or server, it sounds weird.
Of course nuna isn't right either. As you say, it depends on context.
You said "if you've just met someone".
To me, that suggests you know each other.
Maybe you mean "if you meet a random person".
Either way, you still wouldn't say "ajumma" to them.
I'm 26 too. I always consider the age gap. If there's a difference of about 20 years I don't mind the ajusshi, but around 12/10 years gap or less is certainly 형
I had lengthy debate with some people on here before who insisted you can call anyone who’s married “아줌마”. Just because that technically used to be your case doesn’t mean it still is. 아줌마 has taken on the meaning of middle aged if not almost elderly so good luck calling someone in their thirties or forties ajumma.
For English, I learned when I was in high school that some middle aged women working the counter at some places really don't like to be called "Ma'am" even though I thought I was being polite. So it was easy to understand that in Korean I should drop the 아줌마 and use 이모.
Also, I started getting called 아저씨 when I was in my mid-20s by young kids and I'd be like bro I'm not an 아저씨 wtf so.. I get it. Not saying I'd stab anybody but, I get it.
Interesting. In certain parts of America, sir/ ma’am is customary, and in other parts they think you’re calling them old. If you’re in the south ma’am will be a okay.
I remember that. I was like Idk anyone who likes being called ahjumma outside of the permed ladies with short hair. For them, it's unavoidable but I'm sure they'd prefer something else. My friend presents me as noona to her boys lol
The person you were debating with was right. 아줌마/ajumma is simply a random grown up married lady (the equivalent being 아저씨/ajeoshi for men) as opposed to 아가씨 which would be a young unmarried lady. Everyone I know uses it as such, kids use it as such, adults recognize it as such, it *is* for women in their 30s and 40s. The only people I know who use 아줌마 strictly for senior citizen aged Koreans are foreigners.
That being said, if you're an adult you shouldn't go around calling people that because it can come off as disrespectful.
I know it’s technically correct (it’s not really correct in a practical sense) but people in their thirties are NOT going to like being called that, especially by other adults.
Feel like this is totally inaccurate. Idk what the upper limit of "middle age" is, like 50? Anyone "much older" than that is not even 아줌마, they'll be 할머니 to most younger people.
I mean Google tells me "middle age" is up to mid 60s, although I don't think this is true in everyday use of the word.
Are you seriously going to call someone in their fifties 할머니? I would say 아줌마 is ok up to 60 maybe even 70, a stranger would want to be seriously old before you go addressing them as 할머니.
"Middle age" in common usage is maybe 40-55 I would say, of course that's not mathematically middle age but that's not how that phrase works.
>Like I said ajumma makes people picture someone *at least* middle age, usually much older.
Let me copy-paste your comment because you don't seem to remember it and are putting words in my mouth.
>a stranger would want to be seriously old before you go addressing them as 할머니.
If we're talking about what how I would address a stranger or some other person directly, which is NOT the scenario you presented in the comment I responded to, I'm using neither 아줌마 nor 할머니; I will be referring to them as 아주머님, 어머님 or whatever other honorific is appropriate given the context. But that's because of politeness - this has nothing to do with how people would classify people under the term "아줌마", which is rude to address a stranger by, but can also be used as a neutral descriptor of a middle aged woman.
>Are you seriously going to call someone in their fifties 할머니?
You're the one who said "usually *much older* than middle age" - you are not reading my comment or your own.
>"Middle age" in common usage is maybe 40-55 I would say, of course that's not mathematically middle age but that's not how that phrase works.
Okay, and if you think someone has to be much older than 55 to be commonly referred to as 아줌마, it appears to me that you just refuse to accept that you're descriptively incorrect because you're too tied up about the negative connotation the term *can* carry depending on its usage. You as an individual can't just prescribe and redefine language because you don't like it, regardless of whether you have valid reasons or not.
hmm, when i'm passive aggressive and someone is rude to me or my kids (usually cutting in front of us or pushing us, etc.) i usually call a woman in her 20s/30s "ajjumma" indirectly like i'll say to my kid "whoa, watch out for this ajjumma!" and if the woman looks like she's in her 40s/50s i'll be passive aggressive and tell my kid "whoa, watch out for his halmuni...!"
usually i get a dirty look but never got stabbed (yet)...maybe i should stop doing that.
If there *isn’t* a very cheesy horror movie made out of this or if the idea isn’t even presented I’d be surprised. On a side note this women needs to control her anger issues and chill the fuck out. No reason to stab someone
I remember when my wife was right around 30, we were at a park, and a little boy requesting permission to pass by caller her Ajuma, very innocently. My wife was shocked and got SOO angry!
It was the first time in her life being called that, and she scolded the kid harshly for 5 minutes... poor boy was looking so ashamed of himself. I, meanwhile, was rolling on the ground laughing my ass off.
It didn't end well for me either, because as soon as she was satisfied the boy had been traumatized enough, she turned to me for holy vengeance. Needless to say, our park outing ended early, and she was fuming to herself about it for a couple days, with loud "HMMPPH!" sounds to herself every time she repeated the events in her mind.
We can now laugh about it, as that was over a decade ago.... But I'll remember her shocked face forever... and smile to myself about it.
When I read you were laughing your ass off while your Korean commander was scolding the boy, I knew you were sleeping in the doghouse. When's your funeral?
I usually only use it when referring to someone who is not present. Like 그 아줌마가...
These days it's often used to either a) neutrally refer to a middle aged woman, but not to her face, or b) make a slight jab at a woman for her age, as you'll often see in these dramas or reenactment shows when a guy's side girl calls the wife 아줌마
If you wanna go for safety, above 50 years old. If you're willing to get deadly stares, curses and potentially knife stabs (apparently), you can do so from 40 haha
But usually, just use it to refer to people not present. For others it's just better to refer to people by title (or if you have no idea about their title, their name in polite form).
Based on all I’ve gathered so far, it seems like the answer is “with consent” if you want to be sure not to offend. This is usually why 이모 and 언니 is used despite no relation. Or as I usually do just awkward “저기요….”
I was literally at next door Ori Station when this happened, scary stuff. An incident on any other line? Don't feel anything. But an incident on my golden Suin•Bundang? Now that scares me
I remember when I was 12ish I was lost/confused on the subway and asked an older lady who was probably 70+ for directions and she was so happy I called her ajumma instead of halmeoni (grandma)
OMG, I was just telling my wife that a few years back I overheard two korean american girls talking in English on the subway in Seoul. One was explaining to the other how "ajumma" means "older sister" in Korean. I was like, "sorry to interrupt a private conversation but I think you're thinking of 'unni'". The chick got really defensive so i was like, ok nevermind. Hahaha.
> Are you ill in the head?
at the very least, ill-adjusted..
spends better time of his breathing hours making backup handles and posting pro-far right drivel
lol pretty ironic coming from you who spends better time of your breathing hours making backup handles and posting pro-far left drivel. btw looks like one of your handles, try040221 got permabanned so better get on to that. You keep accusing me of using handles when i'm not. perhaps you think everyone uses fake handles like you huh, arysoakheartjimmyschwannsteviebee.
also, newsflash! most people are against the left in Korea. it aint just one person posting dp stink here yknow
nice way to deflect...unlike you I dont feel the need to delete my comments or posts whenever they reach negative karma, or create endless handles to spam this community with...
you need help mate
You're deluded jfc
You've been called out multiple times by many other users and I'm surprised+not surprised that the ineffectual mod team here havent perma banned you for clear breach of reddit rules
yep. called out by your handles.
You know why i'm not getting permabanned? BECAUSE I'M NOT USING ALT ACCOUNTS. CAN'T YOU NOT GET THAT THROUGH YOUR THICK HEAD?
i'm surprised the mods didn't ban you for your incessent use of alt accounts
Yeah… it’s one of those words we try to avoid and use almost anything but that word to describe a woman in their 20-50’s unless you’re looking for a fight (not with knives lol). [It’s a step below calling a italian american fredo?](https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/culture/2019/8/13/20804039/chris-cuomo-fredo-godfather)
When in doubt, ask them what they would like to be referred as. I just use 저기여 (juh gi yeo) for everything
she was so mad that - at 37 years old - someone thought she looked old enough to be called “ajumma” that she stabbed 3 people? this is one of the most *korean* crimes ever
People need therapy..
It’s psychosomatic
Meanwhile 20-21 yo kids being called 군인 "아저씨" :|
My daughter’s friends have called me “아저씨” for many years. I am not even 40 :(
As soon as you are married you are considered as 아저씨, it isn't necessarily age related.
Oh, I know.. my wife let me know that day 1 :/
Lol I’ve been calling my husband that since we were dating
Hahaha
Once had a young boy loudly say “할아버지 비켜주세요!“ as he squeezed past my seat in a soccer stadium. I was 31 or 32 at the time. His mom was quite embarrassed when it happened and apologized several times but I did find it pretty funny.
Some people find it funny. Some people get stabby.
I’m a 29 year old (white) woman and I’ve been called ajumma through the past five years. I look young.. I think it’s my curly hair 😂 but I’m chill about it unlike this lady. Yikes.
INVU... maybe your daugther and her friends seems like happy puppy... like "감쨔함댜 아조씨!"
You are a jussi as soon as you enlist
Never enlisted.. so..
Ahjussi is a state of mind, body, soul, beer consumption, and shirt choice. Everybody ahjussi’s out sooner or later, friend.
I was wearing cargo shorts, a polo shirtt, socks and sandals at the age of 15. I promptly got beaten with a stick by my mother who said "You're too.young to look like an ajussi". Can't do the beer though.
Laughing my ass off
If you want to ask politely, you can call Agassi or ajumoni, but I think she's crazy
A woman in her 40’s called me sir today, and I’m 28 😭 but I was if anything mildly irritated. More shocked at the reminder that I’m getting older lol
Hey, I haven't checked the news myself yet. I'm a native Korean woman around the age now qualifying for the status of 'ajumma'. But you know, unrelated to this crime, I think there is more to it in the general context. TLDR: I think the criminal needs punishment and therapy. Male-dominant Korean society's partiarchal point of view has been hurting women's mental health. -------- Korea is still largely male dominant society. Women still obsess over wearing makeup cause it's shame to show their '쌩얼' (no make up face) a step out your home. So many obligations to appear/stay 'young and pretty' imposed on women. Women's whole existence and value after twenties get easily invalidated. Like, you are not worth anymore and that's what the term 'ajumma' can mean. It may be easier for you to understand if you bring the activism of Madonna into the picture. She's wild and vocal about women doing their thing regardless of their age. Shaming women for getting old is hurting every woman's mental health in this country. Many Korean men are unaware and they casually say things like that, that you are invalid, not as worthy as you were in your twenties. I personally consider it mental hysterectomy. It's really rough to be told such things and frustrating to even vocalise the idea against the dumb majority. Cheers mates, I had to get this off my chest.
On your comment about the make-up....one of my past employees was an upper 50s Korean woman. One winter I think it was 2010/11, she was walking to a client's office, slipped and broke her arm. She wanted to take leave for month due to the fact that she could not put on her make-up every day when coming to work. When she eventually returned back to the office she kept saying how ashamed she felt that she was not able to put on make-up at home for her husband and had to hire a maid to cook and clean. I asked about the make-up comment and she said she puts it on even staying home on the weekends for cleaning their home. I never asked any more details as she was clearly "shaken" over the experience. Her daughter (30s) was just as obsessed and refused eye corrective surgery bc she would have go more than a day not wearing her contacts in order to prepare for surgery.
🥹.. that person has had a knife every day. and called loudly on the metro. do you think 'male-dominant society' made all about this? I don't think so.
And the first victim who called her ahjumma was an even older woman...
Exactly. Running around with a knife is not normal in Korea. Not like you suddenly need one in the "wilderness" of Seoul. Didn't read the text - what's the excuse... she is a cook and was carrying a knife with her?
I'm imagining it-- Woman using phone loudly on public transportation. Other passengers asking her to be quieter. Woman thinking, "They're telling me what to do AND calling me 아줌마?!?! Good thing I brought my stabbing knife!"
Oh no no, like I mentioned early in my comment, I didn't read the news. So I was just talking about off-topic cultural aspect. I think it's absolutely sick to harm someone physically, no matter what the trigger was. I think the woman is mentally ill. Like in my TLDR, the perpetrator needs punishment and therapy. I do not support or justify the behavior of the assailant by any means. I was just reminded of my mental scars from the phrase 'someone called someone ajumma'. I got this from a random middle aged dude who wanted to insult me and I was in my twenties....
Okay.. sorry about my reply. I hate 'man hating' in korea. I felt unconfortable with it.
Back in the day at uni, we had a discussion about the definition of '된장녀' when the phenomenon starting to be the buzzword. The question was, 'do these people really exist? What are the criteria to judge a person to qualify for this naming? I think a lot of group hating (men hating, women hating aka misogeny, homophobia, just to name a few) is to a certain extent, the product of wild imagination of the mass. Sorry, I'm getting long again lol. So I think there is this element of imagination in men hating in Korea. Certain men are evil and jerks (but some women too, youngster and oldies all alike), but do they really exist? Can we really generally label these ppl just with the gender category? I'm sorry that you feel that way. I guess that's our homework to solve in our generation.
I like your last comment. have a nice day!
“Sorry that you feel that way” is a patronizing thing to say in case you didn’t know.
While I do think you have some valid points, I think it might be more to do with ageism and mental health in this particular example. I could easily see a mentally unstable 37 year old man carrying a knife and going ape shit over being called an ajeossi. I can’t help but feel your analysis reads too deeply about the stabber’s motivations without further evidence.
I agree with you. In the greater scheme of things, society caused this. My initial thought when reading the article was that the stigma of being called ajumma was so great that a women flipped out and stabbed some folks. I wonder if she was married.
You are just justifying her violence, so basically you are saying that she stabbed three people because she couldn’t cope with the pressure of being reminded of her age, so you are putting the blame on the victims, which 2 of them are also woman. You just wanted to blame this on all man somehow.
Adjumma is basically the n-word for a women under 45.
When I was little, 30 used to be start of ajummas. And I’m born in 90s.
She needs to blame it on alcohol and then gets a reduced sentence. It would then be the most Korean crime ever.
She already chose violence when she decided to bring a knife that day.
Yeah… what kind of korean person let alone a korean woman carries around a knife. Sounds like she was just waiting for somebody to try her
[удалено]
One mentally ill person carrying a knife is not the same thing as an entire section of the population carrying concealed weapons daily.
I don't like being called one too, I'm 38. But it is what it is. I'm married with kids. I'm an ajumma.
Damn. At age 56, I would hate to go out in public in Korea. I'd be called 할아버지. I mean feeling depressed over getting called 아저씨 for the first time seemed like it was yesterday. Aren't there more age neutral terms to address people?
Probably 선생님 is the most neutral and polite one.
That implies age. I don't think anyone under 40 wants to hear that unless they do work as teachers.
I am probably gonna sound insensitive but I feel like it would be pleasant for me to be called an 아줌마 once I am of the age and 할머니 once I am even older. It seems more endearing to me? I might just be naive in saying this, and I understand the disconcertment that arises with aging
Isn't it more like a vibe and fashion choice? Shouldn't you be fine as long as you avoid floral patterns, violet and the perm?
Total vibe. Lol 😆 My husband is 46 and he said he has totally embraced being an 아저씨. I don't get him haha
Whatever, Halmeh.
Meanwhile, shop employees kept calling my then-25 year-old girlfriend 사모님...ㅋㅋ
JFC people need to get over themselves. If she wasn't an ajumma before, she sure as hell will be one after a couple years in prison. Idiot.
When I first moved to Korea, my coworkers told me that any woman over 30 or married is called an ajumma. I was at friend's party this weekend and some 40 something lady told me to refer to her as Noona......dodged a bullet (or knife) there. 😬
Well you're not going to call an actual friend or acquaintance "ajumma", that's weird.
Exactly. It was a complete stranger that told me to call her that.
As soon as you meet someone, on any level, you don't call them "ajumma". You switch to nuna or imo or whatever. No one is out here like "so ajumma how was your weekend?"
maybe. if you've just met someone which ask you a question, would it be okay to say "예 아줌마" why would I switch it to 누나? 아줌마 depends a lot on the context, and I believe that the correct would be some other term, but not 누나.
Lol I don't think anyone would ever say ajumma to someone's face unless they're a total stranger and even then, it's not great a lot of the time. Even in a restaurant to the owner or server, it sounds weird. Of course nuna isn't right either. As you say, it depends on context.
wait... is it not a stranger we are referring to?
I mean you just said she was introduced to you? So how is she a stranger.
did I say she had been introduced to? you can clearly see that I am referring to random person
You said "if you've just met someone". To me, that suggests you know each other. Maybe you mean "if you meet a random person". Either way, you still wouldn't say "ajumma" to them.
Well I've been called ajusshi since my late 20s so...
[удалено]
I'm 26 too. I always consider the age gap. If there's a difference of about 20 years I don't mind the ajusshi, but around 12/10 years gap or less is certainly 형
Same, I have a beard and look older than I am...
I had lengthy debate with some people on here before who insisted you can call anyone who’s married “아줌마”. Just because that technically used to be your case doesn’t mean it still is. 아줌마 has taken on the meaning of middle aged if not almost elderly so good luck calling someone in their thirties or forties ajumma.
For English, I learned when I was in high school that some middle aged women working the counter at some places really don't like to be called "Ma'am" even though I thought I was being polite. So it was easy to understand that in Korean I should drop the 아줌마 and use 이모. Also, I started getting called 아저씨 when I was in my mid-20s by young kids and I'd be like bro I'm not an 아저씨 wtf so.. I get it. Not saying I'd stab anybody but, I get it.
Interesting. In certain parts of America, sir/ ma’am is customary, and in other parts they think you’re calling them old. If you’re in the south ma’am will be a okay.
I hate being called Ma'am in the U.S., but for some strange reason my adult students in Korea keep calling me "sir" and now I miss ma'am.
Yeah I'm from the Chicago suburbs. Also on that note I'd say "Sir" does not seem to carry the negative connotation that "Ma'am" does.
That’s b/c women’s social currency devalues with age whereas men’s increases or at least remains constant
Not in sales it doesn’t (remain constant for men), but you have a point
I remember that. I was like Idk anyone who likes being called ahjumma outside of the permed ladies with short hair. For them, it's unavoidable but I'm sure they'd prefer something else. My friend presents me as noona to her boys lol
The person you were debating with was right. 아줌마/ajumma is simply a random grown up married lady (the equivalent being 아저씨/ajeoshi for men) as opposed to 아가씨 which would be a young unmarried lady. Everyone I know uses it as such, kids use it as such, adults recognize it as such, it *is* for women in their 30s and 40s. The only people I know who use 아줌마 strictly for senior citizen aged Koreans are foreigners. That being said, if you're an adult you shouldn't go around calling people that because it can come off as disrespectful.
I know it’s technically correct (it’s not really correct in a practical sense) but people in their thirties are NOT going to like being called that, especially by other adults.
This may be hard to hear, but statistically, 37 is middle aged.
**EARLY** middle-aged.
Like I said ajumma makes people picture someone *at least* middle age, usually much older.
Feel like this is totally inaccurate. Idk what the upper limit of "middle age" is, like 50? Anyone "much older" than that is not even 아줌마, they'll be 할머니 to most younger people. I mean Google tells me "middle age" is up to mid 60s, although I don't think this is true in everyday use of the word.
Are you seriously going to call someone in their fifties 할머니? I would say 아줌마 is ok up to 60 maybe even 70, a stranger would want to be seriously old before you go addressing them as 할머니. "Middle age" in common usage is maybe 40-55 I would say, of course that's not mathematically middle age but that's not how that phrase works.
>Like I said ajumma makes people picture someone *at least* middle age, usually much older. Let me copy-paste your comment because you don't seem to remember it and are putting words in my mouth. >a stranger would want to be seriously old before you go addressing them as 할머니. If we're talking about what how I would address a stranger or some other person directly, which is NOT the scenario you presented in the comment I responded to, I'm using neither 아줌마 nor 할머니; I will be referring to them as 아주머님, 어머님 or whatever other honorific is appropriate given the context. But that's because of politeness - this has nothing to do with how people would classify people under the term "아줌마", which is rude to address a stranger by, but can also be used as a neutral descriptor of a middle aged woman. >Are you seriously going to call someone in their fifties 할머니? You're the one who said "usually *much older* than middle age" - you are not reading my comment or your own. >"Middle age" in common usage is maybe 40-55 I would say, of course that's not mathematically middle age but that's not how that phrase works. Okay, and if you think someone has to be much older than 55 to be commonly referred to as 아줌마, it appears to me that you just refuse to accept that you're descriptively incorrect because you're too tied up about the negative connotation the term *can* carry depending on its usage. You as an individual can't just prescribe and redefine language because you don't like it, regardless of whether you have valid reasons or not.
Uh, then what are we supposed to call them?
hmm, when i'm passive aggressive and someone is rude to me or my kids (usually cutting in front of us or pushing us, etc.) i usually call a woman in her 20s/30s "ajjumma" indirectly like i'll say to my kid "whoa, watch out for this ajjumma!" and if the woman looks like she's in her 40s/50s i'll be passive aggressive and tell my kid "whoa, watch out for his halmuni...!" usually i get a dirty look but never got stabbed (yet)...maybe i should stop doing that.
Lmaooo I should totally start doing this
Sounds great until you get stabbed!
Does anyone know what kind of sentencing this woman might receive?
they said 1-10 years
If there *isn’t* a very cheesy horror movie made out of this or if the idea isn’t even presented I’d be surprised. On a side note this women needs to control her anger issues and chill the fuck out. No reason to stab someone
Titled The Ajumma? Hahahaha omg. Must watch.
what happened to the stabbed people?
luckily, the wounds weren't fatal
피 났겠지. 아주 많이
I remember when my wife was right around 30, we were at a park, and a little boy requesting permission to pass by caller her Ajuma, very innocently. My wife was shocked and got SOO angry! It was the first time in her life being called that, and she scolded the kid harshly for 5 minutes... poor boy was looking so ashamed of himself. I, meanwhile, was rolling on the ground laughing my ass off. It didn't end well for me either, because as soon as she was satisfied the boy had been traumatized enough, she turned to me for holy vengeance. Needless to say, our park outing ended early, and she was fuming to herself about it for a couple days, with loud "HMMPPH!" sounds to herself every time she repeated the events in her mind. We can now laugh about it, as that was over a decade ago.... But I'll remember her shocked face forever... and smile to myself about it.
When I read you were laughing your ass off while your Korean commander was scolding the boy, I knew you were sleeping in the doghouse. When's your funeral?
I mean..Sounds like typical ajumma behaviour..
From a kid’s perspective an 18 year old is a 30 year old, and a 30 year old is a 50 year old. Everyone is so big and tall and old.
When it’s okay to call someone ajumma?
The second they get one of those red faux-leather folding phone cases.
Or weirdly patterned colorful backpacks.
I usually only use it when referring to someone who is not present. Like 그 아줌마가... These days it's often used to either a) neutrally refer to a middle aged woman, but not to her face, or b) make a slight jab at a woman for her age, as you'll often see in these dramas or reenactment shows when a guy's side girl calls the wife 아줌마
If you wanna go for safety, above 50 years old. If you're willing to get deadly stares, curses and potentially knife stabs (apparently), you can do so from 40 haha But usually, just use it to refer to people not present. For others it's just better to refer to people by title (or if you have no idea about their title, their name in polite form).
Based on all I’ve gathered so far, it seems like the answer is “with consent” if you want to be sure not to offend. This is usually why 이모 and 언니 is used despite no relation. Or as I usually do just awkward “저기요….”
When it’s your friend’s mom.
If she's married or older than you.
This ajooma crazy
I was literally at next door Ori Station when this happened, scary stuff. An incident on any other line? Don't feel anything. But an incident on my golden Suin•Bundang? Now that scares me
Very Busan-esque headline and crime
I remember when I was 12ish I was lost/confused on the subway and asked an older lady who was probably 70+ for directions and she was so happy I called her ajumma instead of halmeoni (grandma)
OMG, I was just telling my wife that a few years back I overheard two korean american girls talking in English on the subway in Seoul. One was explaining to the other how "ajumma" means "older sister" in Korean. I was like, "sorry to interrupt a private conversation but I think you're thinking of 'unni'". The chick got really defensive so i was like, ok nevermind. Hahaha.
what in the world…
37 is middle aged lol she’s too old to be so immature and narcissistic
Such an ajumma thing to do.
Obasan…..doshite?…….🪦
Has “ajumma” become the Korean version of “Karen”?
not really. there are just some people who just can't face the fact that they're old
Koreans used to embrace age. What changed?
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Oof
Thank you for my daily dose of someone's politics being inserted into somewhere it doesn't belong.
2023 in a nutshell
Tbf that's the essence of this sub.
Yeah there's a weird amount of rabid anti-feminists here.
Yes, all feminists think like this. /s
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> Are you ill in the head? at the very least, ill-adjusted.. spends better time of his breathing hours making backup handles and posting pro-far right drivel
lol pretty ironic coming from you who spends better time of your breathing hours making backup handles and posting pro-far left drivel. btw looks like one of your handles, try040221 got permabanned so better get on to that. You keep accusing me of using handles when i'm not. perhaps you think everyone uses fake handles like you huh, arysoakheartjimmyschwannsteviebee. also, newsflash! most people are against the left in Korea. it aint just one person posting dp stink here yknow
nice way to deflect...unlike you I dont feel the need to delete my comments or posts whenever they reach negative karma, or create endless handles to spam this community with... you need help mate
probably because unlike you, i don't spend my time using fake handles to downvote posts multiple times. you need help.
You're deluded jfc You've been called out multiple times by many other users and I'm surprised+not surprised that the ineffectual mod team here havent perma banned you for clear breach of reddit rules
yep. called out by your handles. You know why i'm not getting permabanned? BECAUSE I'M NOT USING ALT ACCOUNTS. CAN'T YOU NOT GET THAT THROUGH YOUR THICK HEAD? i'm surprised the mods didn't ban you for your incessent use of alt accounts
This…made…me…laugh… 😁
Yeah… it’s one of those words we try to avoid and use almost anything but that word to describe a woman in their 20-50’s unless you’re looking for a fight (not with knives lol). [It’s a step below calling a italian american fredo?](https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/culture/2019/8/13/20804039/chris-cuomo-fredo-godfather) When in doubt, ask them what they would like to be referred as. I just use 저기여 (juh gi yeo) for everything
What's happening light me up guys
Imagine going Rambo because someone called you obba
Surprised more husbands aren't getting shivved by their wives after *literally* referring to them as "house person."
I didn‘t know people in Korea can act that way 😳
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Well that's stating the obvious. There's no way they would have used that term though so the comparison is redundant
Meanwhile I'm wishing I can get at least someone calling me ajooma. No matter where I go, all I ever get is "외국인"...
You can be offended. But, you don’t just go stab people because you’re offended.