'Only elegant women allowed': S Korea gym draws flak for sign

A gym in South Korea has sparked a debate about discrimination against older women by putting up a sign that says 'only cultivated and elegant women allowed'. The gym, located in Incheon city near the capital Seoul, has banned misbehaving 'aunties' by putting up a sign that reads 'off limits to ajummas' and 'only cultivated and elegant women allowed'. The term 'ajumma' is used to refer to older women, typically those in their late 30s and older, but it is also used as a derogatory term for behavior that is considered rude or obnoxious. The move has reignited a debate about discrimination against older women in South Korea, with some people supporting the gym's decision while others criticize it for conflating bad behavior with women of a certain age. The gym's owner defended the move, claiming that his company had 'suffered damages' because of the unruly behavior of some older women customers. He mentioned that some older women would spend an hour or two in the changing room to do their laundry, steal items including towels, soaps, or hair dryers, and sit in a row to comment and judge other people's bodies. He also stated that some younger women have quit the gym because of these comments, which upset them or made them uncomfortable. While the move was made by a single gym, it seems to have struck a nerve because in recent years, South Korean businesses have drawn flak for banning children or seniors from certain public places.