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

A gym in South Korea has recently come under fire for putting up a sign that reads 'only cultivated and elegant women allowed', reigniting a debate about discrimination against older women in the country. 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 a catch-all term for older women, typically those in their late 30s and older, but it is also used as a pejorative for behavior that is seen as rude or obnoxious. The move has sparked discussions about discrimination against older women in South Korea, with some local reports defending the gym's decision, claiming that the company had suffered damages due to the unruly behavior of some older women customers. The owner of the gym stated that some older women would spend hours in the changing room doing their laundry, stealing items such as towels, soaps, or hair dryers, and making comments and judgments about other people's bodies, which upset or made younger women uncomfortable.