By Iwazaru
Since the beginning of the week Korea has been abuzz about this video clip of an older woman, an ajjuma, wrestling with a girl who reportedly brushed the woman with her muddy shoes.
The older woman, who according to reports and netizens is notorious for seeking squabbles on Line 2, rebuffed the girls apologies and latched on to her while other riders looked on. According to one blog the words between the two went something like this:
Grandmother: “I’m an old person? Rude? What?”
Girl: “What do you want from me?”
Grandmother: “Right, I was born in 1934. Why? [Pushes the girl] I was born in 1934. [Push] Why? [Pulls the girls hair, drags her around]”
Girl: [Gets her phone back, crying] “Dad, I really hate Korea! I really hate Korea! I really hate Korea.”
The last thing the girl screams, after noticing the person videoing the proceedings, is, “Put it on Youtube!”
The general public seems split on the issue as the deference to the elderly in Korea is deeply ingrained and in almost any physical altercation—well, in almost any dispute physical or not—between young and old, the benefit of the doubt is given to the old. Yet, the women looks to be accosting the girl excessively and her reported reputation hasn’t helped her case.
In addition, the nonchalance and passivity of the passengers has drawn criticism; why didn’t someone step in to separate them?
