Controversy over 'Auntie' Title at the Gym Expands into Abusive Language Incident

A story has emerged where a high school student exercising at the gym called a woman in her 40s "auntie" and faced abusive language in return.

According to the jtbc program 'Incident Dispatch' aired on the 22nd, a first-year male student, referred to as A, received unexpected verbal abuse from a woman in her late 40s while managing his fitness at the gym.

The incident occurred while A was using the treadmill. The woman pointed out, "Hey, why are you making so much noise while running!" To this, A responded, "I’m sorry. But I’m not an uncle; I’m a student, ma'am."

In response to A's answer, the woman reacted angrily and unleashed derogatory remarks about his appearance.

She said, "What kind of student are you with that ugly face?" and "Even men in their 60s don't look like you," followed by, "You look ugly because of your acne." Insulting comments continued, and she even resorted to sexual insults. Her verbal abuse persisted until people around intervened.

A, who has been stressed due to his acne, suffered a significant blow to his self-esteem from this incident. He is currently in a situation where he even hesitates to look in the mirror.

A's parents tried to meet and talk with the woman directly, but she responded, "Is it right to call someone you don’t know auntie?" displaying a defiant attitude.

Professor Park Sang-hee from the psychology department explained, "It seems the student also meant to hurt by calling her auntie," but judged that "the woman was greatly in the wrong for belittling, hurting, and shouting."

Lawyer Yang Ji-yeol stated, "Given that the abusive language from the woman in her 40s was heard by others, there is a possibility that it constitutes defamation."

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