The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
& Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Sports
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
Video
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Thu, May 19, 2022 | 00:40
Business
Ajumma Adopt Stylish New Life
Posted : 2010-01-18 18:31
Updated : 2010-01-18 18:31
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down

By Jane Han
Staff Reporter

If your idea of "ajumma" is a hot-tempered, married woman sporting loose floral print pants and tight perms, you're living in the wrong time period. It's been a while since the symbolic group of middle-aged ladies started overhauling their long-held image.

From leather jackets to thigh-hugging jeans, a drastic change in fashion is what's leading today's ajumma makeover.

Ajumma have typically been portrayed as pushy and brave women who dash for seats on the subway or fight for bargain sales in a grocery store. But not anymore, at least for the emerging ajumma generation.

"They're fierce - not in a scary, ajumma kind of way, but in a fashionable way," says an official of Profashion Information Network (PFIN), a local fashion trend institute.

The transforming 30s-and-up crowd is so outstanding that trend spotters even gave it a name. Dubbed RUBY, the stylish club of women redefines what mama's all about.

The new buzzword is a combination of letters representing their characteristics. The "R" in RUBY stands for Refresh. "U" represents Uncommon, B means Beautiful and Y is for Young.

The RUBY clan's buying power is so strong that PFIN forecasts the "new senior" market as the "last remaining blue ocean in the domestic fashion industry."

This emerging generation of fashionistas, however, aren't interested in existing styles and brands designed for a typical ajumma.

"Nowadays, we see more ajumma shopping for younger brands," says Chang Soo-jin, a women's wear buyer for Shinsegae Department Store. "They're thinking, 'Why pay the same money and look matronly?"'

She says popular ajumma celebrities Jang Mi-hee and Kim Hee-ae are pushing middle-aged women to go for younger and cooler looks.

And such passion for a youthful image is, in turn, driving traditional matronly brands out of business.

According to the nation's top department stores, designer labels made for ajumma are closing year after year due to deteriorating sales. One retailer housed 33 matronly brands in 2004, but is now left with just 21.

"For fashion brands, it's no longer possible to survive with a simple two-piece suit with sparkly decorations," said Chang, who added that married women, just like young singles, want to show off their toned physique.

The undying "well-being" trend continues to fan a workout boom among ajumma, who used to be portrayed as pudgy and unattractive.

"Don't undermine today's ajumma," says Kim Ji-yeop, a trend spotter at Ultra Trend, a private agency. "They're constantly in the process of finding an improved image to define who they are."

jhan@koreatimes.co.kr
 
  • [INTERVIEW] Yoon's efforts to bolster Korea-US alliance will inevitably disturb China
  • Protecting Korea's semiconductor leadership
  • CJ, Ottogi uneasy about Harim's tactics to sell new cooked rice
  • Fear of deadliest famine in 1990s haunts North Korea amid national lockdown
  • Anti-LGBTQ sentiment widespread in Korea: survey
  • [INTERVIEW] Time to go back to corporation-driven growth: economist
  • South Korea to join US-led Indo-Pacific economic initiative
  • South Korea's new COVID-19 cases above 30,000 for 2nd day; Omicron transmission continues to slow
  • Nuclear war danger, Russia and Ukraine
  • Yoon, PPP lawmakers travel to Gwangju en masse to commemorate 1980 democracy uprising
  • Le Sserafim member Kim Ga-ram's bullying allegations resurface Le Sserafim member Kim Ga-ram's bullying allegations resurface
  • 'Doctor Strange 2' tops 5 million admissions 'Doctor Strange 2' tops 5 million admissions
  • Girls' Generation to make comeback in August after five years Girls' Generation to make comeback in August after five years
  • Musical 'Beethoven' to hit stage next year Musical 'Beethoven' to hit stage next year
  • PSY's first boy group TNX makes much-anticipated debut with EP 'Way Up' PSY's first boy group TNX makes much-anticipated debut with EP 'Way Up'
DARKROOM
  • 2022 Pulitzer Prize: Bearing witness to history

    2022 Pulitzer Prize: Bearing witness to history

  • Worsening drought puts millions at risk

    Worsening drought puts millions at risk

  • Our children deserve the best

    Our children deserve the best

  • End of mask mandates

    End of mask mandates

  • Rio Carnival returns after two-year hiatus

    Rio Carnival returns after two-year hiatus

The Korea Times
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Location
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Service
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Policy
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • 고충처리인
  • Youth Protection Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group