The value of Confucianism
Thinking of my first visit to Seoul, I remember a particular interaction. My friend, his eldest son and I left their apartment building. We took the elevator down and arrived on the first floor. As we exited, an older woman, who appeared to be a household worker, was entering the elevator. My friend made the special effort to have his son bow to her and to greet her with the phrase, “Good…
My initial recollection of my arrival in Seoul centres on a specific encounter. My companion's eldest son and I disembarked from their apartment building via the elevator. Upon exiting, we encountered an elderly woman who seemed to be a domestic worker. My companion took the extra step to have his son bow to her and say "Good morning, ajumeoni."
The bowing required minimal assistance, given his son's youth and this was likely his first exposure to the ajumma. It was apparent to me that this was a customary and polite gesture. I asked about who she was, which marked my first introduction to the concept of ajumma in Korea. This was an instance of the professor and his son fostering familial bonds of mutual respect for a woman they were not related to and not even employed by her, but someone who, while likely from the street, played a familiar role in their lives.
The ajumma herself was not a peer or hailing from a noble family. My companion wished for his son to grasp the etiquette of respect, refrain from scapegoating, and show regard.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- The value of Confucianism koreatimes.co.kr
