"These schoolgirls are so sly these days," "I tell my son if girls hit him, hit them back." Sexist, below-common-sense remarks pour out under the pretext of Pungja. Unfiltered realistic satire is sparking a heated debate over pros and cons. It is the controversy stirred by comedian Kang Yumi's 'middle-aged nammisae' video presented on YouTube.
On the 1st, Kang Yumi uploaded a video titled 'middle-aged nammisae' to her personal YouTube channel Kang Yumi joha seo haneun chaeneol. As the channel boasts about 1.39 million subscribers, the video quickly drew attention. As of this morning (the 8th), a week after its release, it boasts 1.46 million views. In particular, the video is provoking a heated debate with comments such as "harsh realistic satire," "reality is worse than that," "sexist," and "encourages women-hating women," drawing attention.
The "middle-aged nammisae" in the video title depicts the speech and behavior of a middle-aged woman at work known as nammisae (a woman crazy about men). As Kang Yumi had presented realistic ASMR videos such as domitnyeo (a woman who trusts the path), bathhouse scrubbing attendants, and neighborhood hair salon aunties, she gathered the typical characteristics of a 'middle-aged nammisae' commonly found in online community anecdotes.
As the term 'nammisae' suggests, it flows from unconditional support for the husband, son, and male colleagues at work to prejudice and criticism of the son's kindergarten friends and female colleagues at work. Dressed with various luxury hairpins, earrings, and necklaces, she is indulgent toward men while being harsh toward other women, which makes you frown.
In particular, comments such as "These schoolgirls are so sly these days," "I tell my son if girls hit him, hit them back," "Boys are so easy to raise these days, daughters have extreme mood swings and are sensitive," and "How could I give my son to another X. I'm a bad mother-in-law reservation" — along with behavior like saying that when male and female employees eat together only the female employees get into scuffles — are provoking both sympathy and criticism that the content is sexist.
What is noteworthy is that the comments are full of accounts of female students' suffering. It says that under 'son moms' who raised boys like the 'middle-aged nammisae' in the video, boys reciting 'gejipsinjyo' at school has become routine. It is even more shocking that not only female students but even female teachers are frequently hurt by sexist speech and behavior. Various anecdotes have prompted responses such as "looking at the comments makes me cry." Kang Yumi's harsh Pungja has thus evoked real-life stories that are even worse.
Conversely, some corners of mom cafes and male-centered online communities are criticizing that the satire is a pretext for promoting a women-vs-women dynamic, hatred, and division. They criticize that parenting is not only a mother's role, yet the criticism of 'middle-aged nammisae' ends up targeting only 'son moms,' with reactions like "Where's the father that they keep targeting the mother again?" or "It promotes hatred." The fact that the 'middle-aged nammisae' video's ending culminates in sexual harassment of a male employee is also drawing criticism.
One satirical video by Kang Yumi is sparking a debate over misogyny in our society. It also recalls comedian Lee Suji's parody video 'Daechi mom,' which drew a strong response last year. At the time, Lee Suji also caused controversy by portraying someone wrapped in various luxury goods who, without consideration for drivers and production staff, subjects a young child to excessive private education. Following that, Kang Yumi's harsh realistic satire appears to be touching an unpleasant nerve, drawing both support that it exposed reality and criticism that it crossed the line.
[photo] source: YouTube.
[OSEN]