Ajummas in the Korean TV drama "Reply 1988" / Courtesy of CJ ENM By Scott Shepherd About five minutes ago I was sitting in a café trying to write an academic paper with a deadline looming unpleasantly large in my consciousness. I’ve completed most of the research so now it’s just a question of shaping the argument and sorting out all the fiddly bits. Apart from me, the place was empty; I was focused, completely absorbed in the task at hand.
And just as I was in the middle of scribbling a few more edits on my text, in trooped a gang of at least eight ajumma – I suppose the best translation for this evocative Korean term would be old ladies, but I’m not sure that does the word justice. The members of this group seem to all be mostly the same height; they display a range of hairstyles and sartorial tastes, but I think many dear readers can already create a fairly accurate mental picture of the gang. The first item on their agenda seems to be what to have to drink, and the discussion is as lively and heated as any debating society could ever hope for, even though of course each one of them will choose her own drink.
The majority seem to be in favour of the iced americano, but there is a spirited minority advocating more exotic flavoured drinks. From the sight of the first immaculately-coiffured head of hair it became plain that all hope of work on my article would now be futile, at least unless I found another place to work. I donned my headphones and turned them up to .
