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Ajumma EXP celebrates Women’s Day with 3 Hip Hop flash mobs

These middle-aged Korean women are reclaiming the streets

LiFTED | Marcus Aurelius | 9 Mar 2023


In Korean, the word ajumma has a negative connotation meaning middle-aged Korean women typically in their 40s to 70s. Think Aunty, but it can be someone walking down the street instead of a relative. For many years, these women have felt marginalized by society, tossed away while working hard for the family, or forgotten about.

Now, a crew of visor-clad women called Ajumma EXP have taken the term back, and they celebrated Women’s Day by putting on three Hip Hop flash mobs in San Diego, California. More than 30 women donned tracksuits and pink visors big enough to cover their faces and made sure they had their super fresh perms ready to go as they surprised passersby with choreographed Hip Hop dance moves in a park, a mall, and on a boardwalk.

For nearly a month, the women of Ajumma EXP have been practicing for their big day with B-girl Mel. They invited any middle-aged women to join them even if they weren’t Korean, and headed out to the streets. Their idea was to spread love and cheer and smash age and cultural stereotypes, and they hit it out of the park.

Learn more about Ajumma EXP’s Women’s Day Hip Hop flash mob at this link.