"Not the Joseon Dynasty, What Do You Mean by 'Doryeonnim'? Are You Changing Gender-Discriminatory Titles?"

Family Gatherings During Holidays Include Gender-Discriminatory Titles
Unfair Titles 'Let's Change Them Now' but Reality Remains Challenging

The photo is an archival image and is not related to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] As the Lunar New Year holiday approaches, opinions are emerging to change gender-discriminatory terms used among relatives. Instead of titles like Seobangnim, Doryeonnim, and Agassi, it is suggested to call each other by names such as "Mr./Ms. ○○," refer to the in-laws as Siga instead of Sidae, and call both paternal and maternal grandmothers simply "Halmeoni" without distinction.

However, it is not easy to actually improve this. Although the government has set guidelines to change unequal family titles, it is especially difficult for daughters-in-law to raise such issues in gatherings of extended family.

Office worker Kim (27, female), who expressed dissatisfaction with unequal family titles, said, "Even though times have changed, these titles remain the same," adding, "Isn't it the same when you watch dramas or movies?" She continued, "The government calls for title improvements every holiday, but in reality, it seems this difficult. It feels like the Joseon Dynasty."

Another female office worker in her 30s, Lee, sighed and said, "There is also family tradition. Even if the government provides guidelines or related news comes out, the family atmosphere will come first."

Summarizing the situation, despite the changing times regarding gender-discriminatory titles, it appears that depending on the family atmosphere, these cannot be properly improved or are not even brought up.

This dissatisfaction among citizens was also confirmed in a survey. According to a survey released by the Seoul Foundation of Women and Family in September last year during the Chuseok holiday, many respondents said that instead of calling someone Hyeongsunim or Doryeonnim, they should be called by their names, and that the wife should be referred to as spouse.

A total of 1,803 Seoul citizens participated, of whom 1,194 were women, accounting for 66.2%. Men numbered 609, making up 33.8%.

A man in his 30s who participated suggested, "Please call sisters-in-law and younger brothers-in-law by their names instead of Hyeongsunim or Doryeonnim. Let's correct the inequality in titles."

Another man in his 30s emphasized, "Let's call the wife's family and husband's family Siga instead of Sidae or Cheoga. Let's try to achieve gender equality even in a single word." A woman in her 20s who participated said, "Let's call both paternal and maternal grandmothers simply Halmeoni without distinction," emphasizing that there should be no inequality in family titles. Other citizen proposals included changing Chinga and Oega to father's and mother's original homes, and Jipsaram, Ansaram, Bakkat-saram to spouse.

In particular, in the question titled "Gender-equal holiday image planned by citizens in the COVID-19 era" (open-ended, multiple responses), 37.0% responded "Let's share holiday chores, childcare, and driving." 30.4% said, "Let's not meet for holiday gatherings but communicate by phone," and 18.6% responded, "Let's prepare the ancestral rites table simply."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Furthermore, according to the Korean Women's Minwoo Association, established in 1987 and active in aiming for a gender-equal democratic society and women's mass movement, it was found that social customary titles contain meanings that belittle women and are gender-discriminatory, which we were not well aware of.

For example, "Myeoneuri" (daughter-in-law) is a word combining "Myeoneul," meaning parasitic existence, and "child," meaning "a being who lives parasitically attached to my son," originating from the male superiority ideology. "Olke," referring to the wife of an older brother, comes from "Orabi's gyejip" (old word for woman), reflecting the culture of "Yeopiljongbu" (wife must obey and follow the husband).

Titles like "Agassi" and "Doryeonnim," used by married women to refer to their husband's younger sisters or brothers, were originally titles used to honor noble masters in the past and are considered problematic by the Minwoo Association.

However, despite recommendations from women's human rights organizations and the government, gender-equal titles still have a long way to go. As seen in the cases above, due to family traditions and unique family atmospheres, it is difficult to raise the issue of changing titles, especially for daughters-in-law or sisters-in-law.

Given this situation, there are voices saying that elders in the family should take the lead in improving gender-discriminatory titles among family members. A 40-year-old office worker, Lee, said, "Ultimately, communication is the issue," adding, "I think about title issues a lot during holidays like Lunar New Year, and it would be easier if elders brought it up first." She added, "Still, things seem to be changing a bit these days," and "I think it will gradually improve."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.