This Feud Has Got To End!
I am, of course, talking about the simmering feud between English-language Korea Bloggers and Ajumma bloggers, known in Korean as 와이프로거 or ‘wifeloggers‘.
Those of you who follow either blogosphere will know that there has been antipathy between the two groups for years. I believe it can be traced to a early 2006 post on the Marmot’s Hole in which Robert Koehler mocked the blog design of high profile wifelogger Remonterrace. After some retaliation from the ajumma community, the brouhaha quieted down but was reignited when Joe from Zenkimchi followed a recipe for cheesy rice cake bread posted on Shriya’s wifelog and described the result as ‘what the banality of evil tastes like.’
The wifeloggers have not remained silent. You may remember a recent flare-up just last month, when Soonkum71 used her wifelog to launch a diatribe against a number of prominent popular English-language Korea blogs, calling the Metropolitician ‘pedantic’, declaring Korea Beat ‘biased and anti-Korea’, stating that Brian in Jeollanam-do ‘overcharges for privates’ and saying that the second Yangpa is better than the Original Yangpa. She did, however, praise Gusts of Popular Opinion for its level of research.
I must say that I have tried to maintain a foothold in each world, as I currently split my time between the Joshing Gnome and my Korean-language crafts blog ‘Constuction Paper Palace‘ (please forgive the plug). All I am trying to say is that the animosity is largely misplaced. I suspect, in fact, that if you were to take a peek at most ajumma’s feed readers, you would find that they subscribe to a large number of blogs from both side of the aisle. Can’t we just agree to disagree?
And hey, English-language Korea bloggers. Though you may mock the wifeloggers, you can’t deny that their blogs do abound with practical tips. I even learned about proper blogging attire from Ainikyung.
Wow, I’m biased and anti-Korea? I never even knew that. Would you mind providing the link to what she wrote?
Sorry to say that she took the page down after receiving a threat of litigation from Joe from Zenkimchi. I believe her exact words were ‘Anybody who would translate uri nara newspapers into English for the world to see must be anti-Korea.’
When I first saw my name mentioned I was actually a little worried. Thought I’d have to make a run down to Gangjin and break some legs.
Huh? I never even knew? Who is Soonkum71? What’s her blog?
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