“Sixty-five Is Still Young!”: An Ethnographic Study on Intra-Generational Conflicts in Senior Physical Activity Settings in South Korea’s Urban Areas

This study aims to explore in depth the specific patterns and underlying causes of intra-generational conflict (elder–elder conflicts) within senior physical activity settings, using an ethnographic approach. To this end, the researcher conducted approximately 6 months of participant observation in public sports centers, private fitness facilities, and senior recreational clubs located in the Seoul metropolitan area. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 older adults. Interview transcripts, field notes, and observation memos were repeatedly analyzed to identify types of conflict, contextual features, and cultural meanings. The findings identified four major types of conflict: conflicts over leadership and authority, competition over resources and space, differences in exercise methods and physical capacity, and interpersonal or emotional tensions. These conflicts were revealed to be structurally embedded phenomena, arising from intertwined issues such as facility shortages, hierarchical culture, divergent exercise goals, and personal or emotional disputes. When prolonged, these conflicts led to negative consequences including participant withdrawal, reduced motivation for exercise, and the breakdown of group cohesion. However, the study also found potential for conflict mitigation through democratic leadership education, improvement in resource distribution rules, and the establishment of communication mechanisms. The findings suggest that “elder-elder conflict” in senior sports is not a matter of simple interpersonal discord but a multilayered phenomenon shaped by group culture, structural conditions, and emotional dynamics. By presenting a rich ethnographic account of conflict within senior physical activity programs, this study offers meaningful implications for developing practical strategies to prevent and manage intra-generational conflict in aging societies.