Palisades Park, New Jersey’s Korean American–run King Spa has changed its gender-segregated facility policy after a transgender woman filed a lawsuit saying she had been denied access to women’s areas. The revision has stirred controversy among Korean American patrons accustomed to traditional jjimjilbang culture.
According to the New York Post, King Spa reached a settlement with Alexandra Gobert (35) and then revised its rules on November 21st. The updated policy states that gender-segregated spaces must follow the gender identity listed on a government-issued ID. As a result, customers whose IDs list “female” may use female locker rooms and sauna facilities regardless of physical characteristics. The policy also advises guests that bodies in these areas “may differ from general gender expectations.”
The dispute began in 2022. Gobert said she received a men’s locker wristband despite presenting a female ID and alleged that staff repeatedly asked whether she had undergone gender-affirming surgery. King Spa staff directed her to the men’s area and suggested she could use the women’s section only while wearing a swimsuit, which she refused. Both sides reached a confidential settlement in August this year.
The rule change has raised concern within parts of the Korean American community. Because Korean-style jjimjilbangs involve communal nudity, some patrons worry the shift may lead to confusion inside women-only spaces.
Similar disputes have surfaced across the country. At LA’s Wi Spa, a defendant involved in the 2021 “transgender exposure incident” was recently acquitted by a Los Angeles County jury. In Washington, Korean-run Olympus Spa faced criticism after restricting entry for transgender women who had not undergone gender-affirming surgery. A federal appeals court dismissed the spa’s lawsuit, ruling that there was no constitutional basis to justify the restriction.
BY HANKIL KANG [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]
