President Lee Jae Myung speaks after the watching the film “My Name” at CGV Yongsan in central Seoul, Wednesday. Lee and first lady Kim Hea Kyung watched the movie with 165 citizens selected via draw as part of the Culture Day initiative. Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae
President Lee Jae Myung has stepped up his attendance at cultural events after working hours, in what is seen as an effort to communicate his policies and values to the public in a less formal setting.
The outings mostly fall on Wednesdays, coinciding with the expansion of the Culture Day initiative. Previously limited to the last Wednesday of each month, it now occurs every Wednesday under the Lee administration, offering free or discounted entry, special programming or longer operating hours at thousands of cultural venues across the country.
Lee attended “The King’s Warden,” a melodrama inspired by the story of King Danjong’s exile and the biggest box office hit in years, on Feb. 17 during the Lunar New Year holiday; “The Long, Long Night,” a musical adapted from a beloved Korean children’s book, on March 18; and “My Name,” an independent film addressing the trauma of the Jeju April 3 Uprising, one of the most painful episodes in Korea’s modern history, on Wednesday.
At these outings, Lee and first lady Kim Hea Kyung have kept a low profile, while occasionally stopping for selfies with fellow theatergoers.
“The president’s more frequent presence at cultural events reflects his long-standing belief in promoting culture as a key national value, as well as a means of communicating with the public,” political commentator Park Sang-byung told The Korea Times, Thursday.
Park noted that the president has expressed admiration for Kim Koo, an independence activist during the Japanese colonial era who longed to establish a Korean model that contributes to world peace through culture.
“While Korea has reached a relatively advanced level of economic and democratic development, public participation in cultural activities, as well as the available options, remains relatively limited,” Park explained.
President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung pose with theatergoers after the watching the film “My Name” at Yongsan CGV in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae
He noted that the unfavorable circumstances for enjoying culture stem from Koreans’ long working hours relative to the OECD average, which Lee is trying to address.
Park also pointed out that Lee is “willing to express his positions on sensitive historical and international issues,” citing examples such as “My Name.”
The analyst dismissed speculation that the president may be using his engagement with culture to woo the public ahead of the June 3 local elections.
“His approval rating is already high enough to secure victories,” he said, referring to several polls showing that Lee’s rating has remained in the 60 percent range for weeks.
