K-drama 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' that made the president cry — and why it matters for South Korea's cultural policy
Speaking at a meeting with cultural figures at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Lee said watching the Netflix hit "When Life Gives You Tangerines" reassured him the industry could provide a turnaround in the nation's growth.
'It made me realise that Korea's cultural capabilities go beyond just music, and that we have new strengths to offer,' Lee said, adding that the drama's universal resonance, despite its deeply Korean themes, was proof of culture's ability to connect across borders.
'Now, I find myself thinking deeply about how we can nurture this potential, provide our people with access to high-quality culture, create jobs, and strengthen our national power through culture,' he said.
Monday's event gathered some of Korea's leading cultural figures who have recently gained international recognition.
Attendees included Kim Won-seok, director of "When Life Gives You Tangerines," which topped Netflix's Global Non-English TV chart; Park Chun-hue, who won multiple Tony Awards for the musical "Maybe Happy Ending"; and soprano Sumi Jo, who received France's prestigious Commandeur of the Order of Arts and Letters in May for her contributions to music and the arts.
Emerging artists were also present, including Huh Ga-young, winner of first prize in the La Cinef section at this year's Cannes Film Festival with her short film "First Summer," and Park Youn-jae, a 16-year-old who became the first Korean male dancer to win the Prix de Lausanne in its 53-year history.
Kim, who has yet to receive a formal award, made light of the moment.
'I'm the only one among the five of us here who didn't receive an award, yet I'm still here. It seems the tears of the president and first lady were the award,' Kim joked, adding that he intended to make viewers laugh, not cry.
'I never expected the entire nation to resonate and shed tears with us, but people liked it much more and for much longer than I had imagined.'
The president shared that his vision aligns with that of independence leader Kim Gu, who once said that military power should be just enough to protect ourselves, economic power just enough for us to live well, but that culture is different because it only does good in the world and spreads positive influence. He hoped for Korea to become a nation with truly strong cultural power.
"I feel that we are now standing at the entrance of becoming the kind of cultural powerhouse Kim Gu envisioned," Lee added.
"I believe that if we, as a nation, significantly increase investment and support for the cultural sector, provide opportunities for the next generation, grow this into an industry and expand Korea's cultural influence globally, we can become a leading nation — a true global powerhouse. I think this could become our greatest strength. These days, just thinking about it makes me feel proud," he noted.
He also acknowledged the challenge of appointing a culture minister capable of realising this vision.
'That's why I still haven't been able to appoint a Minister of Culture yet,' Lee said with a laugh.
'It's such a complex task that it needs to be someone who can handle all of this. I hope all of you will think about it too.'
As of Monday, Lee has appointed 17 out of 19 ministers, with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport still led by ministers retained from the previous administration. - The Korea Herald/ANN
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
31 minutes ago
- The Sun
Petra Kvitova bids emotional farewell at Wimbledon with no regrets
PETRA KVITOVA closed a memorable chapter of her career with an emotional farewell at Wimbledon, bowing out in the first round to Emma Navarro but insisting she had no regrets. The two-time champion, who announced her retirement last month, fought back tears as she received a standing ovation from the Court One crowd after a 6-3, 6-1 defeat. The 35-year-old Czech, now ranked 572, returned from maternity leave earlier this year but struggled to balance motherhood with the demands of professional tennis. 'I am sure,' she said when asked if retirement was the right decision. 'Did you see it today? My body, it's not in good shape anymore. The motivation is different than before. That's life, I would say.' Kvitova, who won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014, called the tournament 'the best in the world' and said it shaped her career and personality. 'This place holds the best memories I could wish for. I never dreamed of winning Wimbledon,' she said, her voice breaking. 'I will miss it for sure, but I'm ready for the next chapter.' Her final press conference was a mix of laughter and nostalgia. She even jokingly announced it as her 'last, final' media session over the intercom. Reflecting on her triumphs, she recalled the happiness of lifting the trophy and the nerves of early press conferences. 'My English wasn't in a good place either,' she laughed. Wimbledon also holds personal significance—she got engaged to coach Jiri Vanek on Centre Court in 2022. 'It means everything to me,' she said. Before leaving, she blew a kiss to her family, ending a storied career with grace.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Rediscovering PJ Old Town charm
(Holding flags, from left) Tan, Dr Jeyakantha, Yong and Lee flagging off the urban treasure hunt at Jalan Othman Bus Terminal. AN urban treasure hunt took some 200 people around the haunts of old Petaling Jaya, bringing new eyes to its charms. Petaling Jaya Old Town City Walk saw the participants visiting eight shops in the commercial area and learning about their decades-old business. They were also required to collect stamps from these shops and some 25 vendors stationed in and around Jalan Othman Bus Terminal, where the event was flagged off, as proof of their visit. 'Although my family runs a business here, the treasure hunt was still a good chance to rediscover the neighbourhood,' said Pearl Chong, who participated with her children Allyshea and Pierston Low, and aunt Helen Hon. 'My children were very excited about the treasure hunt and to discover shops unfamiliar to them, such as Brother Lim Cushion. I never knew that the Heng Fatt Watch Company had been around for so long.' Pearl (left) posing for a wefie with her aunt Hon and children Pierston and Allyshea. For Desa Mentari residents and sisters-in-law Marina Azman and Rosnin Kamarudin, the event served as a family bonding session. 'We usually spend our weekends doing activities in the city with the extended family,' said Marina. While they have lived in Petaling Jaya since their schooldays, Rosnin said the event allowed them to get to know some of the neighbourhood's long-established businesses and their history. Marina's daughters Nurqairina Safeera Rostam and Nurqairisya Saheera, and Rosnin's daughter Nur Zaara Adrianna Amirah Hidayatul Ikhwan ended their hunt by playing traditional games such as congkak and batu seremban. PJ Old Town Cultural and Food Map coming in handy during the hunt. Copies are available at the Petaling Jaya MP's service centre, two shops in the area and online. Other highlights were guided tours of the neighbourhood showcasing key landmarks listed in the PJ Old Town Cultural and Food Map as well as an urban sketch session capturing the neighbourhood's landscapes and street scenes. There was also a bazaar, bone health screening, free traditional medicine consultation and mini exhibition on the history of Petaling Jaya, Selangor's second city. The event was jointly organised by Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung's office and Feminine, a magazine under Nanyang Press Holdings Bhd. Present at the event were Lee, Petaling Jaya city councillor for Zone 16 Tan Wei Kiat, Life Magazines chief executive officer Celine Yong, Feminine editor Lim Bi Qiu and Bone Health Alliance Malaysia representative Assoc Prof Dr Jeyakantha Ratnasingam from Universiti Malaya. 'We are putting in effort to create interest in this township, which has a lot of historic and heritage elements,' said Lee. Visitors viewing artworks which will be on display at Jalan Othman Bus Terminal in Petaling Jaya Old Town until July 12. — Photos: YAP CHEE HONG/The Star On efforts to revitalise Pasar Besar Jalan Othman, Lee said engagement sessions were ongoing to make full use of available space at the public market. 'The idea is to open up the second floor as space for arts and crafts or social enterprises, and at the same time help wet market traders on the ground floor. 'We have received many good ideas and I encouraged their submission to Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ),' he said. Lim said artworks produced from the urban sketch session were being displayed under the theme 'Old PJ: A City in Pause' at Jalan Othman Bus Terminal until July 12. 'The artworks produced by members of Urban Sketchers Kuala Lumpur and Urban Sketchers Klang are available for sale, with proceeds to be channelled to an elderly care home,' she added. The PJ Old Town Cultural and Food Map, a pilot project by Lee, is available at his service centre at No.78-1, Jalan Othman 1/14, Section 1 (011-5995 9335) for visitors creating their own walking tours. Copies are also available at Tingkap Cafe and 37 Degrees Cafe and can be downloaded via cultural-map/
Rakyat Post
11 hours ago
- Rakyat Post
Hate To Break It To You, But There's No Hang Tuah In The Old Guard 2
Subscribe to our FREE Sleeper-hit film The Old Guard, which was released in 2020, follows the story of a group of mercenaries who could not be killed. That's right, they are immortal. Releasing on Netflix tomorrow (2 July) is its highly anticipated sequel – The Old Guard 2 – which brings a new addition to the cast of its unkillable characters: Malaysian-born Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding. The movie introduces Tuah, who is played by Henry and is also an immortal character. At first, there's not much to make of it – a Southeast Asian actor playing a character named Tuah is not unusual. That is, until we spotted the weapon he wields in the movie poster: a Keris. Say what? Combining the name Tuah and a keris brings his character close to a portrayal of Hang Tuah. For context, Hang Tuah is a storied hero in Malay legend, a powerful warrior and Laksamana (court admiral) from the Melaka Sultanate famous for his loyalty, martial skill, and tales involving a magical keris called Taming Sari as well as rivalries such as that with Hang Jebat. Malaysians went wild with theories that the character is actually THE Hang Tuah. read some theory about the old guard 2 and there is a chance that henry golding is hang tuah in it 😭😭😭 this is genuinely mad if u know anything about malay history — ْ (@d00scar) One of the movie's teaser posters revealed more of the character, showing him holding what is obviously a keris, which is also Hang Tuah's signature weapon. That is definitely a keris. Image: IMP Awards If he really is supposed to be some incarnation of Hang Tuah, he is certainly a more modern one in t-shirt and slacks. Hang Tuah is usually pictured as a man with long hair, a moustache, and beard, while wearing traditional Malay attire including a tanjak (traditional Malay headgear). Veteran musician M. Nasir played Hang Tuah in the 2004 film Puteri Gunung Ledang. Image: Illuminasi As far as Henry's portrayal goes, he already has the facial hair down. Perhaps this is what Hang Tuah would look like in the 21st century. Unfortunately, Henry revealed in an The Old Guard 2 features a star-studded cast including Charlize Theron, Uma Thurman, Henry Golding, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
