[The Editors' Verdict] The Mainstreaming of the Non-Mainstream and the Real Estate Issue

[Asia Economy Jeong Wanju, Deputy Director and Political Chief] There is a movie I happened to watch during my childhood when TV distribution was not yet widespread.

The protagonist appears with a cigar in his mouth, frowning, accompanied by monotonous yet addictive music. This movie is none other than "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," representing the so-called "Macaroni Western." Especially, the thrill I felt every time the whistle-like tune played is still vivid.

Macaroni Western is an Italian-made Western that rejects the traditional American Westerns represented by "John Wayne." It is a genre that breaks away from the consistent "good triumphs over evil" story of traditional Westerns, featuring a ruthless "bad guy" as the protagonist, which was quite groundbreaking.

The maestro of film music who perfectly captured the noir atmosphere of Macaroni Westerns, Ennio Morricone, has passed away. Morricone, who majored in mainstream music, entered film music for a living. When the non-mainstream Macaroni Western films became a phenomenal hit, he used this as a stepping stone to rise to the mainstream of film music.

Among domestic politicians, the figure who delivered the shock of "the non-mainstream's breakthrough" was the late President Roh Moo-hyun. Not only his trademark efforts to break down regionalism but also the fact that he was an institutional politician who officially declared a non-mainstream declaration of war against the so-called mainstream left a strong impression. The politician "Roh Moo-hyun" will inevitably continue to generate various interpretations and controversies in political history. This is because he was the first case where the non-mainstream, represented by the democratization movement forces, created a government.

The creation of a government by the non-mainstream has gradually led to the "mainstreaming of the non-mainstream." As democratization movement forces established themselves as the main pillars in politics, society, culture, and economy, they unknowingly became the mainstream forces.

On the 7th, the day Morricone's death was announced, An Chi-hwan, well known as a people's singer, released a new song titled "Irony." In the lyrics, he shouted, "Get lost! Opportunists." This was a sharp criticism that the democratization movement forces, who have already become vested interests, have become shameless mainstreams.

The curtain was raised by the "Cho Kuk incident." It became an opportunity to reveal the true face of the "Gangnam Left," who had been masking progressive civil society forces. When those who always shouted for justice were exposed as having already become vested interest forces and showed inconsistency between their words and actions, public sentiment flared up like wildfire. The phenomenon of Jin Joong-kwon, a representative progressive scholar and former professor at Dongyang University, clashing daily with the vested interest democratization forces after the Cho Kuk incident is not unrelated to this.

The ruling party, based on democratization movement forces, must acknowledge this. Whether they admit it themselves or not, they are now vested mainstream forces. Accordingly, they are in a position where they must bear responsibility and fear criticism.

Recently, the backlash related to the Moon Jae-in administration's successive real estate policies has been fierce. The public sentiment alienation seems to be progressing so rapidly that the regime's survival could be shaken.

The controversy over the "Gangnam Invincibility" myth caused by Chief of Staff Noh Young-min added fuel to the fire. Calls for Noh's resignation have begun to emerge even within the ruling party. Eventually, Lee Nak-yeon, a leading presidential candidate of the ruling party, mentioned the Noh issue during his declaration to run for party leader. He emphasized hoping for appropriate conduct and measures. It is not an exaggeration to interpret this as a call for resignation.

Is Lee's remark a conflict arising from the clash between current power and future power? Or is it the natural beginning of a "lame duck" period in the latter half of President Moon Jae-in's term?

Unless the perception that the ruling forces are no longer non-mainstream changes, such situations will repeat. The real estate policy of the Participatory Government ended in failure. It is quite intriguing whether the real estate issue, linked to the "mainstreaming of the non-mainstream," will hold back the Moon Jae-in administration.