Kian84 Draws 'Moon' and Says "It's Amazing"
Park Neung-hoo, Full Moon in Chuseok Poster Background
Kim So-yeon Controversy Over Banner with Phrase "Moon, Go to the Detention Center"
"Can't Even Satirize?", "It's Presidential Mockery" Citizens Divided
A scene from the webtoon 'Bokhakwang' where a character expresses the hardships of being homeless. Photo by Naver Webtoon capture
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "Isn't this clearly a derogatory expression against President Moon?", "Can't we even do satire?", "It's practically mockery."
Recently, there have been repeated instances of messages using the moon, such as a webtoon pointing fingers at the moon to criticize housing prices, and placing the moon as a background in promotional images of government ministers. Additionally, the opposition party has even referred to the president as 'Dalnim' (Moon) and displayed banners mentioning 'Yeongchang,' sparking controversy over whether this is effectively criticism of President Moon Jae-in.
Given the situation, some argue that these are mockeries of President Moon, while others see them as satire or humor. There are also criticisms questioning whether one cannot openly criticize the president.
'Kian84' recently became embroiled in controversy over whether he was criticizing President Moon by drawing a scene in his ongoing webtoon 'Return to Campus King' where a character sighs while pointing at the moon.
In episode 312, mole episode 2 of 'Return to Campus King,' the protagonist Woo Gi-myeong's friend Kim Du-chi looks at the moon and complains, "Sometimes it's baffling. Even if I work this hard, there's no way to buy a house. It's like an unreachable story!"
However, the 'moon' appearing in that scene was interpreted as a play on the English word 'moon,' representing 'Moon' Jae-in, and thus the scene was seen as a criticism of the Moon Jae-in administration's real estate policies.
In the scene, Kim Du-chi reacts to news that other friends who bought houses have seen their assets rise by hundreds of millions of won, saying, "My motivation to work disappears," and questions, "Isn't something really wrong here?" He then laments seeing children dividing themselves by apartment size, saying, "Do friends choose each other based on their houses?"
Online, opinions ranged from "There is a problem with the expression," "It satirizes reality," "Isn't this a derogatory expression against the president?" to "The moon is obviously President Moon," among others.
Chuseok poster posted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on its official Facebook page and Naver blog on the first day of Chuseok.
◆ Ministry of Health and Welfare: "No intention to promote ministers or vice ministers"
Meanwhile, earlier there was also controversy over a government ministry's promotional image featuring a full moon in the background, giving the impression that the president was standing behind the minister.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 4th, Chuseok posters featuring Minister Park Neung-hoo, First Vice Minister Kim Kang-lip, and Second Vice Minister Kang Do-tae were posted on the ministry's official Facebook and blog from the 28th of last month to the 1st.
The poster image shows Minister Park standing upright against a background of a full moon in the night sky. Versions featuring First Vice Minister Kim Kang-lip and Second Vice Minister Kang Do-tae were also produced.
The posters included messages such as, "Due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, it is a time when all of us need rest for our tired bodies and minds. This Chuseok holiday, please stay indoors and take sufficient rest," and "During this Chuseok holiday, please send warm greetings via video calls to your beloved family and relatives whom you cannot meet due to COVID-19."
These images also sparked various reactions similar to the Kian84 webtoon controversy. Netizens commented that the large photos of the ministers and vice ministers looked like election posters, questioned why such posters were made with taxpayers' money, and suggested that the ministers might be trying to curry favor with the president.
In response to the controversy, the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated, "There was absolutely no intention to promote the ministers or vice ministers, and the posters were created by staff responsible for digital communication without any additional cost." They added, "Every year during holidays, cards or video posts containing greetings from the ministers and vice ministers are produced, and this year was no different. The ministry staff took the photos and designed the posters themselves, so no extra costs were incurred, and the posters were not printed for offline display."
A banner displayed in the Daejeon area by Kim So-yeon, the People Power Party's Daejeon Yuseong District Committee Chair. Photo by Chair Kim's Facebook capture.
◆ Kim So-yeon displays banner saying 'Dalnim to Yeongchang'
Meanwhile, Kim So-yeon, the People Power Party's Daejeon Yuseong district committee chairperson, posted on her Facebook on the 27th of last month, "I have completed hanging the last local banner in my neighborhood," along with a photo of the banner.
The photo revealed a banner with a Chuseok greeting and the phrase "Dalnim to Yeongchang." Supporters of President Moon who saw this argued that 'Dalnim' refers to President Moon, and 'Yeongchang' is a military term for a place where soldiers are confined for a short period, effectively calling for President Moon's detention, sparking controversy.
As the controversy grew, Chairperson Kim said, "People have very rich imaginations," and added, "I have no intention to apologize. On the contrary, I am considering filing a lawsuit."
In response, People Power Party floor leader Joo Ho-young explained on YTN Radio's 'Start Morning' on the 29th of last month regarding the controversy over Kim's banner phrase, "(Yeongchang) also means a window letting in light and is used in the military as a euphemism for prison. However, the term Yeongchang has been phased out even in the military. There is a line 'Dalnim to Yeongchang' in a German lullaby. So, since the full moon rises at Chuseok, if interpreted kindly, it means the moonlight shines through the window."
◆ "Satire is possible" vs. "Isn't this mockery?" Citizens divided
Citizens' reactions are divided over various messages referencing the moon, such as Kian84's webtoon, the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Chuseok greeting poster featuring a full moon behind ministers, and Kim So-yeon's banner saying "Dalnim to Yeongchang."
Kim, a 30-something office worker, said, "The appearance of the 'moon' in the housing price criticism part is clearly drawn with President Moon Jae-in in mind," adding, "Personally, I don't think it's a big deal. Can't we criticize?"
On the other hand, some believe that while it is possible to criticize the president and express opinions using the moon, the method could be problematic.
Another 30-something office worker, Lee, said, "I think it's perfectly fine to criticize (the president)," but pointed out, "Using the 'moon' to criticize the president feels more like mockery." He added, "This doesn't seem like satire. It's just straightforward mockery."
Meanwhile, some see it as satire or humor. Park, a 20-something university student, said, "In the past, former President Lee Myung-bak was criticized by depicting a 'rat,' and I think using the 'moon' image now to express opinions is in the same vein." He added, "Whether people like or dislike President Moon, everyone should be able to have their say."
Among them, pro-Moon (친문) netizens voiced criticism. Most expressed outrage with comments like, "What is that? It's such an uncivilized act," "There's no etiquette in criticism," and "Dalnim to Yeongchang is no different from outright insults."
Meanwhile, after the controversy over the Chuseok banner phrase "Dalnim to Yeongchang," Kim, who had expressed intention to resign from her party position, withdrew her resignation following the intervention of Kim Jong-in, the People Power Party's emergency committee chairman.
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