"I've heard that tone a lot..." The identity of 'Malatang,' the debate panelist who targeted Lee Jae-myung, revealed

Debater 'Malatang' appeared on the JTBC mask debate.
[Photo by YouTube JTBC Channel Capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seoyoung Kwon] It has recently come to light that Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, had been participating as an anonymous panelist on a debate program, sparking public interest.

According to political circles on the 14th, since the 5th, Lee has been appearing as a panelist on JTBC's new pilot current affairs and culture program 'Gamyun Debate.' The show features six anonymous debaters wearing masks who engage in 3-on-3 debate battles on various political and social issues.

Each participant uses pseudonyms such as 'Maratang,' 'Mouth of Truth,' 'Mint Choco,' and 'Can Mac,' appearing dressed in black clothing that covers their head and upper body, wearing masks, and even having their voices altered to ensure anonymity. 'Gamyun Debate' premiered on the 5th and has currently aired two episodes.

However, as the show progressed, various online communities and social networking services (SNS) began speculating that the participant named 'Maratang' might be Lee. This was due to the distinctive speech patterns characteristic of Lee being evident in Maratang's manner of speaking.

On the show, 'Maratang' made statements such as, "If having false credentials disqualifies someone from becoming the First Lady of the Republic of Korea, then a presidential candidate with four prior convictions should withdraw," and, "If such eligibility criteria are applied, Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, would not qualify to run." Regarding the controversy over the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, 'Maratang' also said, "Lee himself has participated in debates related to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family more than eight times."

JTBC stated that due to the nature of the program, they cannot publicly comment on the identities of the cast members. In this regard, a party official told Yonhap News in a phone interview, "It is difficult to provide detailed explanations about activities conducted anonymously."