[W Forum] With the Heart of a Tightrope Walker

Seojaeyeon, Executive Director of Galleria WM at Mirae Asset Securities.
Photo by Asia Economy DB

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Lee Junhyung] Recently, a PD of a public broadcasting entertainment program that sparked a women's soccer boom stepped down, and the broadcaster had to apologize to viewers for criticism. The issue arose when the order of goals scored in a soccer match was edited for entertainment in a laughing and chatting variety show, and netizens caught it. Afterwards, the broadcaster promised viewers that they would not cause any problems by having an official ‘futsal match supervisor’ attend the filming to ensure fairness.

The era of scripted comedy programs is over. Reality shows that reflect vivid reality are loved by the public. If there is even a slight falsehood, netizens will detect it in any way and harshly criticize it. The boundary between entertainment and documentary is disappearing.

The internet environment, where knowledge and information used to flow unilaterally from above, has changed many things by enabling fast communication and sharing. Our people have become accustomed to the fastest internet environment and have grown into a smart collective.

They quickly absorb new information, communicate with each other, and make it their own. Then they send it raw back to the world and receive attention. The results are remarkable.

Not only creative videos like Parasite, Minari, and Squid Game but also traditional Korean music like ‘Beom Naeryeonda’ have gained global recognition. Although not as well known as BTS, the vanguard of K-pop, many Koreans are active on overseas performance stages.

Sir Paul McCartney’s exclusive photographer is also Korean. A man balancing stones by the Tancheon stream has become known worldwide through the internet and performs as a balancing artist invited by a Middle Eastern crown prince. Just as the Mongols of Genghis Khan were skilled horsemen who conquered the world, we are conquering world culture based on the fast internet environment.

This internet culture was a golden opportunity to raise the vision of a future nation in this presidential election, but we failed to do so. Instead, the internet divided people into two camps and was exploited negatively, causing only scratches and wounds to each other.

The election ended with less than a 1% difference. This profound balance gives the winner a strange tension. It is a tension that momentary arrogance or mistakes will never be tolerated.

If I had the ability, I would like to draw a political cartoon. The elected official is crossing a cliff on a tightrope, relying on a long balancing pole. On the left and right ends of the pole hang the people, divided young men and women. There are also people grabbing his pant legs, trying to climb on his back, and hanging from his neck covering his eyes and ears.

One wrong step and everyone falls off the cliff together. Below the tightrope is a low muddy pit to climb back up, but there is also a thorny pit called polarization. There is also a radioactive pit of great powers full of the logic of strength.

I sincerely hope that with his unique tenacity, he will cross step by step without losing balance until the end.