"Lee Jae-myung's Gaeddal = BTS's ARMY"?... Concerns Over 'Fandom Justification'

Amid rising calls within the party's non-Myeong (非明) faction to sever ties with the so-called 'Gaeddal,' a hardline fandom supporting Representative Lee Jae-myung, voices defending them are also growing louder. Some argue, drawing parallels with the famous singer BTS's fandom 'ARMY,' that "Would BTS tell ARMY to stop being ARMY?" and claim that severing ties itself is absurd. However, there are concerns that this deepens the 'fandom justification' and could undermine democratic sensibilities.

Kim Jong-min, a member of the non-Myeong faction and the Democratic Party of Korea, said on YTN's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' on the 30th, "Regarding violent behavior, the attitude of 'These are passionate party members, so let's just overlook it and understand it' still remains within our party. The fact that we are not firm, that we do not draw a line, means that the Democratic Party's democratic sensibility is currently collapsing," and expressed concern that "the democratic sensibility now is not the same as the old Democratic Party."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending a party meeting held at the National Assembly on the 25th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

This was a critique of the pro-Myeong faction's defense of the party's hardline fandom known as 'Gaeddal.' Last week, Representative Seo Young-kyo said on MBC radio that among the hardline fandom, there are many young people trying to engage in good politics, and Representative Min Hyung-bae also said on SBS radio, "When hardline fans create such narratives, a party with many passionate supporters is a good party."

Hyun Geun-taek, deputy director of the Democratic Research Institute and a pro-Myeong figure outside the National Assembly, said on CBS radio the day before, "Is it possible for BTS to tell ARMY to stop being ARMY?" and added, "Since it was created voluntarily, telling them 'I will no longer be the head of (Jaemyeong's Village)' or 'Stop being Gaeddal' seems unreasonable to me." He compared Representative Lee, who serves as the head of the Gaeddal community 'Jaemyeong's Village,' with BTS's fandom 'ARMY.'

However, Representative Kim said, "There is no need to problematize calling them Gaeddal, fandom, or hardline supporters collectively. What crime is there in strongly supporting someone?" but criticized, "However, when people try to silence others' opinions or call them 'watermelon' (a derogatory term) and try to expel them, or engage in coordinate targeting or colorism, such violent acts must be eradicated within our party. Yet, there are politicians who say we should protect these violent hardline supporters because they are passionate supporters and that fandom is necessary."

Non-Myeong faction member Park Yong-jin also said on CBS radio, "If Gaeddal behaved like ARMY, why would they ask Representative Lee to resign as head?" and added, "The BTS fandom does a lot of good deeds. Rather than attacking others, they try to share positive messages and perform good deeds, and they tremble in fear that their actions might cause harm, attacks, or devaluation of the celebrities they like."

Democratic Party member Cho Eung-cheon expressed concern over the deepening 'fandom justification.' On BBS's 'Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal,' he said, "Currently, moral insensitivity, double standards, and the deterioration of intra-party democracy are not improving at all," and added, "Looking further, fandom justification has intensified, leading to BTS justification, and now there are concerns about the party becoming a personal faction centered on Representative Lee Jae-myung."