Lee Jae-myung Fan Cafe Established in 2022
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is resigning from his position as head of the fan cafe 'Jaemyungine Maeul.' This is interpreted as his intention to focus more on political affairs amid the accelerating 'impeachment crisis.'
On the 16th, Lee posted on the fan cafe 'Jaemyungine Maeul,' saying, "Greetings after a long time. This is Lee Jae-myung," and added, "I would like to share the regretful news that I am stepping down from the position of head of Jaemyungine Maeul." Jaemyungine Maeul is his Naver fan cafe, where members are called 'residents,' and Lee served as the 'head' in its operation.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, fan cafe 'Jaemyung's Village'. Screenshot of Jaemyung's Village
He explained, "Just as many of you head to the square in small groups after work, I too have many more things to take care of," and added, "Actually, being the head did not grant me any authority, but given the extraordinary situation, I hope you understand this as my determination to focus more on my duties."
He continued, "Due to my busy daily schedule, I cannot greet everyone individually, but I am well aware that the residents of Jaemyungine Maeul have taken the lead in protecting democracy with outstanding 'action,'" and said, "Your spring-like love that lifted me up again when I was bowing my head in apology after the presidential election defeat is deeply engraved in my heart, so please do not worry."
Lee added, "Even if I am no longer the head, I am still a resident of Jaemyungine Maeul," and said, "As always, please feel free to leave both praise and criticism. I will return. I cannot promise when, but I will."
Jaemyungine Maeul is known as a fan cafe with a strong support base for Lee. It has about 200,000 members. It was established after Lee's defeat in the 2022 presidential election, and at that time, the term 'Gaeddal' (short for 'Daughter of Reform') was used to describe Lee's fervent fans. However, since the end of last year, after the cafe operator declared the abandonment of the Gaeddal term, it has not been used.
Although it is a fan cafe with a strong pro-Lee stance, the members have not always maintained a friendly relationship with the Democratic Party. At the end of last year, some within the anti-Lee faction of the party called for Lee to step down from his position as 'Governor of Jaemyungine Maeul.'
At that time, the cafe operator, who requested anonymity, responded, "He can just withdraw (from the head position)," and added, "What matters is the hearts of our supporters, not whether he withdraws or not."
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