How the Living Became Statues [Statue Report]

Who Has the Most Statues Among the Living?
A Surge in Statues of Entertainers and Sports Stars
Fostering Familiarity and Promoting Local Areas
But Judging by Temporary Achievements, Not Entire Lives

Editor's NoteA statue is erected to honor the achievements of an individual and to pass on their legacy to future generations. Preserving someone's likeness in perpetuity goes beyond mere sculpture creation. How many statues has modern South Korea erected, and of whom? Asia Economy analyzed records of statue unveiling ceremonies of real historical figures from 1990 to this month, sourced from portal sites and local government websites.

Statues are usually created after a historical evaluation of a person's life following their passing, but recently, the number of statues made for living individuals has been increasing. These are so-called 'statues of the living.' An analysis of statue unveiling ceremonies recorded on online portal sites and local government websites from 1990 to this year found that a total of 14 statues have been erected for living individuals.

By profession, entertainers and sports stars accounted for the majority with 12 statues combined. In alphabetical order, there is the statue of soccer player Kim Nam-il installed in 2005 in the Youth Culture Street of Jung-gu, Incheon Metropolitan City. To revitalize a declining commercial area into a youth cultural street and to erect a figure who could become a role model for youth, Jung-gu, Incheon City erected a statue of Kim, a native of the area.

Next are the statues of actors Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo, erected in 2004 on Namiseom Island in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, and on Myeongdong Street, respectively. These statues, modeled after their appearances in the drama Winter Sonata, are collectively known as the 'Yeonga Statues.' The statues originally intended for Myeongdong Street were criticized for bearing no resemblance to the actors and for their crude craftsmanship before installation, leading to their disposal once. This episode reflects the fervor and interest sparked by the 'Korean Wave' triggered by Winter Sonata at the time.

Statues of Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo from Winter Sonata installed on Myeongdong Street, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do. Chuncheon-si Blog.

In Sawu Culture and Sports Plaza in Gimpo City, Gyeonggi Province, there is a statue of Lee Hoe-taek, chairman of the Korea OB Football Association, who was appointed as the promotional ambassador for the 2036 Jeonju Summer Olympics bid. This statue was erected in 2008. Additionally, in Jangseong County, Jeollanam-do, the hometown of film director Im Kwon-taek, a statue of the director was erected in 2006. After the statue unveiling, Director Im confessed on a variety show, "I feel a sense of responsibility because a statue was erected in my hometown," adding, "I'm worried people might want to tear it down if I do something wrong. I have to live without causing trouble."

In Yeongwol County, Gangwon Province, two statues of actor Yoo Oh-sung were erected in 2001 while he was serving as a promotional ambassador for his hometown. Other statues include that of golfer Choi Kyung-ju in Wando County, Jeollanam-do, and the 'Descendants of the Sun' Song-Song couple (Song Hye-kyo and Song Joong-ki) in Taebaek City, Gangwon Province. In Gunpo City, Gyeonggi Province, there was originally a statue of figure skater Kim Yuna, but due to controversy over its lack of resemblance, Kim's name was removed from the statue.

However, when living individuals are connected to politics, sensitive reactions are inevitable. This is because it can be perceived as displaying political bias or idolization. A representative case is the statue of former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

During Ban's tenure as Secretary-General, his hometown, Eumseong County in Chungcheongbuk-do, actively engaged in 'Ban Ki-moon marketing.' They created Ban Ki-moon Park, erected statues in various locations, and commemorated his birthplace. The marathon festival was even named the 'Ban Ki-moon Marathon.' However, as Ban's potential presidential candidacy was discussed, controversy arose over whether it was appropriate to spend hundreds of billions of won of local budget on building statues, his birthplace, and memorial halls. Amid mounting controversy, some statues were dismantled and are currently stored by Eumseong County.

A statue erected at the former residence of Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General. Photo by Chungju City Blog.

The statue of former President Park Geun-hye, erected within the Bomun Tourist Complex in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, also did not escape controversy. On a bridge within the complex, there is a statue depicting former President Park Chung-hee inspecting the Bomun Complex in April 1974 with then-young Park Geun-hye. Inside a pavilion, there is also a statue of Park Chung-hee sitting at a desk reading a book with young Park Geun-hye and Park Ji-man, chairman of EG. Due to this, civic groups protested, demanding the immediate removal of these idolizing facilities.

How We Analyzed This

From 1990 to the present, we conducted a comprehensive survey of press releases and municipal news containing the keywords 'statue' and 'unveiling' on portal sites and local government websites. Through this, we compiled records of statue unveiling ceremonies held from 1990 to April of this year.

Busts and reliefs were excluded, and only statues modeled after real historical figures were analyzed. Therefore, statues such as the late Kim Bok-dong grandmother's statue were excluded, as were the Statue of Peace and statues of workers. Statues erected at educational institutions such as universities were also excluded; only statues erected in public places such as parks and memorial halls were included.