President Lee Jae-myung said on the 30th about the drama 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' it will be a good material to significantly enhance Korea's culture to create jobs and to expand its soft power influence globally. He also asked to establish priorities through 'group discussions' for budget support in culture and arts, including fostering the K-drama industry. The government plans to push for the introduction of 'basic income for cultural and artistic professionals.'
On this day, President Lee prepared a meeting titled 'The dream of a cultural powerhouse, Korea moving toward the world' at the Fine Grass in the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul, and met with cultural and artistic figures to encourage them. President Lee noted, 'I was surprised after binge-watching 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' over the weekend,' adding, 'While we empathize with issues like mother-in-law conflict and patriarchal culture, I wondered if this could resonate with people globally. However, it received enormous acclaim in South America and Europe.'
He specifically remarked, 'Ultimately, it's about delicate expression, right? I thought I cried while watching the drama because of menopause, but it seems that's not the case.' To this, Mrs. Kim Hye-kyung explained, '(President Lee) seemed to think of our modern history's mother and sister when watching the protagonist, Ae-soon. In particular, it is said that the childhood name of his sister-in-law (President Lee's sister), who has passed away, was 'Ae-ja.' I believe such memories might have triggered tears.' The director Kim Won-seok, who created the work, responded, 'The tears of the president and his wife are an award for me.'
President Lee stated, 'While pondering how to create ways to make a living, I was surprised after binge-watching 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' over the weekend, and I thought that developing the drama into an industry could create an opportunity to showcase Korea to the world.' He further expressed, 'I came to think that Korea's cultural capabilities extend beyond K-pop and songs; there are new areas we could explore.' He continued to reflect on how to develop the industry to provide citizens with opportunities for high-quality cultural enjoyment, create jobs, and enhance national power.
He also reiterated the 'cultural powerhouse' mentioned by Kim Gu. President Lee remarked, 'Kim Gu is said to have stated this: "Military power is sufficient as long as it protects us rather than invading other countries. Economic power means we can live well. However, culture only exerts a positive influence on the whole world, so it is my hope that we become a nation with strong cultural power."' He added, 'It seems we are standing at the entrance of the cultural powerhouse Kim Gu referred to.'
The meeting was attended by director Kim Won-seok of 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' writer Park Cheon-hyu, who achieved six Tony Awards with the musical 'Perhaps a Happy Ending,' director Heo Ga-young, who won first place in the student category at the Cannes International Film Festival with the short film 'First Summer,' vocalist Jo Su-mi, and ballet dancer Park Yun-jae.
Spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung stated, 'Culture plays a role as an investment that elevates our social standards.' She added, 'Given the immense diversity in culture, determining the priorities for cultural policy and finding candidates for the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism is challenging. We must uncover and implement policies that truly meet the demands of consumers without bureaucratic theoretical discussions.'