'명란'이라 이름 붙인 대통령의 난, 정치적 촌극인가 고도의 풍자인가 > K-wave Trends

Rep. Kim’s move contained a strong political message from the beginning. He mentioned the protest blocking the Jamsil poll counting center and emphasized that the current situation is not calm enough to warrant the president's congratulations. They argued that the president's responsible response to the current situation, where citizens have no choice but to protest on the streets, takes priority over the ceremonial practice of sending congratulatory messages to those elected as members of the National Assembly. There is ample room for this refusal to be interpreted as a strong protest against the current government's way of running state affairs, beyond simple courtesy, and as a typical example of a type of 'show politics' that seeks to reveal one's political identity.

However, his decision to change his attitude 180 degrees in one day and receive the orchids is giving rise to even more interpretations. Rep. Kim brought in orchids through his aide under the logic of “What could an orchid be guilty of?” and even attached the phrase, “Rolling roe, live righteously” to the flower pot. This appears to be a reverse parody of past cases where opposition party politicians refused to congratulate the president. Just as Rep. Chung Cheong-rae and former representative Cho Kuk showed an attitude towards the President's congratulatory failure during the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, Rep. Kim is also interpreted to have adopted the method of 'refusal and reversal of the refusal to accept the refusal' as a means of political attack.

What is noteworthy in this case is the expansion of the political spectrum of this act and the resulting controversy. Rep. Kim served as vice chairman of the Korea Communications Commission during the Yoon Seok-yeol administration and has already received strong criticism from the opposition for controversy over the suppression of public broadcasting and remarks advocating civil war. Therefore, his performance this time may give his supporters the exhilaration of 'cider', but there is a high risk that it will leave moderates and the opposing camp with the impression that he is only focused on political battles rather than his weight as a member of the National Assembly. In fact, compared to other lawmakers who entered this by-election and received congratulatory messages without much friction, his actions create an even more striking sense of difference.

Political language sometimes resonates more powerfully than silence, but sometimes it just degenerates into wasteful controversy. Rep. Kim's decision to manage the flower pot by naming it 'Myeongran' can paradoxically be interpreted as his will to place the president's rebellion in his own space and create a constant political confrontation through that name. This is not simply a personal will to grow potted plants well, but a political declaration to continue giving mocking advice to the president. In the end, this short skit can be said to be a clear example of how our political circles learn the actions of the other camp, transform them in their own way, and use them as a tool for attack.