Documentaries on ex-presidents draw political figures to cinemas
A poster for "The Birth of Korea," a documentary film about South Korea's inaugural President Syngman Rhee, is seen at a ticket kiosk at a theater in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
Politicians have been spotted at theaters as they go to watch new documentary films on former Presidents Syngman Rhee and Kim Dae-jung, respectively, with some leveraging their movie reviews as part of their campaign messages in the lead-up to the April 10 elections.
Han Dong-hoon, the interim leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), watched "The Birth of Korea," a documentary spotlighting Rhee, the nation's inaugural president, Monday, on the last day of the Lunar New Year long weekend, at a theater in Seoul's Yeouido.
The 100-minute documentary, released on Feb. 1, focuses on Rhee's efforts and sacrifices to establish South Korea, featuring interviews with those who knew him and insights from scholars.
"He (Syngman Rhee) made crucial and timely decisions that brought Korea to its current state," Han told reporters after watching the movie. He hailed Rhee's major achievements, such as the signing of the Korea-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty and post-war land reforms, but cautioned against overidealizing Rhee.
Rhee remains a controversial figure in Korean history. Some admire him for laying the foundations of modern Korea, while others criticize him as a corrupt dictator with staunch anti-communist views.
Notable figures from the conservative bloc, including former Veterans Affairs Minister Park Min-shik and former PPP lawmaker Na Kyong-won, who have declared their bids for the parliamentary elections, also watched the documentary during the holidays.
"I hope this movie will contribute to fair assessments of Korea's heroes," Na wrote on her Facebook account, Saturday, claiming that Rhee's achievements were downplayed during the former Moon Jae-in administration.
Rep. Park Soo-young of the PPP encouraged young party members to watch the movie, which he said "delves into historical facts about Rhee."
The conservative lawmaker also linked the documentary to the elections, saying, "It is imperative that the conservative right-wing secures victory to reclaim our proud national history."
Meanwhile, liberal politicians have watched "Kim Dae-jung on the Road," a documentary shedding light on late former President Kim, who led the country from 1998 to 2003. Released on Jan. 10 to mark the 100th anniversary of Kim's birth, the film has attracted 120,000 moviegoers as of Tuesday.
Former President Moon Jae-in shares greets other cinemagoers before watching "Kim Dae-jung on the Road" at a theater in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, Jan. 22, along with members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Yonhap
Kim is known for his extensive campaign against military rulers prior to his presidency and his implementation of the Sunshine Policy toward North Korea during his time in office.
On Jan. 22, former President Moon, accompanied by his wife Kim Jung-sook, attended a screening of the film at a theater in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, alongside around 200 regional members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).
"With the upcoming election approaching, which will determine our future, I hope everyone acts as vigilant citizens, and work together to lift our currently precarious nation back on its feet," Moon said after watching the movie.
Earlier in December, DPK leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung and former DPK leader Lee Nak-yon attended a premiere screening of "Kim Dae-jung on the Road," a few weeks before the latter left the party to establish his own party in January, vowing to uphold the spirit of former President Kim.