US commentary over Silla crown gift to Trump draws backlash in Korea

Desi Lydic, one of the hosts of "The Daily Show," delivers a satirical monologue on President Lee Jae Myung’s gift of a Silla-era gold crown to U.S. President Donald Trump. Captured from YouTube

A wave of satire on American late-night television over President Lee Jae Myung’s gift of a replica Silla-era gold crown to U.S. President Donald Trump has provoked strong reactions in Korea, highlighting lingering sensitivities amid recent strains in the alliance over tariffs and labor issues.

The ornate replica crown, presented during the Korea-U.S. summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, quickly attracted attention from American comedy and talk show hosts.

Desi Lydic, one of the hosts of "The Daily Show," said, "We have been trying real hard over here to gently steer our president away from the whole king thing. And then you come along, hey President Trump, check out this cool crown. Try it on. Take it home with you. Not helping!"

On ABC’s "Jimmy Kimmel Live," host Kimmel said, "I guess they saw millions of us marching to say 'We didn’t want a king!' and thought, 'Hey, great idea for a gift, a bejeweled crown.' It’s so embarrassing how easy he is to manipulate. Maybe he could just stay there and be king of South Korea."

President Donald Trump shakes hands with President Lee Jae Myung as he receives a gift of a gold crown and an award of the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, not seen, during a high honor ceremony at Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju, South Korea, Wednesday. AP-Yonhap

These jokes, which were clipped as shorts for social media, went viral in Korea over the weekend, sparking outrage and debate.

While most Koreans expressed overall satisfaction with the government’s handling of the large-scale prestigious event and diplomatic exchange, many expressed discomfort and indignation that the American satire missed the historical and cultural context of the gift, flooding the original video to leave comments and discussing issues intensely on Korean online platforms.

"I know it’s satire, but it’s not that funny at all to Korean people," an online user wrote. "We’re trying to survive after Trump kicked Koreans out of factories and slammed us with tariffs, yet Americans make jokes about bribing him with cash. Would you laugh if you were walking on thin ice every day because of these policies?"

Many Koreans accused the American entertainers of misinterpreting the gift's meaning, clarifying that the crown was not a deliberate nod to monarchy — rather, it was a symbol chosen because the summit took place in Gyeongju, where Silla relics are iconic.

The golden crown replica was commissioned from a master artisan a month before the Gyeongju summit, countering the idea that it was a response to the recent "No Kings" protests in the U.S.

The reactions were colored by recent difficulties in Korea-U.S. relations under Trump’s presidency. Trump’s imposition of sweeping tariffs and a hardline stance on Korea’s labor presence in the U.S. have led to considerable resentment.

"Koreans have overthrown their kings twice," an online user wrote on the YouTube video, likely referring to the impeachments of Park Geun-hye in 2017 and Yoon Suk Yeol earlier this year, adding, "Americans have elected their kings twice."

Another wrote, "We already showed you how impeachment works. It’s not Korea’s job to fix the mess created by your votes."

Tak Hyun-min, a former presidential protocol secretary, explained that the gold crown is both a symbol of historic cultural exchange and a message of shared prosperity in the alliance, not an endorsement of royal power.

"The Silla crown represents central values of openness and international exchange," Tak said on a local radio show, referring to the kingdom’s thousand-year longevity based on strategic alliances and cultural creativity.