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President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung speak with guests, including Park Cheon-hyo, writer of the Tony-winning musical Maybe Happy Ending, during a luncheon with award-winning artists at the Pine Grass lawn of the presidential office in Yongsan on June 30. / Source: Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung, visibly emotional after watching the hit drama When Life Gives You Tangerines, pledged full government support for the growth of Korean culture during a luncheon with leading artists held on the lawn of the presidential office in Yongsan on June 30.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about how to create opportunities for people to make a living. Watching When Life Gives You Tangerines made me realize that turning dramas into a full-fledged industry could become a decisive moment to showcase Korea to the world,” Lee said, stressing the economic and diplomatic potential of the cultural sector.

Attendees at the meeting included director Kim Won-seok of When Life Gives You Tangerines, writer Park Cheon-hyo of the Tony-winning musical Maybe Happy Ending (which won six awards), director Heo Ga-young, who won first prize in the Cannes’ La Cinef section for her short film First Summer, world-renowned soprano Jo Sumi, and ballet dancer Park Yoon-jae.

Lee remarked, “I kept wondering if themes like in-law conflict or patriarchal culture would resonate globally, but they did—tremendously. That kind of emotional precision must come from Korea’s exceptional artistic sensibility. Our cultural strengths go far beyond K-pop.”

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung had previously described When Life Gives You Tangerines as “the drama that made the president cry.” Lee responded with a chuckle, “At first, I thought maybe I was just crying because of menopause—but that clearly wasn’t it.”

Promising comprehensive support, Lee said, “We’ll significantly increase cultural investment and create more opportunities for our youth. If we build this into an industry and expand globally, it could become Korea’s most powerful source of influence.”

He candidly added, “I still haven’t appointed a minister for culture, sports, and tourism. It’s a tough role to fill—I hope some of you will help me think about it,” drawing laughter from the crowd.

President Lee also acknowledged the lack of professional drama set facilities in Korea and listened to artists’ concerns about the need for stronger state support to help them realize their creative potential. He asked participants to compile and submit a list of key needs.

Quoting independence activist Kim Gu, who said his dream was for Korea to become “a nation of cultural power,” Lee concluded, “I believe we’re now standing at the gateway to becoming that cultural nation Kim Gu envisioned.”

First Lady Kim Hye-kyung also attended the event. Before the discussion began, the couple toured a display of posters showcasing the artists’ works and shared individual conversations with the participants.