Controversy Erupts Over President Lee and First Lady's 'Please Take Care of My Refrigerator' Appearance; Teaser Reveals: "K-food Is the Core"

President Lee: "The Essence of Culture Is Food"
Ruling and Opposition Parties Clash Intensifies... "Slander Complaint" vs. "Variety Show During Disaster"

"K-pop and K-dramas are important, but the core of culture is food"

As debate continues between the ruling and opposition parties regarding President Lee Jae-myung's appearance on a variety show following the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) fire, the official teaser has revealed the reason behind President Lee's decision to participate in the program.

Official teaser video of JTBC variety show "Please Take Care of My Refrigerator" featuring President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung. Screenshot from JTBC YouTube. Photo by JTBC

On October 6, JTBC released a teaser video titled "Please Take Care of My Refrigerator Episode 42 Preview - Unprecedented Guests Visit the Show (with President Lee Jae-myung & First Lady Kim Hye-kyung)" through its official YouTube channel.

Appearing on a television program for the first time since taking office, President Lee said, "I feel quite awkward," and explained his reason for joining the show by stating, "K-pop and K-dramas are important, but the core of culture is food," in response to the host's question. First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, who appeared alongside him, also commented, "I hope we can prepare dishes that would allow us to invite foreigners to our dining table."

Official teaser video of JTBC variety show "Please Take Care of My Refrigerator" featuring President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung. Screenshot from JTBC YouTube.

Ruling Party: "Legal Action Against Smear Campaign" vs. Opposition: "Variety Show During Disaster" ... 'Please Take Care of My Refrigerator' Controversy Escalates

Meanwhile, the ruling and opposition parties continue to clash over President Lee's appearance on "Please Take Care of My Refrigerator." The opposition party questions whether it was appropriate to film a variety show during a national disaster, especially when a related government official took their own life. The ruling party, on the other hand, claims this is a smear campaign and argues that the cause of the fire was budget cuts made by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.

Jang Donghyuk, Leader of the People Power Party. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

On October 5, Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, wrote on his social media, "I wonder what the President was thinking, filming a variety show in the midst of a serious national disaster," adding, "Rather than the contents of the President's refrigerator, I am more curious about what is on the President's mind."

Joo Jinwoo, a member of the same party, also criticized, "The briefing on the 3rd was an admission that it was a cover-up. The government has become paralyzed, and the official who worked overnight on President Lee's restoration orders met a tragic end," further questioning, "Is it appropriate for the President and First Lady to appear on a variety show and laugh during a crisis, when the NIRS fire was elevated to the highest alert level, 'serious'?"

Joo Jinwoo, member of the People Power Party. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

In contrast, the Democratic Party has announced plans for legal action, calling the accusations a "smear campaign." Chief Spokesperson Park Soo-hyun stated in a written briefing the previous day, "We strongly regret that the People Power Party continues to spread false information and smear the President, even during the Chuseok holiday."

He went on to argue that "the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and the People Power Party missed the opportunity to prevent this fire by cutting the redundancy budget, even after experiencing a network paralysis incident in the past," placing responsibility for the NIRS fire on the Yoon administration.