K-pop Star Lee Chaeyeon Speaks Out Amid Political Turmoil in South Korea

Former IZ*ONE member and singer Lee Chaeyeon has voiced her opinion amidst the political turmoil surrounding South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment.

On November 7, Lee Chaeyeon took to a fan communication platform to express her thoughts, stating, "Am I not in a position to talk about politics? As a citizen, I'll decide for myself. I'll mention it if I want to. I'm a celebrity, so I have a voice," she said. "I know very well that people worry about idols speaking out like this. But I'm also a citizen."

Lee further emphasized, "I really appreciate the concern. Let's live in a better world. Let's love freely in such a world."

Her comments stand in contrast to a direct message (DM) allegedly involving singer Lim Young-woong. A netizen, referred to as A, shared a DM exchange with someone presumed to be Lim Young-woong. A sent a message saying, "What are you doing in this situation?" and received a reply, "What?"

A criticized, "The entire nation is gathered over the impeachment of a president who declared martial law unconstitutionally. I'm not asking you to speak out, but it's really indifferent. Aren't people who experienced the previous martial law your main audience?" The other party responded sharply, "Am I a politician? Why should I voice my opinion?"

Efforts to confirm whether Lim Young-woong was indeed involved in the DM exchange have been unsuccessful, as his agency, Fish Music, has not responded.

The political climate remains tense following the December 3 martial law incident. On November 7, the South Korean National Assembly voted on the impeachment motion against President Yoon, but it was dismissed due to insufficient quorum, with only 195 out of 300 lawmakers participating. The ruling People Power Party saw 105 of its members abstain from voting, except for three lawmakers: Ahn Cheol-soo, Kim Sang-wook, and Kim Ye-ji.

Reported by Jiye Choi, TenAsia wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr