Legendary Korean Actress Is Under More Fire After Netizens Read Her Letter Explaining Why She Donated To A Controversial President
Recently, actress Lee Young Ae was hit with major backlash after donating to the construction of a former president’s foundation. Her letter to the chairman of the foundation made netizens even more angry.
On September 12, the Lee Seung Man Presidential Memorial Foundation announced in a press release that Lee Young Ae donated ₩50.0 million KRW (about $37,700 USD) to the foundation for Korea’s first president, Lee Seung Man (also known as Syngman Rhee). The actress had expressed her intention to donate shortly after news of the establishment of the Lee Seung Man Presidential Memorial Hall Promotion Committee was made public in July.
Along with her donation, Lee Young Ae sent a letter to Kim Hwang Sik, the chairman of the foundation.
In the letter, Lee Young Ae said that despite Lee Seung Man’s controversial reputation, she believed he laid a foundation for Korea and couldn’t help but donate.
Although President Syngman Rhee may have been excessive, he is undoubtedly the one who laid the firm foundation for the free Republic of Korea that we live in today… As a citizen of the free Republic of Korea, I couldn’t ignore the news of the establishment of the first president’s memorial hall, and I have decided to actively participate in fundraising.
— Lee Young Ae
She claimed that it wasn’t just Lee Seung Man she supported. In the past, she donated to other presidents’ foundations.
My family has been making donations to honor the gratitude we feel toward the past presidents of our country, such as Park Chung Hee, Kim Young Sam, Kim Dae Jung, and Roh Moo Hyun.
— Lee Young Ae
The foundation stated that they agreed with Lee Young Ae’s purpose of the donation and predicted that the national enthusiasm for fundraising for the Lee Seung Man Presidential Memorial Hall will “be further heightened as a result of this donation.”
Upon reading this less, however, netizens were even more angry than they already were.
- “What is there to be thankful about with him? I don’t understand.”
- “A free Republic of Korea LOL. He was literally the person who ignored freedom the most….”
- “?? What Korea is she living in? It’s not the Korea I’m living in, that’s for sure.”
- “That jerk did nothing good.”
- “Oh my.”
- “I’m watching ‘Dae Jang Geum” again because of the algorithm, but now I’m going to stop.”
- “What’s wrong with her? If she acts again, I’m not watching.”
- “A free Republic of Korea… Just don’t donate to any past presidents.”
- “Literally the worst.”
- “She’s out of her mind.”
- “It’s worse than I imagined.”
- “Someone tell me what country a free Republic of Korea is?”
- “I wonder if she wrote this herself… It’s my first time seeing the phrase ‘a free Republic of Korea’ lol.”
- “Wtf does she mean by the free Republic of Korea?”
- “A free Republic of Korea hahahahahahahahahahahahaha.”
- “Lee Seung Man???”
- “It’s ‘Republic of Korea’! What’s the ‘free Republic of Korea’?”
- “I thought she was a woman like oxygen, but turns out her brain is full of oxygen.”
- “A free Republic of Korea? Where do you use this term?”
- “The reputation I had of her disappeared in one moment…”
- “All the productions of her that I enjoyed watching just left my mind… Goodbye.”
- “Wow, I can’t believe there’s someone who thinks like this… Okay…”
- “Wow, her reputation got destroyed in one moment.”
Lee Young Ae is well-known as an angel donor among celebrities. Last month, she donated ₩50.0 million KRW (about $37,700 USD) to victims of wildfires in Hawaii. In June, she donated ₩100 million KRW (about $75,500 USD) for the education expenses of the son of the late Lee Tae Geun, who died in a K-9 self-propelled howitzer explosion in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, in 2017.
She has also made significant contributions to various charitable causes, including ₩100 million KRW (about $75,500 USD) each for Ukraine in 2020 and the Korea Military Academy in 2016.
Here is Lee Young Ae’s full letter.
Although President Syngman Rhee may have been excessive, he is undoubtedly the one who laid the firm foundation for the free Republic of Korea that we live in today. Thanks to him, my family is also living well within the embrace of the free Republic of Korea.
As a citizen of the free Republic of Korea, I couldn’t ignore the news of the establishment of the first president’s memorial hall, and I have decided to actively participate in fundraising.
Our past presidents have made mistakes, but they have also made contributions to our country during their terms in office. I believe that instead of merely criticizing their mistakes and creating divisions among the people, we should praise their achievements and strive for harmony. By doing so, I hope that our children can live in a more peaceful and prosperous country.
My family has been making donations to honor the gratitude we feel toward the past presidents of our country, such as Park Chung Hee, Kim Young Sam, Kim Dae Jung, and Roh Moo Hyun.
Sincerely,
Lee Young Ae
September 2023— Lee Young Ae
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