[Opinion] “Kang Hyo-ri”

Singer Lee Hyo-ri is “Jjang” (Korean slang for top) popular. Demands are flowing in from young women saying, “I want to look like Hyo-ri” at plastic surgery clinics in Gangnam, Seoul. Surgeon and director of a plastic surgery clinic, Kim Hyun-chul, who also wrote a book called “A Husband Who Draws His Wife’s Eye Brows” explains the charms of Lee Hyo-ri. “Oval-shaped face, asianesque eyes, sexy lips, sloped waist, not-too-small yet not-too-big buttocks, and the lines of her thigh and calf are smoothly and slimly stretched.” Seeing is believing – one can see that Dr. Kim is right on the money if one sees a slide show of Hyo-ri’s pictures.

Some of the press has presented a nickname of “Kang Hyo-ri” to the Justice Minister, Kang Geum-shil, who is undoubtedly the most popular among all the ministers. People who remember the minister while she was a judge will agree to the nickname of “Kang Hyo-ri.” The young judge had something similar to Lee Hyo-ri. But it is no longer so, of course. Lee Hyo-ri is in her finest bloom while Minister Kang reveals the tiredness from roughness and difficulties of life in her face. Minister Kang went through difficult times, such as divorce and financial difficulties, after quitting her post as a judge. In addition, the current post as a minister truly makes one exhausted.

When she was in office as the Justice Minister, the conservative prosecution’s reaction was cold. It looked obvious that the prosecution’s executives had their pride lowered when encountering with the new minister, who happened to be a woman in her 40s and whose peers are still superintendent public prosecutors. Minister Kang has successfully settled herself in the post. People who frown when seeing pictures of politicians in newspapers are somehow able to smile at pictures of Minister Kang. Minister Kang is quite photogenic. She is exceptional but knows its limit and has a commanding way of speaking. Her bright sense of fashion is definitely worthy of conversation. She inputs fresh images into the Roh’s cabinet where stiff bureaucrats and progressive activists are questionably co-existing. It is the “Kang Hyo-ri Effect.”

A related official at the Justice Ministry made a minor protest against the nickname of ”Kang Hyo-ri.” We understand that the notion of the Justice Minister being compared to an entertainer in her twenties can be somewhat aggravating, however, that does not necessarily mean getting angry. Lee Hyo-ri has earned popularity not only with her face and body – singers cannot stay popular for a long time if singing skills are not accompanied. The same premise goes for the minister in that she will be judged on her working abilities. If she keeps failing in her policies and loses her popularity, Lee Hyo-ri will not like nicknaming her “Kang Hyo-ri.”

Editorial Writer Hwang Ho-taek, hthwang@donga.com