Former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s Dismissal Divides Korean Entertainment Industry: “Spring Finally Comes” vs. “Korea Is Doomed”
On the morning of April 4, the Constitutional Court upheld Yoon’s impeachment. Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae declared, “President Yoon Suk-yeol is hereby dismissed.” The decision took immediate effect, officially removing Yoon from office 122 days after declaring martial law on December 3, 2024.
Joyful Reactions from Celebrities Supporting Impeachment
Actor Lee Dong-wook expressed relief via the fan platform Bubble, “Finally, spring has come. The winter was way too long. It was supposed to rain today, but the skies are clear. Go outside and enjoy your Friday night.” Previously, Lee Dong-wook had supported pro-impeachment rallies, sharing Girls’ Generation’s “Into the New World” with fans.
Singer Lee Seung-hwan, who previously performed at an anti-Yoon rally, shared his elation on Instagram, “I’ll have a drink today at Dream Factory (his agency). I usually avoid alcohol during concerts and my ENT doctor advised against it, but how could I not drink on the day I and my country survived?”
Actresses Shin So-yul and Jung Young-joo also joined the chorus. Shin posted a video of MBC’s breaking news on Yoon’s dismissal, captioned, “Congratulations, everyone. Let’s live honestly and diligently together from now on. Spring is here.” The news clip included the caption, “The people have ousted Yoon’s dictatorship.” Jung Young-joo shared a video watching the ruling, captioning it, “Hooray! Mansei. Not Japanese — just Jung Young-joo’s flavor of speech.” Actress Kim Gyu-ri posted a witty picture of “pa-myeon” (green onion ramen), playfully symbolizing “impeachment” (pa-myeon also sounds like “dismissal” in Korean).
Opposition from Yoon Supporters
Singer JK Kim Dong-wook, however, expressed bitterness. On Instagram, he wrote, “Never never never change. I used to laugh off predictions that Korea would collapse by 2060, but maybe it’ll happen sooner. I once believed things could change, but now I think the world may fall apart faster than expected.”
A known Yoon supporter, JK Kim Dong-wook had previously posted a photo of the Korean flag with the caption, “Protecting the president is protecting the country.” His public displeasure following Yoon’s dismissal drew attention.
Actor Choi Joon-yong also expressed heartbreak. On his YouTube channel’s community tab, he wrote, “It hurts, but thank you for awakening the people. You’ve suffered a lot.” He included a photo of Yoon’s official statement released after the ruling.
Unanimous Court Decision
The Constitutional Court’s decision to uphold the impeachment was unanimous — all eight justices agreed. The court stated, “The defendant’s unlawful conduct had grave and far-reaching consequences for the constitutional order. The benefit of defending the Constitution through dismissal far outweighs the national cost of removing a sitting president.”