South Korea’s ‘First Lady’ documentary on Kim Keon-hee controversies sparks nationwide frenzy with sold-out screenings

December 16, 2024

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SEOUL, Dec 16 — The documentary First Lady, which explores the controversies surrounding Kim Keon-hee, the wife of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, has been attracting sold-out audiences across the country since its release on Thursday.

According to The Korea Herald, the Korean Film Council reported that the film drew 4,822 viewers on its opening day, placing eighth at the box office, with a cumulative audience of 7,048 as of Friday.

The documentary, directed by Ae-mong, is being screened at major theatre chains like CGV, Megabox, and Lotte Cinema. CGV Sinchon Artreon in Seoul reported all 132 seats sold out on Thursday, with other theatres also reporting near-capacity sales.

A teaser clip from the documentary, uploaded Thursday on the YouTube channel “VoiceOfSeoul,” gained over 900,000 views within 22 hours and amassed more than 2,800 comments by Friday afternoon.

The film delves into various allegations against Kim, including accepting a luxury handbag as a gift, influencing a route change on the Yangpyeong Expressway, and interfering in government affairs.

It features interviews with individuals connected to these controversies, such as journalist Lee Myung-soo, who disclosed a recorded conversation with Kim, and Choi Jae-young, who allegedly gave her the luxury handbag.

The Herald stated that the documentary is being promoted as a “provocative documentary on the controversies of the Yongsan VIP”, a veiled reference to Yoon.