A scene from the documentary film "This is the President" / Courtesy of M Project
In the new documentary "This is the President," former South Korean President Moon Jae-in takes center stage as the subject of Director Lee Chang-jae's latest film. Following his departure from office in 2022, Moon is shown living a quiet life in Pyeongsan Village, Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, tending to his garden and playing with his pets.
The film, which premiered at this year's Jeonju International Film Festival, features extended interviews with Moon and his aides, but steers clear of political controversies surrounding his nuclear phase-out policy, corruption allegations, and prosecution reform. Director Lee explained that he avoided these issues due to concerns about potential public backlash.
During a press conference for the film, Lee shared that President Moon was initially hesitant to participate in the documentary, feeling uncomfortable speaking in front of the camera. However, Lee wanted to explore the human side of Moon, who transitioned from being a lawyer to a politician and ultimately served as the 12th president of Korea.
The documentary faced criticism after footage showed Moon saying "My five years of hard work went up in smoke," which was subsequently excluded from the final version. Lee clarified that Moon was not involved in the filmmaking process and has not requested any edits to be made.
Director Lee previously made the documentary "Our President" about late President Roh Moo-hyun, which he noted was easier to interpret as the subject was deceased. In contrast, making a documentary about a living person can be challenging due to the audience's perception of the gap between what is captured on camera and real life, he said.
"This is the President" will be released in local theaters on May 10.
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