A special documentary on the 21st presidential election, ‘Raphael Report: Time for Reset’, will be released.
The MBC documentary ‘Raphael Report: Time for Reset’, airing at 9 PM on the 5th, is a sequel to the first episode of ‘Raphael Report’, which became a hot topic by covering the December 3rd martial law and impeachment situation.
This time, foreign correspondent ‘Raphael Rashid’ in South Korea dives into the presidential election scene, hearing from the candidates' movements to the voices of local public sentiment. It raises curiosity about how this early election, triggered by the impeachment of Yoon Suk-yeol, is perceived through his eyes.
Raphael Rashid, a British freelance journalist who has conveyed the situation in Korea to major foreign media outlets like ‘The Guardian’ and ‘The New York Times’, was present in the National Assembly on December 3rd when martial law was declared. Having covered the dramatic internal conflict in Korea, which was more thrilling than K-dramas, Raphael thought there would be no further twists after Yoon Suk-yeol's dismissal.
However, the drama did not end there. The Supreme Court overturned the guilty verdict against Lee Jae-myung, the candidate from the Democratic Party, putting the leading candidate in jeopardy of losing his right to run in the election.
In the People Power Party, an unprecedented situation unfolded overnight as the party leadership attempted to ‘swap’ the presidential candidate. Raphael Rashid, who covered this election scene that resembled a ‘political thriller’, met with not only presidential candidates like Lee Jae-myung, Kim Moon-soo, and Lee Jun-seok but also former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, gathering stories intertwined with the election's behind-the-scenes.
“I know your service was credible. Thank you.” - Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo
“Do you know ‘Bimyeonghwangsa’? (It’s a bit difficult since you’re a foreigner...)” - Kim Moon-soo, People Power Party candidate
The remarks made by the presidential candidates to Raphael were quite significant. The intense interview scenes will be revealed in the broadcast.
‘Honam is blue, Yeongnam is red’. This is a familiar electoral formula in Korea, even for foreigner Raphael. However, the public sentiment in Daegu is unusual. While campaigning for the Democratic Party often led to protests, this time, the sentiment in Daegu has changed to the extent that they can confidently raise their thumbs (symbol 1).
Raphael, who visited Daegu, known as the so-called ‘heart of conservatism’, experienced the local sentiment firsthand. What was the public sentiment in Daegu like? The Democratic Party, referred to as an impregnable ‘difficult terrain’, faces changes in Yeongnam, while the People Power Party has mobilized to prevent this.
To gauge the unpredictable direction of voter sentiment, Raphael traveled across the country for interviews. From Gwangju and Mokpo to Andong, Daegu, and Gumi... What inner thoughts did Korean voters reveal to him?
Veteran foreign correspondents who have covered major events in Korea gathered in one place. Jin McKenzie from ‘BBC’, Michelle Lee from ‘Washington Post’, Steven Borowik from ‘Nikkei Asia’, and Raphael. How did they view the 21st presidential election?
Reporter Steven Borowik pointed out the People Power Party's inability to draw a line with Yoon Suk-yeol. Reporter Jin McKenzie criticized that the People Power Party's actions were because “(the lawmakers) did not want to lose their seats.” Reporter Michelle Lee recalled a surprising remark made by Lee Jae-myung during her interview with him. Listen to the behind-the-scenes stories of the Korean election scene shared by the four foreign journalists.
The MBC special documentary ‘Raphael Report: Time for Reset’, closely examining the critical phases of the 21st presidential election over 60 days, will air on the 5th at 9 PM.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
