The unexpected friendship between soprano Jo Su-mi and the wife of President Lee Jae-myung, Kim Hye-kyung, has come to light, drawing attention to their relationship.
On the afternoon of the 30th, Jo Su-mi attended the event titled "Dream of a Culture Power, Moving Forward as Korea" held at the Pinegrass in the Yongsan Presidential Office, alongside writer Park Cheon-hyu of the musical "Maybe Happy Ending," ballet dancer Park Yoon-jae, and director Kim Won-seok of the Netflix original "When Life Gives You Tangerines."
The government has organized this event to hear what support is needed for K-culture to become the center of the global stage.
The president began by asking Jo Su-mi, "I have a question I’m curious about." Jo Su-mi responded, revealing her tension by saying, "I’m nervous," and "What will you ask?" She then turned to Mrs. Kim, who was sitting on her left, and said, "Let’s hold hands," and they held hands. The two exchanged brief conversations during the gathering and hugged after the event concluded.
Jo Su-mi and Mrs. Kim are known to be alumni from the same high school. Jo Su-mi is a graduate of the 2nd class of Sunhwa Arts High School, while Mrs. Kim is a graduate of the 6th class. For this reason, Mrs. Kim is reportedly known to call Jo Su-mi "senior" in private.
The president asked Jo Su-mi, "Is talent something you are born with, is it honed through study and effort, or is it a combination of both?" Jo Su-mi replied, "If I may humbly say, in the field of art, innate talent is indeed important," and added, "It’s much harder for vocal music than instrumental music because if you have talent, that's great, but it requires tremendous effort. Especially those from Tongyang have to work tenfold or a hundredfold harder."
In response, the president said, "Isn't it possible to live a lifetime not knowing what talent you possess?" He continued, "While there are significant expenses for instruments and education, I think it would be nice to see our country take initiatives in that regard." He then smiled at Jo Su-mi and asked, "You’re not anxious, right?" Jo Su-mi replied, "I’m very happy right now" and expressed that she felt "supported."
In her closing remarks, Mrs. Kim also looked at Jo Su-mi. She said, "I’m so nervous," but while making eye contact with Jo Su-mi, she noted, "There was a sign at the school gate saying, ‘This gate leads to the world.’" She added, "Many people are working on-site, and there are so many artistic talents among our country’s citizens. With just a little support, if the president provides sufficient assistance, I believe we can bloom even more splendid cultural flowers. I hope for plenty of support."
Mrs. Kim is reportedly known to have majored in piano at Sunhwa Arts High School. During the event, she also mentioned, "I met this person on August 9, and that week I was contemplating whether to marry or study abroad after getting my visa." To this, the president remarked, "You became an artist who raises her husband."
It is reported that President Lee Jae-myung and Jo Su-mi forged a connection in 2017 during the ‘Jo Su-mi Concert’ planned by the Seongnam Cultural Foundation while he was serving as the mayor of Seongnam.
Subsequently, Jo Su-mi posted a ‘heart’ comment on a video of the president’s pet that he shared on social media, and the president replied, "Hello, Teacher Jo, thank you," adding, "My wife sends her regards." This exchange gained considerable attention.