Please understand that I have used the two presidents' names as common nouns.
Roh Moo-hyun's language was originally that of the common people — or rather, the people's language — and that was what made it good.
Of course, because of that, petty people mocked it for lacking dignity.
Even so, Roh Moo-hyun's language, unlike the affected and hypocritical speech of the highly educated and socially polished,
was plain and unpretentious, so it was intuitively understandable and easy to listen to.
That is what made it good.
Then a politician appeared who spoke in that language of Roh Moo-hyun —
clearly and articulately, with good diction,
and when impassioned, with a voice thick with emotion, yet still moving —
explaining, arguing, and delivering speeches.
Yes, that was Lee Jae-myung.
Whether as a local government head, or when standing up against valley merchants who jabbed their fingers at him
and persuading them to return that space as a public asset for citizens,
or when he lost the party's presidential primary for the first time
and at the dissolution ceremony with his supporters and campaign team officially announced the disbanding of Son Ga-hyuk
and called out for dedication to a united victory for the democratic progressive camp —
that Lee Jae-myung was different from who he is now.
No — even a year ago, Lee Jae-myung was different from who he is now.
Why? What changed? Whether in a few sentences on SNS or at various official occasions —
in opening remarks or press conference Q&As — do we now have to
read his intentions and search for hidden implications just to understand what he is saying?
He silenced the backstabbing traitors,
but in that miserable pre-dawn air with rain even falling on him,
roughly combing back his white-streaked hair, his knees stiffened from fasting and not moving the way his mind wanted,
leaning on a cane and laboriously dragging his body forward one step at a time —
yet still bowing his head in greeting before the prison guards —
can we no longer see that Lee Jae-myung?
Not the Lee Jae-myung who tries to lecture people in language that political commentators and real politicians,
with all their insight built from experience and knowledge, still need to explain two or three times before anyone understands —
but the Lee Jae-myung who speaks in Roh Moo-hyun's language,
blowing open our chests and putting our nerves at ease —
I eagerly long for that Lee Jae-myung to come back.
