[OSEN=Yoo Soo-yeon Reporter] Comedian Lee Soo-ji, often referred to as the “Jangsan Tiger” in the comedy world, has recently transformed into the character “Daechi Mom,” parodying mothers from the Daechi-dong area. While Lee Soo-ji’s eerily accurate portrayal has garnered attention, the parody unexpectedly drew actress Han Ga-in into the mix.
Recently, Lee Soo-ji uploaded a video titled “Human Fake Documentary: Loving a Child – A Strange Day with Jamie Mom, Lee So-dam” on her YouTube channel.
In the released video, Lee Soo-ji transforms into Lee So-dam (35), a mother from the Daechi-dong academy district in Gangnam, Seoul, appearing in what is known as the “Gangnam mom uniform,” complete with luxury padding and a designer bag.
Introducing herself as the mother of a four-year-old girl, Lee Soo-ji shares moments from her daily schedule, including driving her child to various academies (known as “riding”). She substitutes a meal with a roll of kimbap while waiting in the car and shows excessive emotion upon receiving a call from a native teacher about her child’s successful potty training.
The video, as of the 25th, about two weeks after its release, surpassed 6.76 million views, with shortened clips also gaining 2.46 million views among others, testifying to its viral interest.
The public reaction was heated. Many viewers praised Lee Soo-ji’s performance, commenting, “I’m a teacher at an English kindergarten, and one-third of the parents sound like that,” suggesting “Daechi Mom” closely mirrors mothers found in Gangnam. However, others began expressing a “collective disdain” toward mothers in the Gangnam area, saying, “Gangnam moms must be upset” and “Why do these overbearing Gangnam moms live that way?”
This trend of “mockery” also affected actress Han Ga-in’s YouTube video. Last October, Han Ga-in shared her routine of driving her children to and from school and academies from 7 am to 9 pm, amounting to a 14-hour full-day ride. After seeing Lee Soo-ji’s “Daechi Mom” parody, some viewers directed criticism at Han Ga-in, saying, “I came here after watching Lee Soo-ji’s video.”
Ultimately, what was meant to be a humorous parody video spiraled into an overblown criticized hate, sparking controversy. The ridicule of Gangnam parents and the sudden backlash towards Han Ga-in seem excessive. Such criticism may unnecessarily wound Lee Soo-ji, who created the parody, Han Ga-in, who was uninvolved, and diligent parents passionate about their children’s education.