If appointed, Lee Won-jong would become the first working actor to head KOCCA, the $420 million agency behind K-dramas, K-pop, and the global Hallyu phenomenon

SEOUL — Actor Lee Won-jong, best known for his iconic role as "Gu Ma-jeok" in the 2002 hit drama Age of Warriors, is being seriously considered to lead the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA)—the government body that has quietly powered K-content's global dominance.

Lee, 60, has been an outspoken supporter of President Lee Myung-jae, famously declaring at campaign rallies: "I am now blue to my core. Even my bones are Lee Myung-jae."

If appointed, he would become the first working actor ever to helm the agency since its founding in 2009, marking an unprecedented departure from the bureaucrats, academics, and policy experts who have traditionally held the post.

The Appointment Takes Shape

According to multiple Korean news outlets including Donga Ilbo, Kookmin Ilbo, and Herald Economy on Friday, Lee is being considered for the KOCCA presidency, which has been vacant for approximately 16 months.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism completed its application process for the position on January 13. Minister Choi Hwi-young signaled an imminent decision, telling acting president Yoo Hyun-seok during a briefing: "Thank you for carefully managing things for such a long time. The appointment will proceed soon."

The position carries a three-year term with annual compensation exceeding 200 million won (approximately $140,000), including bonuses.

What is KOCCA? The Hidden Engine of the Korean Wave

For international audiences unfamiliar with the organization, KOCCA operates as Korea's central command for cultural exports—yet remains virtually unknown outside industry circles despite its outsized influence on global entertainment.

Operating under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism with an annual budget of approximately 609.3 billion won ($420 million) for 2025, KOCCA oversees support for:

• Television and Film: Funding co-productions, supporting distribution deals with Netflix and other global streamers
• K-pop and Music: Backing international showcases and artist development
• Gaming: Nurturing Korea's powerhouse video game industry
• Webtoons and Animation: Fueling the digital comics revolution now being adapted worldwide
• Characters and IP: Building franchises that generate billions in global merchandise

Unlike the hands-off approach favored by many Western governments, Korea has pursued an aggressive state-supported model for cultural exports—and KOCCA has been its primary instrument. The agency provides production funding, facilitates international partnerships, operates overseas offices, and coordinates the ecosystem that delivers Korean content to the world.

The results speak for themselves: Netflix's Squid Game became the platform's most-watched series ever; K-pop acts like BTS and BLACKPINK have shattered records once held exclusively by Western artists; Parasite made Oscar history. None of this happened by accident.

A Historic First: From Screen to Boardroom

Since KOCCA's establishment in 2009, no working actor has led the organization:

Kim Young-jun, who served from 2017 to 2021, was the first leader with entertainment industry experience—but as a talent agency executive, not as a performer. Lee Won-jong's potential appointment would represent something entirely new: an active, working actor taking the helm.

The Candidate: Three Decades in Entertainment

Lee Won-jong began his career as a theater actor in 1987 and made his television debut in 1991. He gained nationwide fame in 2002 playing "Gu Ma-jeok"—a gangster boss—in SBS's Age of Warriors, a role so iconic that many Koreans recognize his face but know him only by his character's name.

His extensive credits span Korean cinema and television, including No Mercy (1999), Hi, Dharma! (2001), The War of Money (2007), Slave Hunters (2010), Empress Ki (2013), Money Heist: Korea (2022), and Goryeo-Khitan War (2023).

Lee has long been one of President Lee Myung‑jae’s most outspoken celebrity supporters.

• 2022 presidential election: He joined 184 entertainers in publicly endorsing Lee, writing on Facebook that the then‑candidate “never coveted other people’s money” and had proved his ability “through meticulous preparation and strong execution.”
• 2025 presidential election: His role expanded as he became vice chair of the campaign’s K‑Culture Powerhouse Committee. At rallies he delivered fiery speeches, saying that “martial law may be over, but the insurrection is not” and that he was “blue to the core” and “a Lee Myung‑jae supporter down to the bone,” invoking the ruling Democratic Party’s color.
• December 2025: He was appointed a promotional ambassador for the National Unification Advisory Council, a presidential advisory body.

The appointment comes at a critical juncture for Korea's content industry. Competition for global streaming audiences is intensifying, with countries from Spain to India ramping up their own cultural export strategies. Artificial intelligence is reshaping production economics. The streaming industry itself is consolidating rapidly.

KOCCA's next leader will help determine whether Korea maintains its remarkable position as a global content pace-setter—or cedes ground to rising competitors.

Critics may question whether political loyalty should factor into leadership of an agency tasked with supporting an entire industry on the global stage. Supporters could argue that a figure with three decades of entertainment experience brings invaluable perspective that bureaucrats and academics cannot match.

A formal announcement is expected in the coming weeks.

Sources: Donga Ilbo, Kookmin Ilbo, Munhwa Ilbo, Herald Economy, Newsis, YTN, Edaily, Kyunghyang Shinmun, KOCCA official website, Namuwiki, Wikipedia Korea