Gangnam Left

Gangnam Left or Gangnam Lefitist (강남좌파/江南左派) refers to an individual or a group of high-income professional intellectuals with progressive ideology or proletariat-like thinking.

The word was first derived from the criticism of the so-called "386 Generation" by Professor Kang Joon-Man at Chonbuk National University. Professor Kang published a book named Kangnam Left: Elitism after Democratization (강남좌파: 민주화 이후의 엘리트주의) in 2011.

Response of the Korean Society
The concept of the “Gangnam Left” leaves conservatives and progressives alike with a sense of discomfort.

Conservatives could hardly be expected to welcome the emergence of a left wing in a community it had thought of as its own exclusive possession, while progressives are concerned that the conflict between the contradictory symbols of “Gangnam” and the "Left” could ultimately make a mockery of them. In this regard, “Gangnam Left” is closer to sarcasm than praise.

When looking at the Gangnam Left, we first need to separate out the factual judgments from the value judgments. In terms of factual judgments, the emergence of the Gangnam Left is a counterpart to the rise of the so-called “Yuppie Left” in Western society. This latter term refers to progressive-leaning, high-income white collar and professional workers who emerged as globalization progressed: in other words, the so-called “Cultural Left” or “Gold Collar Left.” The “1968 generation” that transformed into the Yuppie Left was one of the major support groups for the “Third Way” moderate leftist political program in the 1990s.

Similar Concepts
Gangnam Lefts in Korea have their counterparties with similar thought in various countries.
 * In France, they are called "gauche caviar" (캐비아 좌파), who are fond of Russian caviar, but usually speaking for the benefit of people.
 * In Germany, there are "Toskaner Fraktion" (토스카너 프락치온), who are activists for common people, but spend luxurious leisure time at Toscana in Italy.
 * In the United Kingdom, they have another name like "Champagne Left" (샴페인 좌파).
 * In the United States, they are called "5th Avenue Liberals" because most of them are liverals, and living at the residential district of the rich, the Fifth Avenue near the Central Park, New York.

Analysis and Prospects
Ordinary people seldom have a good look at Gangnam Left. It is because their sympathy toward the poor people and criticism to the privileged are regarded as only lip service. In fact, most of them are living an affluent life and eager to educate their children in an elite style.

Politicians, who have survived the hardship of real world, are not fond of them. They believe Gangnam Lefts always speak "big and clean" standing high in a remote place from the real world.

However, ‘캐비어 좌파의 역사’를 쓴 조프랭에 의하면 사실 이들은 역사의 진보에서 지극히 중요한 역할을 해 왔다. 독일에서는 19세기 말 노동자들이 유럽 프롤레타리아의 선두에서 새로운 사회적 타협을 모색할 때 토스카너 프락치온이 지대한 도움을 주었다. 영국의 샴페인 좌파는 비인간적으로 착취당하는 노동계급의 상태를 개선하기 위해 노력하는 노동당원들의 편에 섰다. 피프스 애비뉴 리버럴은 루스벨트·케네디·존슨·클린턴 대통령과 더불어 미국 사회를 혁신한 민주당 출신 의원에게 개혁의 틀과 사상을 제공했다.

우리나라도 마찬가지다. 공익의 문제에 관심을 가지고 명석한 논리와 근거를 통해 우리 사회가 나아가야 할 방향에 대해 논하는 것이 ‘강남 좌파 스타일’이다. 오히려 이들이 샴페인에 캐비아를 즐기는 부르주아로 굳어지면 그것이야말로 우리 사회에 희망이 사라지는 것이다. 아무런 전망도 내놓지 못 하고 콘텐츠도 없는 상태에서 오직 그악스러운 욕만 뱉어내는 극좌파가 주도하는 것이야말로 비극적 코미디가 될 터이다.