In early January, the satirical exhibition "Goodbye in Seoul" opened in Seoul, featuring the work of 32 artists. However, the Korean Secretariat of the National Assembly quickly cancelled the event the week of 9 January 2023. The organisers denounced an act of censorship.

The exhibition featured 80 works, supported by 12 liberal legislators. It had been approved by the Secretariat beforehand, informed of the content of some of the themes, which were aimed at Korean political figures. It was the depiction of Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol elected in March 2022 in two of the paintings that triggered the reaction of the authorities, pointing to the lack of respect for public morals and social ethics in the country.

This case is a new milestone in the president’s policy, which already raised questions and fears for freedom of expression last year as the staff of MBC, a Korean media outlet, was denied access to the presidential plane in November because of their critical stance towards Yoon Suk-yeol.