Many people in Korea are questioning if entertainers such as actors, actresses and singers are public figures. Some argue that entertainers should fall under that category, whereas others maintain that they should not. However, I believe that entertianers should not be classified as public figures for the following reasons.
To begin, People misunderstand the meaning of a public figure. According to a Korean dictionary published by the National Institute of the Korean Language, public figure means a person engaged in official and government affairs. For them, duties and responsibilities always come first. Therefore, entertainers do not fall under that definition.
Those who support the idea that entertainers are public figures state the celebrities can influence a number of people by being fashion trend setters and role models. However, people need to reconsider the influence of celebrities differs from person to person. Public figures, like politicians and officials, have the power to legislate, amend, and enact the law, while entertainers do not.
If we were to compare Hollywood actors with member of thc Upper House in Connecticut speaking about and amendment of the medical insurance policy, we would have the following scenario. An actor like Tom Cruise can advocate for it or object to it. Nevertheless, the members can force the amendment to be passed into the Congress regardless of where Tom Cruise stands. This is a big difference between public figures and entertainers.
Public figures take direct responsibility for what happens to the public. On the other hand, entertainers are restricted to personal concerns. I would argue entertainers are idols or stars not public figures.
Dept. of English Language & Literature