Furtastic Series Banner

South Korean president's rescue pets are so popular they have their own fan art

So cute.
By
Yi Shu Ng
 on 

The internet loves cats. And puppers. And doggos.

So you'd be pleased to find out that South Korea's First Pets are all from shelters, and that they're cute as heck.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in introduced his cat -- Jjing-jjing -- to the country's presidential mansion yesterday (May 14):

Mashable Image
Credit: Moon Jae-in/Naver
Mashable Image
Credit: Moon Jae-in/Naver

Jjing-jjing is coming to the Blue House alongside Maroo and Tory, Moon's dogs. The cat rose to fame during Moon's first presidential campaign in 2012, when Moon ran against Park Geun-hye.

The cat seems to be adapting well to the Blue House -- but Moon tweeted his concerns about how Jjing-jjing -- a adept bird-catcher -- might attack a flycatcher who had built a nest.

"Jjing-jjing has arrived, but I have a concern," he tweeted. "There are five baby flycatchers living in the nest between a glass window and a sliding paper window."

Moon added that the cat would "occasionally surprise" him at his old residence with dead birds.

Mashable Top Stories
Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news.
Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!

The recently elected president had also promised to adopt Tory, a homeless dog from Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE), a Korean animal rights group, during his campaign.

Tory was considered unpopular with would-be adopters, because of stigma against black dogs in Korea.

View this post on Instagram

"My family and I anticipate the day to welcome Tory as a new member and will make sure he adjusts well to the new environment," Moon was reported as saying by the Korea Herald.

Tory will also join Maroo, one of Moon's first dogs.

View this post on Instagram

Moon wrote about how Maroo "found love" and had puppies with another homeless dog, Jisoon, near his old residence on Naver last July.

Mashable Image
Credit: Moon Jae-in/Naver

Moon -- an animal-friendly candidate who pledged to construct more playgrounds for pets and feeding facilities for stray cats -- wrote: "If we think about it, there is no life in the world that is not precious... Through Jisoon and her puppies, I think about the preciousness of life and the mysteries of fate."

The puppies were eventually put up for adoption.

Mashable Image
One of Jisoon's puppies, which was eventually adopted. Credit: Moon Jae-in/Naver

Moon's love for animals has even inspired fan illustrations:

View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram

Moon's predecessor, Park Geun-hye, had previously kept nine Jindo dogs at the Blue House. She was widely criticised after abandoning them when she moved out of the presidential mansion following her impeachment.

The dogs have since found new homes, according to a Blue House spokesperson.

Mashable Image
Yi Shu Ng

I am an intern with Mashable Asia, focusing on viral news, lifestyle news and feature news in the region.


More from Furtastic

Recommended For You
For America's lonely seniors, robot pets are more than a novelty
A woman and her caretaker bond with a robotic pet.


'Old Guy' stars Lucy Liu and Christoph Waltz debate what makes something art
Old Guy movie

South Korea blocks DeepSeek access, citing privacy laws
deepseek app on a smartphone


More in Life
How to watch the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix online for free
Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the Oracle Red Bull Racing

How to watch LAFC vs. Inter Miami online for free
Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF

How to watch Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Pumas UNAM online for free
Leonardo Suarez of Pumas UNAM celebrates

Target Circle members can still score 3 free months of Peacock Premium
illustrated tv screen with peacock logo and colorful background

How to watch Club America vs. Cruz Azul online for free
Detailed view of the shoes of Kevin Alvarez of America

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 2, 2025
Connections game on a smartphone

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2025
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2025
Wordle game on a smartphone

NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 3
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 2, 2025
Wordle game on a smartphone
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!