With local elections just over four months away in South Korea, several former Blue House officials are gearing up to enter the political race, including prominent figures such as former Chief of Staff Im Sang-kyu and former Secretary Kim Byeong-wook, who have resigned to contend for various mayoral and gubernatorial positions. The conversation centers around whether having experience at the Blue House will translate into electoral success, especially given the current high approval ratings for President Lee Jae-myung's administration. Prospective candidates are also contemplating possible electoral strategies, such as Deputy Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, who might run for a unified Daejeon-Chungnam Special City if administrative integration occurs.

Historically, the connection between serving in the Blue House and winning local elections has not been as robust as one might assume. During the local elections held in June 2018, when the Moon Jae-in government enjoyed a similar level of popularity, numerous contenders from the Blue House declared their candidacies. However, many, such as former spokesperson Park Soo-hyun and former policy chief Moon Dae-rim, faced significant challenges and were unable to secure nominations or ultimately lost their races. The mixed outcomes from that election reveal that previous Blue House experience does not guarantee electoral victory.

On a more positive note, there were also notable successes among candidates who served at the Blue House, such as Baek Doo-hyun, who became the first Democratic Party governor of Gyeongnam province. Successful contenders also include Cha Hyun-il, who became the Mayor of Yeongdeungpo, and Kim Byeong-nae, who won as the Mayor of Nam-gu in Gwangju. Nevertheless, the victories of these candidates illustrate that while having a background in the Blue House may provide some advantages, it is not the sole determining factor in securing electoral success.