[1] He was born in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province and graduated from Seoul National University.

He also served as the first Minister of Labor in President Kim Young-sam's administration in 1993, and the governor of Gyeonggi Province from 1995 to 1997.

In the 2002, he was one of the leading contenders to run for president as the nominee of the Millennium Democratic Party but resigned after being defeated by the ultimate presidential victor Roh Moo-hyun.

The nickname derives from his ability to change political party affiliation 16 times[3] and be elected to the National Assembly a total of six times despite numerous past defeats in presidential elections and the fall of his affiliated parties.

[4] He ran for governor of South Chungcheong Province in the 2018 local elections but lost to Yang Seung-jo of the Democratic Party of Korea.