SEOUL - As South Koreans go to the polls to elect the 300 members of the National Assembly on April 10, political candidates are ramping up efforts to court voters.
Walk down any main street and one would easily spot campaign rallies and supporters singing theme songs with political lyrics and flamboyant dance routines.
Other candidates are turning to more unconventional ways to reach out to voters. One candidate was seen barefoot greeting visitors at the red clay road in Seongnam city, Gyeonggi province, washing the feet of visitors, while others walked along the streets, lowering themselves in a bow every three steps – a Buddhist practice to show determination.
Among the more peculiar antics was a candidate who stripped down to grab attention.
Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea representative Kim Byung-wook, who is running for the Bundang-B constituency in Seongnam, shared a picture of himself shirtless, posing for a “body profile”.
Once reserved for professional athletes and models, the body profile has become a common way for people in South Korea to flex their muscles in professional photo shoots. It gained popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic when people in their 20s and 30s were focused on physical health and improving their appearance.
Mr Kim uploaded his photo shoot to his YouTube channel, saying he would “rewrite the profile of Bundang”.
“Rather than just talking about what is right and wrong, I thought it would be more authentic to show my commitment and determination through a body profile, by working out hard for two to three months,” he said on a political radio show.
Some cheered the candidate, commenting on his passion. Others criticised him for “crossing the line”, urging the candidate to focus on political issues instead of “having fun”.
Other candidates have taken more extreme steps. Mr Chung Woon-chun, who is representing the People Power Party in Jeonju, North Jeolla province, drew blood from his fingers to write “Only North Jeolla province” on a campaign poster.
Dressed in white mourning clothes, he spoke about his determination to develop the province, while apologising for voters’ anger towards the government. This event came seven days after a stunt where he shaved his head and locked himself in a wooden cage cart, a wagon used to transport prisoners during the Joseon era.
Meanwhile, an unexpected vegetable is adding flavour to the political scene in South Korea.
Democratic Party candidates are using green onions as a political motif, after President Yoon Suk-yeol’s comment on the price of the vegetable was criticised for underestimating food prices and being out of touch with reality.
Ms Jeon Eun-soo from the main opposition party, who is running in the Nam-gu A constituency in Ulsan, uploaded a video called the “green onion challenge”, which shows her dancing to an animated character’s moves while holding a green onion. Others have been bringing green onions to campaign rallies.
The “green onion challenge” has also spread among other politicians, who post on their social media platforms the price of the vegetable in grocery stores and markets.
Earlier, Mr Yoon was seen looking at a bundle of green onions with a price tag of 875 won (87 Singapore cents), a temporary discount price offered with a government subsidy, and said the “price is reasonable”.
Meanwhile, the average retail price of green onions has hovered around a high of 3,000 won to 4,000 won over the past weeks. THE KOREA HERALD/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK
