Friday, June 11, 2010

Election campaign in Korea: a photo blog

*Scheduled post*

I wish to blog about this on the eve or on the day of election. But I was too busy aka too lazy to do so, so I only drafted this post a moment ago :P
Originally intended to write a serious post about it and post it in my "academic blog", but now I decide to make it a light one and post this in my, you name it, the procrastination blog. XD

On May 29th 2010
One of the annoying campaign vans that made their stops right outside of our officetel and woke us up in case we overslept. Thank you so much, Seoul mayor's candidates.

On May 30th 2010
Another one near our officetel.

On May 31st 2010:
A
And another. This one parked by the roadside (and hey, it's a yellow line there!). With the candidate's cheer-leading team consisted of ajossis and ajjummas, sometimes young guys and ladies too, they lined up in front of their van or truck and start singing, shouting slogans, repeat the candidate's song over and over again, and the candidate would shake hands with passer-bys and so on.

B
A guy in black suit (probably a businessman around the the area) snapping photos.

C
So as the crowds across the street who were waiting for the traffic light turned green. 
And also people like me snapping from our residential unit, haha.

On 1st June 2010:
A
Another candidate.

B
It was driving very slowly.

C
I'm not sure why is this van so clean and white. Campaigning for a clean government? LOL

D
This van didn't make a stop like the previous one, but drove slowly on the road. So we can see how pissed was the black car behind it while the other smart drivers drove to the other side of the lane to avoid the blockage or slow traffic on the "campaign lane".

Some other days in Seoul Special City:

The banners at the City Hall reconstruction site.

On some building

Candidate 1 on Seoul Press Building. 
His banner could be hung on this tall building because... he was the incumbent Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.

Oh Se-hoon of the ruling Grand National Party was re-elected as Seoul Mayor. The first incumbent to be elected for the second time. 
Wow, that's some achievement isn't it? See the identical smiling face to his poster after the razor-thin win over an opponent (the first female mayor candidate---I wished she had won and made history) HERE.


Local election is nationwide in Korea, so mayors, governors, councilors and education chiefs (wow) were holding their campaigns in every cities and provinces in Korea at the same time. (Source: Arirang---> click on the link to read about the early report on the election day and the interview between Seoul mayor candidates and Arirang, Korea's Global TV.)  
Snapped this when passing by the region between Jinju and Namhae on tour bus.
This was when I realized the election is not restricted to Seoul Mayor election but nationwide.

Near Ssangye temple, Hadong, South Kyongsang (or Gyeongsang) Province.

Inside Jeonju Hanok Village, right outside of Pungnam Gate of Gyeonggijeon, LOL. Blasting the candidate's song, a rendition of a classical song widely known in East Asia, which I know is available in Taiwanese Minnan language.
This is the only election campaign we bumped into while on the tour. If they were going to spam all touristic sites we would be very pissed, LOL.

Photos are copyrighted by me.

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