Republic of Korea Democracy in Action

Mid week days off are always a mixed bag. It is nice not to go to work, but the whole day always feels a little bit like Sunday, with work looming over your head. That being said, it was a fun day filled with looking at fish at the market, finding paprika, and eating too much. Why did I have a day off you ask? For the Republic of Korea's election day. Yep, here in Korea they get a day off so that they can not vote. I think I read somewhere that voter turn out is less than 50%. I can kinda see why. After being blasted for weeks by trucks driving by blaring casio keyboard sounding music, I kind of hated all the candidates.

For the last few weeks the campaigns have been growing. It started with a banner here, a billboard there. Then the trucks. The trucks drive around the city blasting music and slogans. The one that came around my neighbourhood the most played the Miami Vice theme song. I am not sure what that candidate was trying to convey. Maybe, if he won, we would all be protected from Cuban drug lords. Or we will all be forced to have 5 o'clock shadow and loafers with no socks. It is hard to tell.

Closer to the election I started seeing people dressed in coordinated windbreakers bowing and waving at street corners. As the weeks went along in that way they always do, their numbers grew, as did the intricacies of their bows. The bows turned into full fledged dancing, although it was rare to see a dancer smile. On street corners all over Korea one could see somber faced, brightly colored campaign monkeys. A week away from the election and the dancers were often joined by the candidate himself. Or, in one case, one one wearing a comically large foam rubber caricature head of the candidate. I tried to get a picture, but my phone decided to be a jerk and not let me do it.

Walking around my neighborhood became an exercise in campaigner doing. I am not usually one to promote racial profiling, but I wish these people had looked at my face and realized I was not a citizen of their country. I was constantly being handed cards with the smiling face of the prospective leader beaming back at me. That's fine, I can use them as book marks. It was when I was actually chased down the street and practically tackled, all in an effort to give me a card, that I became a bit annoyed.

All the candidates here are assigned a number and color (I think they are assigned the color anyway. Each candidate had his own.) They have posters and banners everywhere, deadpan cheerleaders, and gimmicky foam rubber heads. The whole thing feels a bit like an over eager school election. Still, it was a sight to behold.

The elections are over now, so I finally have some peace. I kind of miss the music now though.