Sunday, April 15, 2012

Korean elections make me smile.

I know that I've posted about Korean elections before but I have to admit that they make me smile. Tomorrow is election day here in Korea and the politicians at making their last pitches to the public before they vote. This makes for some great people watching near city hall. In Seosan there is one traffic circle which is the "official" rally spot for all the local politicians. This circle is right next to city hall, and during peak traffic hours it can get a little congested. When you add a rally into the mix what you get is a captive audience just trying to get home. Today there has been a continuous stream of rallies and speeches. These rallies are as grass roots and participatory as you can get. The normally involve a bunch of ajjumas in color coordinated outfits bowing and dancing while their politician gives a speech. It makes me smile because politics at this level somehow feels more pure. Granted there is not a ton of importance where I live and it feels kinda like the mayoral election for Bumblescum, Kansas or someplace like it. That being said, it's still nice to see a democratic process where I know I'm not being lied to. Primarily It's because the politicians know I can't vote and have no interest in me, but hey. I'll take it.

Here are some videos to show you what I'm talking about.