Election special: Funny candidate names on Korean campaign posters

Today is an election day in Korea. A lot of people have the day off, so why not enjoy it with some humorous campaign posters? These are funny mainly because of the candidates' names. Let's take a look.

First up we have candidate 강남구 (Gang Nam-gu). Literally his name is "Gangnam District." I really hope he's running to represent Gangnam. With a name like that, you sort of have to. 

Here's candidate 지무진 (Ji Mu-jin) and he wants folks to remember that the best kind of car to represent his district is a "limousine" so vote "ji mu jin" today. Hey, whatever gets your name stuck in people's heads. 

Up next, candidate 왕복근 (Wang Bok-geun). His given name, Bokgeun, means "abdominal muscles" (well, I doubt that's the Hanja behind it but anyway...) and of course his family name Wang means "king" but is often used to describe something massive or supersized. So his name is basically "Rock Hard Abs." Something about his face makes me doubt that such are beneath that shirt. 

Candidate 황희순 (Hwang Hui-soon) is going old school, because the part of his name he is hilighting here, the Hwang Hui, is the same as a famous official from King Sejeong times. [More: Hwang Hui - Wikipedia or 황희 - 위키백과]

Candidate 김옥수 (Kim Oak-su) is adding an extra 수 to his name to get the memorable "Oak-su-su" which means corn. It looks like he's going all out and not only spelling it with corn cobs, but has some delicious dried seaweed ("kim") there on his family name too. The hungry man's choice. Plus what's not to love about this picture? He will literally bend over backward for you. 

Candidate 김선배 (Kim Seon-bae) is clearly deserving of your respect. "Seon-bae" is a bit hard-to-translate. Basically it's somebody older than you. Your senior, your upperclassman, your elder, your superior, etc. 

Candidate 강철남 (Gang Cheol-nam) knows exactly what his name implies. Cheol-nam is literally the "Iron Man." 

This one is my absolute favorite. Meet candidate 이인자 (Lee In-ja). Her name literally means "person in second place" or perhaps "runner up." The fact that she's running for party 2 makes it more hilarious. Best wishes to her and here's hoping her name is wrong. 

Candidate 추연어 (Chu Yeon-ah) promises that things will go great when the salmon return. That's because his name means "salmon." I'd love to add my touch here in nothing that his last name basically sounds like "chew." Chew salmon. I can do that. 

Candidate 오인성 (Oh In-seong)... not sure if I can trust him, as his name sort of sounds like he has 5 different split personalities (Oh = 5, Inseong = character, personality).

Forget what I said about the salmon guy above. Candidate 류한우 (Ryu Hanoo) gets my vote, for being a delicious hunk of 100% pure Korean beef (hanoo).

Now here's a winner if I've ever seen one. Candidate 박일등 (Park Il-deung) is literally a winner ("il-deung" = first place, top, #1)

Now this one has got to be a joke. Right? I hope so. Candidate 이관종 (Lee Guan-jong) has a rather unfortunate name that is also a popular slang word for "attention whore." Vaguely appropriate for a campaign, I guess. 

Now we get into the real power players. These names are not exactly funny as they are the same names of famous leaders. Here's candidate 박정희 (Park Chung-hee). You'll remember him as Ex-president Park Geun-hye's father, the dictator who for better or worse made modern Korea. I bet a lot of the old folks would love to see that name return to power.  

And why not have another go? Another candidate 박정희 (Park Chung-hee), this time one that can appeal to the ladies. 

If that's not your style, how about another former president? Here's a brand-name edition of candidate 김대중 (Kim Daejung). Will his Sunshine Policy benefit the citizens of Jeolla-bukdo? 

Of course we could go across the DMZ too and elect candidate 김정일 (Kim Jong-il). We can all agree that that smiling face doesn't look Ronery... So Ronery... at all. 

Or for a name that is very hot right now, try candidate 김정은 (Kim Jong-un). She can play ball... with Dennis Rodman. And Trump. 

Finally for you is candidate 방신웅 (Bang Shin-ung) who's campaign poster provides this stunning example of unarguable logic: Admiral Lee Sunshin's wife was a Bang too! So... vote for this Bang and relive the glory days. 

And that's it. Don't forget to vote today if you're eligible. Naver and Kakao Maps have you covered if you need to find your polling place. And Google a doodle up. So does Naver. Here they are for posterity:

Tip of my Gat to @adealornodeal for sharing these posters.