Among candidates of the Democratic Party of Korea in the local elections, the so-called "Myeongsim (明心) marketing" craze is spreading. From photos to videos used for campaigning, more than a few candidates are following the methods used by President Lee Jae-myung. Candidates running in the local elections also followed the president's campaign style to emphasize that they are a "Myeong-pick (Lee Jae-myung + pick)."
The most eye-catching part is the profile photo. Among Democratic Party candidates in the local elections, many are seeking out photographer Kang Young-ho, who has long shot the president's photos. This is also why photos that highlight the face, with the turtleneck known as Kang's "signature," have recently become common among Democratic Party contenders. Seoul mayoral candidates Park Ju-min, Chong Won-o and Jeon Hyun-hee, as well as Gyeonggi governor candidate Han Jun-ho, are said to have turned to Kang.
Kang has been known for working with the president and shooting photos since 2020. During last year's presidential race, photos highlighting the president's expressions were featured in campaign materials and drew attention. In Nov. last year, in remembrance of the 11th anniversary of the late Shin Hae-chul's death, a photo of the president wearing "Shin Hae-chul's clothes" was also released.
Some candidates are also imitating the use of a blue background with a touch of red as the president emphasized unity. In the last presidential election, the president chose a style mixing blue and red not only for campaign materials but also for the shoes worn on the stump. Candidate Chong also drew attention by using the same approach for his promotional designs.
Releasing a video around the time of a run announcement has become the "new normal." In the case of candidate Chong Won-o, he skipped a run announcement news conference, taking a cue from how the president released a video instead of holding a run announcement news conference in the last presidential election. The company that filmed the president's videos during the last presidential race is also said to have recently been receiving visits from politicians.
Candidate Park Ju-min also recently released a video that closely imitates the one titled "Lee Jae-myung plants it," which became famous when the president unveiled his hair-loss pledge during the last presidential election, titling it "Park Ju-min plants it." The video cross-edits scenes of the president and Park.
The "Myeongsim marketing" trend within the Democratic Party appears likely to continue for the time being. A ruling camp official said, "The way the president waged the last presidential election gave voters a different feeling than before and seems well-suited to the current political climate, so many local election candidates appear to be adopting it," adding, "On top of that, it can also highlight that they are pro-Lee Jae-myung."