Chapter 40:  The Best Fashionable Man In Dongmyo

Kang Jiwoo’s Dongmyo Fashion Show.

The live viewers’ reactions were intense.

“Damn, Jiwooping! What is this fashion event?!”

“What kind of vibe is this lololol”

“Jiwooping’s hooked on Dongmyo; she’ll clear out the place lolol”

“Aahhhahahaha…?”

“lol mini prez just rocked it, too cute!!”

The chat occasionally included foreign languages, too.

Kang Jiwoo’s campaign had become a topic of global interest, not just limited to South Korea.

“Everything for 1,000 won~ just 1,000 won!”

“Pick your clothes~ 3,000 won~”

The hearty calls of the vendors filled the air.

Kang Jiwoo’s fashion ensemble was almost complete.

But her shopping spree showed no signs of stopping.

“This one’s for… Siljangping!”

“Huh? For me?”

“Yes! This totally suits Siljangping…!”

A thrilled fashionista, Kang Jiwoo, began styling her team members.

“Haha, I think this one’s not for me…”

“But this is the prettiest one…”

Not wearing what she picked out? Cue the pout!

This led to playful boos from the team and vendors alike.

“This kid has a good eye for fashion!”

“Looks like it’ll suit Siljangping perfectly.”

“Right, right.”

“Just wear it already~”

“Uh, should I…?”

In the end, Han Seoyoung found herself dressed in a hiking jacket and traditional loose pants.

“Siljangping looks so pretty…!”

“Th-thank you….”

“lolololol”

“If the candidate wears it, the staff obviously have to, too!”

“A genius at livestreaming? lololol”

“Born for election campaigning!”

“Siljangping still looks stunning, no matter what she wears.”

Kang Jiwoo confidently roamed the market, picking out clothes with ease, even boldly asking for prices.

She grabbed another hiking outfit.

“This one’s for Directorping!”

Bong Soohee tried to back away stealthily, only to be stopped by Han Seoyoung.

“Director Bong, why are you running? The candidate picked the perfect outfit for you!”

“We should save money-ping…”

“Three thousand won is manageable. Just wear it!”

And so, Bong Soohee also fell under the spell of Fashionping and got a makeover.

“This outfit is amazing…!”

“Thank you-ping.”

The team had fully embraced the local style.

Kang Jiwoo and her crew, now perfectly integrated into Dongmyo fashion, continued their campaign through the market.

—

Meanwhile, someone had been watching Kang Jiwoo from afar.

“Hey, is Tom here yet?”

An older man, nicknamed ‘Tom,’ stood out.

Sporting large sunglasses, an aviator jacket, tight jeans with an oversized buckle belt, and cowboy boots, he exuded swagger.

“That little one’s got a good eye for fashion.”

“Haha, should I show her who the real Dongmyo trendsetter is? After all, who else but Tom Cruise holds that title?”

This man, known as Tom Cruise, was a local legend famed for his sharp sense of style.

“Let’s give her a taste of real fashion.”

Tom approached Kang Jiwoo, ready to subtly assert his dominance with his outfit.

But Kang Jiwoo’s reaction was unexpected.

Instead of being intimidated, she gasped.

“Wow… That’s so cool………….”

She couldn’t tear her eyes away, utterly captivated by Tom’s outfit.

“Little lady, you’ve got style too.”

“Thank you…!”

“Want me to take you to my favorite shop?”

“Yes…!”

“Let’s make it a contest. See who can find the best outfit, okay?”

“I’m really good at finding awesome clothes!”

And thus began the fashion face-off between Tom Cruise and Fashionping.

“Who is this old guy lololol?”

“HAHAHAHAHAHA…”

“Randomly joining in like this is hilarious lololol.”

“Is he cast?”

“How would you even cast someone like that lololol.”

“Is this a campaign or a variety show lololol.”

“But wow, that grandpa is actually stylish.”

“Definitely a trendsetter.”

The unexpected nature of Dongmyo was part of its charm.

From fashion to the vibrant personalities of the locals, Kang Jiwoo, as a presidential candidate, was the first to fully embrace this raw allure.

“Mr. Hong, show me a kid’s denim jacket over here.”

Kang Jiwoo carefully selected her outfit under the guidance of Dongmyo Tom Cruise.

Tom soon appeared in a denim jacket, showing off its fit.

“This is a Levi’s denim jacket. How does it look?”

“It looks awesome…!”

“Kuhaha. The one you chose is pretty stylish too.”

“Do we vote now?”

“Number 5.”

“55555.”

“Candidate No. 5 wins.”

“Jiwoo is the overwhelming victor!”

The shop owner next to them announced the results.

“Mr. Tom, you lost.”

“Huh? I lost?”

“It’s live-streaming on YouTube right now, and viewers are saying Kang Jiwoo’s outfit is cooler.”

“Hahaha.”

Laughter burst out around them.

The sight of a child presidential candidate engaging in a fashion battle in Dongmyo was hilariously absurd.

“Haha, this is amusing, very amusing,” Dongmyo Tom Cruise laughed heartily.

Yet, beneath the laughter was a sense of seriousness.

‘I, Dongmyo Tom Cruise… will show the true skill of Dongmyo’s finest fashionista.’

To him, fashion was a life philosophy!

No matter how playful the challenge had started, his pride was now on the line.

“Next, let’s choose shirts.”

The shirt battle followed.

This time, Tom Cruise flaunted his bold mix-and-match style.

“55555.”

“This one’s close.”

“Damn, look at those colors lol.”

“My vote goes to Tom hyung.”

“This time, Dongmyo Tom has got it lol.”

Even the viewers took the competition seriously.

“This round goes to Grandpa Tom!”

“Haha, naturally.”

“Congratulations…”

Kang Jiwoo admitted defeat and congratulated him.

However, her eyebrows formed a V-shape.

It wasn’t so much sincere congratulations as it was a look of fiery determination for the next round.

‘Why is this competition getting so serious…?’

That thought lingered among the onlookers, but they couldn’t deny they were intrigued.

And so, the fashion battle continued.

“Kang Jiwoo wins! 2 to 1!”

“Dongmyo Tom Cruise wins! 2 to 2!”

“A tie! Now, let’s move to the final round!”

By then, a large crowd had gathered around the store.

Party members, Kang Jiwoo’s supporters, Dongmyo merchants, local residents, young visitors, and even passing students.

They were all there to watch the fashion battle between Fashionping Kang Jiwoo and Dongmyo Tom Cruise.

Now, both competitors modeled their outfits with confident walks, showcasing their looks to the growing audience.

[LIVE] Candidate No. 5 Kang Jiwoo, Fashion Battle with Dongmyo Tom Cruise!

Viewers: 13,492

“What is this crazy tension lol.”

“This is absurdly entertaining.”

“This is why variety shows are dying out.”

“Kang Jiwoo is so hilarious. Forget being president—can’t she just debut as a streamer?”

“Why not do both—be president and stream lol.”

“You’re a genius.”

“The first streamer-president lol.”

“OMG lololol.”

The viewers surpassed ten thousand.

Who would emerge as the ultimate victor?

All eyes were on the final showdown.

The theme: freestyle.

Both contestants could wear whatever they wanted.

Dongmyo Tom Cruise stepped up first.

“A denim-on-denim combo with a magician’s hat…”

“That’s sharp.”

“Truly unique.”

“At his age, pulling this off is rare.”

His bold denim look paired with a magician’s hat was undeniably impressive.

He removed his hat and greeted the crowd with practiced ease.

Next was Kang Jiwoo.

She emerged confidently from the store, drawing everyone’s attention.

The moment Dongmyo Tom Cruise saw her, he burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! I’ve been outdone!”

Kang Jiwoo’s final outfit was:

Oversized sunglasses, a flight jacket,

Skin-tight jeans, a massive belt buckle,

And cowboy boots to finish it off.

It was identical to Dongmyo Tom Cruise’s signature look.

“55555.”

“Fashion belongs to Jiwoo lol.”

“Jiwoo wins~~~~!”

“She’s so freaking adorable lol.”

“Can she wear this to the third presidential debate?”

“That’d be ridiculously funny lol.”

“She’d steal the show entering in a cowboy outfit lol.”

Let’s bring the gun along.

The final victory belongs to Kang Jiwoo!

“Congratulations~”

“You’re so cute!”

“Kang Jiwoo! Kang Jiwoo! Kang Jiwoo…!”

People clapped and chanted Kang Jiwoo’s name.

Kang Jiwoo bowed at a 90-degree angle repeatedly, responding with “Thank you.”

At that moment, it felt like a political campaign rally.

“Candidate, shall we move now?”

“L||0||…!”

Feeling great after the victory, Kang Jiwoo was about to bid farewell to Dongmyo Tom Cruise, but he was nowhere to be seen.

“Siljangping… but where’s Manjaengping…?”

“Oh, you mean Grandpa Tom Cruise? Manjaengping?”

“Yes… I need to say goodbye…”

The showdown with Manjaengping, Tom Cruise, was an entertaining spectacle for citizens and viewers alike.

For Kang Jiwoo, it was also a precious memory.

That’s why Jiwoo wanted to say goodbye.

“Shall we move first and come back later to look for him?”

From the campaign team’s perspective, there was no reason to stay in one place for too long.

The fashion battle had already delayed them, and Han Seoyoung and the campaign team wanted to move.

Lingering too long with such a large crowd would only cause inconvenience.

“Okay…”

Just as they were about to leave, a voice called out.

“Little candidate!”

From inside a shop, Dongmyo Tom Cruise appeared.

He had changed outfits completely.

He was dressed in a beige uniform, adorned with medals, decorations, and insignias commemorating his achievements.

Seeing the uniform, Han Seoyoung murmured, “He’s a war veteran…”

Dongmyo Tom Cruise approached Kang Jiwoo, crouching to meet Jiwoo’s eye level.

“Hahaha, I had so much fun today.”

“I had fun too!”

“Now, I must pass on the title of Dongmyo’s best-dressed to Candidate Kang Jiwoo.”

He removed a medal from his chest.

Then he pinned it onto Kang Jiwoo’s clothes.

“Please become president and protect our country.”

Kang Jiwoo, surprised to receive the medal, opened his mouth in astonishment, blinking.

Not knowing what the medal signified, Jiwoo seemed to feel its weight as if it carried deep significance.

Jiwoo finally managed to respond.

“Thank you… Manjaengping…”

“Hahaha!”

Dongmyo Tom Cruise laughed heartily as he bid Jiwoo farewell.

As Jiwoo left, they turned back several times, waving.

“Manjaengping… bye-bye…”

Jiwoo whispered as they walked away.

The medal on Jiwoo’s chest felt heavy.

Without many words, a citizen of Dongmyo had pinned the medal onto Jiwoo.

The action held profound meaning.

The support voters give is not blind.

They give their votes and, in return, expect change.

Changing the world.

It’s not as easy as it sounds.

However, a politician must always carry their demands in their heart.

No matter how heavy those demands may be.

“I’m Kang Jiwoo~ Candidate No. 5~ Please vote for me for president~ Thank you~”

My campaign continued.

Leaving Dongmyo Market, I met many citizens along nearby boulevards.

As the sun began to set, near a stationery store, I encountered some children.

“Hello!”

A cheerful boy waved at me, seemingly mistaking me for someone he knew.

“Hello…”

I waved back reflexively.

“Oh, never mind.”

Realizing we were strangers, the boy awkwardly looked away.

Then, another child next to him shouted out.

“It’s Jeong Jjackjjack!!!”

Jeong Jjackjjack.

That was one of my nicknames, especially popular among elementary school students.

It was because tongue-twister challenges were still trending among kids.

“Wow! Wow!”

“Jeong Jjackjjack?”

“Is it really Jeong Jjackjjack?”

“Thank you Tree Korea Party~”

“Miracle Tree Korea Party~”

“Take a photo with me!!”

The children swarmed around me.

It felt as if I had already become the president of elementary students.