“Candidate, please don’t move your head.”
“Yaaawn… Okay…”
Today was the day for a street campaign.
As a result, I was out early in the morning getting my hair styled.
A little powder on my face and some sprucing up.
The problem was that I kept nodding off, making my head droop.
“Oh dear, are you very sleepy? I heard you’ve been studying so hard lately.”
“Yes, I’ve been working super hard….”
“I even watched that video of you holding a vocabulary book upside down. It was so cute that I became a fan immediately!”
The hairstylist showered me with compliments with a face that seemed ready to melt.
But honestly, it wasn’t the kind of compliment I enjoyed.
What I wanted to hear wasn’t that I was cute.
“Hehe…”
“Even your smile is adorable!”
“Heheh…!”
“Oh my, what do we do? You’re like a real angel!”
Of course, the owner of this body absolutely loved being called cute.
Anyway, the makeup session didn’t take too long.
With such a flawless complexion, there wasn’t much to apply.
“Candidate, are you ready?”
“Yes! Oh, wait, no!”
I hurriedly grabbed my toy basket.
I only had two toys: a dolphin toy named Dolly and a clock-themed toy named Shigeping.
I packed both but was blocked by Han Seoyoung.
“How about taking just one toy?”
“Just one…?”
“Yes, only one.”
Han Seoyoung was a good partner.
She tried to help suppress my impulses as a child, which I was always grateful for.
Thank you so much for stopping me from bringing all two of my toys!
“I can only take one….”
I stood by the basket, picking up one toy and then the other.
I was deeply conflicted about which one to bring.
“Candidate, could you decide quickly? We need to leave now.”
“Just a moment…”
My precious toy Dolly?
The trusty Shigeping from the Tanniping line?
“Candidate.”
“Og…”
Honestly, I found myself frustrating too.
Why was I agonizing so much over something so simple?
“Why are you struggling so much?”
“If one is left behind, it’ll be lonely…”
I was worried the toy left behind would feel lonely.
Well, at this age, it’s normal to believe toys are alive…
Just then, Bong Soohee intervened.
“Then just do this.”
She grabbed Shigeping in her hand.
“Take Doli, and I’ll bring Shigeping.”
A big smile spread across my face without me even realizing it.
“Royal Manager Ping…!”
Bong Soohee, you are worthy of being a ‘Royal Ping’…
“Manager Han! Let’s go! Everyone’s waiting downstairs!”
Park Seokji urged us on.
Hearing this, Bong Soohee took off running.
“It’s a running race now!”
“Wait for me!!!”
“Please don’t run…!”
And so began the chaotic street campaign!
—
The stage for today was a traditional market.
At the same time, Cho Seyoung, the New Breeze Democratic Party’s candidate, was heading to a traditional market in Seoul.
Cho Seyoung, wearing a neck pillow and an eye mask in the car, was attempting to catch some sleep.
Lately, she had been suffering from insomnia, making the overwhelming fatigue in the afternoon unbearable.
She thought she’d at least try to nap while on the move.
However, ‘that guy’ kept popping into her head.
“Arghhhh!!”
Cho Seyoung let out a furious scream.
She ripped off her eye mask and angrily checked her YouTube channel.
Cutie Forty lolololol
From now on, Cutie Forty Cho Seyoung will take over South Korea!
Candidate Cho Seyoung, no matter how young forties are these days, isn’t “Cutie Forty” a bit much? Haha….
Cho Seyoung, you’re so cute. Be my new bias starting today lol.
Her latest video was flooded with mocking comments.
The problem stemmed from the recent “Cutie Forty Tongue Twister Challenge” shorts video she had uploaded.
Although she had taken it down quickly, the ridicule was unavoidable.
“Why did you delete the video? The part where you stuttered like Kang Jiwoo was my laugh trigger lololol.”
From the start, such a challenge had been a bad idea.
It was completely misaligned with Jo Seyoung’s image.
But what could she do now?
The water had already been spilled.
“Ahhhhhhhh!!! Kang Jiwoo!!!”
Cho Seyoung wailed to the four corners of the earth.
The secretary standing by had no choice but to remain silent.
At that moment, the smartphone rang.
It was a message from the youth special advisor.
Sender: Jang Sori, Youth Committee Member
Message: Candidate, I heard you’re going on a street campaign. I also heard that during yesterday’s meeting, it was decided to keep Kang Jiwoo in check. But that will backfire…
Jang Sori, the youth committee member, was passionate but overly nagging.
Even if her advice was well-meaning, she lacked the skill to gauge the mood and communicate tactfully.
“Ah, these MZ generation kids these days…”
Not keeping Kang Jiwoo in check?
Her point made sense.
However, Cho Seyoung was currently burning with frustration, eager to throw all the shade at Kang Jiwoo.
“That annoying guy… he irritated me from the moment he started running his mouth like a maniac before his ‘girly transformation.’ Ugh!”
She already had two derogatory nicknames thanks to Kang Jiwoo.
“Cutie Forty” and “Cho Seoyoung in Cheap Clothes.”
The latter nickname was earned during the first debate, where Kang Jiwoo attacked her relentlessly.
“Candidate Cho Seyoung, let me ask you. During the party convention, you introduced yourself as a ‘humble candidate who loves kimbap.’ What exactly does that mean?”
“Well, kimbap is, um, a very affordable and friendly food that represents…”
“So, are you saying you consider yourself humble and frugal compared to other candidates?”
“Well, compared to others, yes…”
“Let me show you the data I’ve prepared. The clothes Candidate Jo Seyoung wore before the convention include a jacket worth around 3 million won, luxury shoes worth 1 million won, and a watch valued at a staggering 30 million won.”
“…”
“So, do you think draping yourself in luxury while eating kimbap makes you humble?”
It was unfair. The shoes were a gift from a close friend, and the watch was a present from her parents.
She had bought the jacket herself, but still, it felt unjust.
The problem was her response.
Caught off guard by the unexpected data, her mind went blank.
“Um, b-bo… it’s secondhand…”
“Secondhand? Are you saying it’s fake?”
“Uh, I mean, I like shopping at the market, so…”
“Buy authentic products. You clearly have the means to afford them.”
Since that day, political forums were flooded with her new nickname: “Cho Seoyoung in Cheap Clothes.”
The humiliation from that day still made her face burn with shame.
And now, Cho Seoyoung felt even more indignant.
“The guy who tore me apart so maliciously now wants to play cute and win votes?! What a ridiculous act!!!”
That disgusting Kang Jiwoo!
Forget his syndrome or whatever—Cho Seoyoung didn’t care.
“Madam, we’ve arrived.”
“Hoo. Let’s get out.”
The car door opened, and Cho Seoyoung stepped out.
At that moment, an elderly woman from the market rushed over and grabbed her hand tightly.
“Oh my! Prosecutor Cho Seoyoung has come all this way! Thank you so much! It’s such an honor!”
She seemed like an enthusiastic supporter, but her approach was far too aggressive.
Eventually, security intervened to hold her back.
“Let me go! I’m only trying to cheer her on! Back when my grandson…”
“Yes, yes. Thank you, ma’am. I’ll do my best to win.”
Cho Seoyoung brushed it off and began her market campaign.
“Here, try this! It’s the best-selling item in our shop!”
“Mmm. Delicious!”
For a presidential candidate, it was only natural to showcase themselves enjoying humble, common food.
After all, “eating shows” had long been a staple in politics.
Unfortunately, Cho Seoyoung was bad at eating shows.
“You’re eating like a bird. That’s not how you enjoy it. Take big bites to really savor the flavor.”
“Should I? Looks like I’ll need to loosen my belt!”
“Hahaha.”
The market atmosphere was lively.
It was a stronghold for the New Wind Democratic Party, after all.
“Have some fish cake, too!”
“Sure! Thank you! It’s really tasty!”
“Fish cake is just fish cake. I’m so full I can’t even taste it…”
For a while, she forced herself to eat on camera.
Although there was a minor mishap where she accidentally put the skewer of the finished fish cake back into the soup pot, the campaign appeared successful.
“Cho Seoyoung! Cho Seoyoung!”
The market merchants chanted her name.
Cho Seoyoung shouted in response.
“These days, even elementary school kids are running for president. It’s adorable, isn’t it? But can we entrust the governance of this nation to an elementary schooler?”
“That’s right!”
“What kind of deep-seated corruption could they possibly address? Unveiling the current administration’s faults—who better to do that than a prosecutor like me?”
“Exactly!”
“Could an elementary schooler really manage national affairs?!”
“Cho Seoyoung! Cho Seoyoung!!”
Though the intensity was soft, this was a signal flare.
A signal flare marking the start of negative campaigning against Kang Jiwoo.
An hour after Cho Seoyoung’s campaign speech ended,
we were scheduled to campaign at the same location.
They didn’t tell me directly, but it was probably a schedule strategically planned by the camp.
I think it’s a rather clever strategy.
This was the New Breeze Democratic Party’s stronghold.
If my campaign didn’t resonate, it would just be that, but if it did and drew comparisons to Cho Seoyoung?
We’d dominate the news cycle again.
In short, it was a no-risk, high-return strategy.
That’s the advantage of being the third-place candidate.
With nothing to lose, aggressive strategies work well.
“Candidate, are you ready?”
“Yes!”
“Then let’s get going.”
I held hands with Han Seoyoung and entered the market.
There weren’t many people there to greet us, but with our camp members and security guards, we naturally drew attention.
“Oh my, whose daughter is so pretty?”
“She’s not a daughter; she’s a presidential candidate.”
“A candidate? For president?”
The merchants whispered while glancing at me.
I wanted to approach them courageously, but the young body I was in made me shy.
Still, holding Han Seoyoung’s hand gave me some bravery.
“Hello, I’m Kang Jiwoo….”
“Well, well. Such a polite young girl.”
“Yes… I’m number 5….”
“Hohoho. Alright, number 5. I’ll remember that.”
Fortunately, the reaction wasn’t bad.
It seems cuteness works everywhere.
But this alone wouldn’t suffice.
To make this visit meaningful, I needed to sway at least 10% of the merchants here.
“Excuse me… please wait a moment….”
“Huh?”
I stopped and whispered into the ear of the dolphin doll in my hand.
“Dolly… please help me….”
Of course, no reply came.
But I heard it in my heart.
The words promising to lend me the strength of a dolphin’s strong heart.
And the message to go forth and fight.
“Alright!”
My young body gained courage.
Thank you, Dolly….
Clutching Dolly tightly, I ran ahead and stopped in front of a snack shop.
I bowed deeply at 90 degrees and greeted them.
“Hello~ I’m Kang Jiwoo~ Please vote for number 5~ Thank you~”
“So, you’re that elementary school kid? You’re so cute. Want to eat something?”
Eating on camera is a serious matter.
My small body was a bit of a disadvantage.
I wouldn’t be able to eat much, but I decided to eat as heartily as possible….
“Um… can I eat this…?”
I pointed to one item on display.
Its crispy golden exterior and large potato chunks sticking out here and there.
“You want a potato hot dog?”
“Potato hot dog…?”
“Yes, this is a potato hot dog.”
The enticing smell of fried food emanated violently from the potato hot dog.
“I’ll make it delicious for you.”
“Wow… okay….”
For some reason, I couldn’t take my eyes off the hot dog.
It must have been quite tempting to my young eyes.
The snack shop owner coated the hot dog in sugar and evenly drizzled ketchup and honey mustard sauce over it.
“Here you go.”
Oh, but I’m not a fan of fried food.
And it’s covered in sugar and sauce on top of that….
When was the last time I bought something like this with my own money? I can’t even remember.
But what choice do I have?
I’m a presidential candidate.
A presidential candidate can’t afford to dislike food.
If someone were selling surströmming on the street, I’d have to eat it.
“Thank you for the food….”
I opened my mouth wide.
“Huh…?”
But the hot dog was too big to fit easily.
“Wait, is my mouth too small or something?
Well, whatever.
‘Waaah…!’
As I opened my mouth as wide as I could and took a big bite,
Crunch!
‘1.’
Suddenly, the world stopped.
The vendor who gave me the hot dog, Han Seoyoung holding my hand,
the camera filming me, even the pleasant breeze,
everything froze.
The surroundings turned black and white.
Only I, and the steaming potato hot dog, retained our colors and remained alive and moving.
I took another bite,
this time focusing more on the flavor.
Crunch!
My teeth sank into the crispy exterior.
A burst of savory oil oozed out like juice.
Immediately following came the trio of sugar, ketchup, and mustard — the “legendary flavors gang.”
They picked up bats and mercilessly pounded on the taste buds on my tongue.
The flavor was so intense, so violent,
I could only describe it as an assault!
Just as I was about to surrender,
the sauce trio politely stepped back.
In their place, the fluffy potato, the sweet bread, and the salty sausage filled my mouth with their flavors.
“Candidate, are you okay? What’s with that expression?”
“…”
Before I knew it, the world had returned to normal.
Everything was moving again.
I felt relieved, realizing that meeting this hot dog wasn’t just a dream.
“This hot dog is sooo delicious…!”
I was ecstatic!
To think I’ve discovered something called a hot dog!
To have been born into a world where hot dogs exist!!
I was so overjoyed I couldn’t help but jump up and down!!!
“How delicious is it?”
“It’s so delicious! Truly, it’s so delicious!!”
“Delicious enough to make you want to jump?”
“Yes! It’s the most delicious thing in the world!!”
The street food vendor laughed heartily at my words!
I laughed too, feeling so happy!
Jumping with my hot dog in hand!
Laughing as I bounced around wildly!
Han Seoyoung looked at Kang Jiwoo and tried hard to suppress a motherly smile.
‘Seriously, she’s too adorable!’
Kang Jiwoo, visibly thrilled,
was completely distracted from her campaign or anything else.
She seemed like she had gained the world
just from eating a single hot dog.
Her pure delight was so adorable,
“Aww, look at her.”
“She’s jumping up and down with excitement!”
“How can someone be that cute? She’s like an angel sent from heaven.”
It wasn’t just Han Seoyoung.
Everyone around her was grinning ear to ear,
their eyes fixated on Kang Jiwoo.
That’s when it happened.
While Kang Jiwoo was bouncing around,
“Ahh!?”
she tripped over a stone and fell.
Thud!
“Candidate! Are you okay?!”
Han Seoyoung immediately ran over to check on her.
Fortunately, Kang Jiwoo got up without any serious injuries.
She didn’t seem to be hurt badly.
But then her gaze fell on the dropped hot dog…
“Ugh… Uuuu…”
Her eyes welled up with tears, and she began to sob.
“My… my hot dog… Hot dog…”
Han Seoyoung tried to console her.
“It’s okay. Mistakes happen. Don’t worry.”
But Kang Jiwoo couldn’t hold back her emotions.
With the saddest expression in the world, she let her tears fall as she said,
“Sniff… Potato hot dogs are the most delicious thing in the world… Sniff… But I messed up, and I dropped it…”
At that moment,
every vendor, passerby, and even the campaign staff instinctively reached for their wallets.
‘We need to buy her a new one!!’
The compulsion to place “the most delicious thing in the world” back into her hands
took hold of everyone around her.
It was the moment a new era of political “mukbang” began.