The Han Kuo-yu Phenomenon, KMT’s Bold Change?

 The Han Kuo-yu Phenomenon, KMT’s Bold Change?

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

May 31, 2018

 Translation of an Excerpt

According to the latest election campaign polls, in Kaohsiung, a “monolithic” DPP stronghold, Han Kuo-yu's support rating surprisingly caught up to within six percentage points of Chen Chi-mai, the DPP’s official candidate. It could be said that it was a "surprise," but it could also be said that it was "expected."

Han Kuo-yu’s sudden surge in popularity can be explored from three factors, “national”, “local” and “personal.” With regard to national factors, the DPP’s performance record is too poor; the support ratings in the polls for the DPP, Tsai Ing-wen, and Lai Ching-te continue to drop, becoming the box office toxin in the DPP’s election campaigns for county and city chiefs. With respect to local factors, under the long-term DPP administration, Kaohsiung has long lost the halo of Taiwan’s “second-metropolis”; Kaohsiung’s population has already been overtaken by Taichung City, possibly losing a Legislative seat because of the population migration. Han Kuo-yu’s personal traits are unique; he is witty and eloquent, and close to the people. Han Kuo-yu speaks to the point without showing bias; he is fair, accurate, and easy to understand, and hard to rebut.

What Han Kuo-yu has exhibited is not a leader high and above, but a brother who fights together in good and bad times. This blue-collar characteristic is particularly appropriate for Kaohsiung. That is why Han Kuo-yu could, in a very short period of time, have surged within six percentage points differential in Kaohsiung polls, where it was assessed that “even if the DPP had nominated a watermelon, it would get elected,” “anyone who had won the DPP primary would win the election lying down.”

The KMT should learn from Han Kuo-yu's creativity in breaking through an unfavorable greater environment, emulating his combativeness in going to the front line, and his pathos in using his own life progression as nutrients. This is the revelation that Han Kuo-yu has given the KMT.

Attachment : none