A fresh breeze has been blowing through downtown Busan and its college neighborhoods. With the June 3 local election approaching, 38-year-old Reform New Party mayoral hopeful Jeong Ihan is attracting attention for upending conventional politics.
Jeong walks the streets in a suit, carrying only a microphone and no aides.
On campus, when he encounters students, he often thrusts the mic into their hands without warning and asks brief, off-the-cuff questions.
\"Do you know there's a local election coming? Do you happen to know who I am?\"
At first, people register surprise, but his easy charm quickly shifts the mood.
When a student stared at his jacket, he asked, \"Can you guess my name?\" The student answered, \"Jeong Ihan!\" He laughed and repeatedly said, \"Thank you!\"
When a student recently mistook the current Busan mayor's name for Park Soo-young, Jeong looked at the camera and joked, \"Representative Park Soo-young, are you watching?\"
He defused an awkward moment with humor and left the crowd smiling.
There is a reason he emphasizes humor and direct engagement.
He argues that politics should not be a wearying clash between camps; it should invite citizens to participate and serve as a forum for conversation.
For Busan residents tired of the stale two-party system, his approach feels like a fresh alternative.
A local political insider in Busan said, \"While established politicians have drifted away from voters by getting lost in grand narratives, Jeong meets people at their level and breaks down political barriers. His charm and wit could slowly change Busan's political culture.\"
Jeong served as the Reform New Party's national spokesperson. He has already registered as a candidate and opened a campaign office.
Party leader Lee Jun-seok personally visited and pledged support, saying Jeong \"could be the starting point for change in Busan.\"
Jeong has benchmarked the surge of a young politician in the New York mayoral race and emphasizes a \"young leader\" narrative.
\"If Busan is to leap forward in the AI and digital era, we need a younger leader who understands these dynamics,\" he says.
Recent polls show the Reform New Party's support in Busan at about twice the national average, suggesting his appeal to younger and MZ-generation voters is paying off.
Amid internal tensions within the People Power Party, some conservative supporters appear ready to explore new options.
Of course, many variables remain before the main election.
Those include the outcome of the People Power Party primary—where Rep. Joo Jin-woo is generating momentum—the debate over unifying conservative candidates through a \"Korean Series\"-style process, and whether Lee Jun-seok and Jeong Ihan can sustain this unconventional campaign.
One thing is clear.
Whenever the 38-year-old walks Busan's streets with a microphone, passersby chuckle, take out their phones, and start recording. They are rediscovering a small spark of interest—and even some fun—in politics.
It underscores the point that people did not drift away because politics is inherently dull; rather, politics had only offered dull options.
Voters will be watching to see what change this young challenger brings to Busan politics.
