TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — This wild election campaign rally advertisement for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) showing the whimsical side of Taiwanese society appeared on Facebook on Wednesday (Jan. 8).
The advertisement was posted on the Facebook page of death metal band frontman-turned-politician Freddy Lim (林昶佐) on Wednesday.
The flamboyant ad, titled "Night of Unity," features cosplayer-turned DPP legislative candidate Lai Yu-pin (賴品妤) with a bright red wig and dressed like Asuka Langley Soryu from classic anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. Fellow DPP legislative candidate Lim can be seen on her right with black war paint on his face and donning a costume of the Marvel Comics character Deadpool.
In the center of it all is President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) wearing pink cat ears on her head, presumably in honor of her two pet cats Think Think and Ah Tsai. She has a broad grin on her face and is tightly clenching her fist.
The venue of the event, which was held on Thursday (Jan. 9). at 7 p.m., was Longshan Temple in Taipei's historic Wanhua District. Since its publication on Wednesday, the ad has received 12,000 likes, 488 shares, and 258 comments.
The frenzied ad has drawn colorful comments:
"Tsai Ing-wen's frozen garlic poster looks really good." "Frozen garlic" in Mandarin is a play on words because it sounds like the Taiwanese Hokkien pronunciation of the phrase "to get elected" (當選).
"With ears, there is even more joy." The commenter is referring to Tsai's wearing of cat ears.
"I had expected him to be Johannes Krauser II. I never thought it would be Deadpool." Johannes Krauser II is a demonic character from the Japanese manga "Detroit Metal City."
Campaign rally ad. (Freddy Lim Facebook photo)