Scratch that: Dynasty, Dallas, or the Twilight Zone?

Less than four weeks before the presidential elections, the lame soap opera of Korean politics (see "Dynasty or Dallas?") seems to have reached a new level.

AHN Cheol-soo eventually decided to withdraw his bid ahead of the November 26 deadline, considering the failure of merger talks with MOON Jae-in's team. AHN naturally gave his full support to MOON, and said he would keep working on a reform of the political landscape.

MOON scores an ambiguous win: there was no fight, and both sides can say they where leading in the polls at that stage. Worse: AHN played the role of the uniter, while MOON stubbornly refused all compromise, and it will be difficult for him to reach towards independents after that, even beyond the ranks of bitter AHN's supporters.

In France, following the farcical (and even rigged) elections of the president of conservative party UMP, polls showed that the approval rates of both rivals nose-dived, and twice more for the more than dubious winner.

If MOON fails to be elected, he'll be crucified. And if he wins, he'll have to cope not only with a tougher economic environment, but with a conservative majority at the assembly. And he knows very well what they're capable of as an opposition party: his mentor ROH Moo-hyun was impeached one year into his presidency.

This gridlock within "liberal" ranks speak volumes about the daunting task MOON Jae-in faces for this election and beyond. He'll probably switch back to the easiest path: the "Anything-But-Park-Geun-Hye" argument.

I bet AHN Cheol-soo feels relieved to get some distance from the nuthouse. Even if he's called a coward, he doesn't have many deep wounds to lick.

Today, his lyrical homepage tells it all: the candlestick vigilante looks ahead with hope, and in the background Rhydian Roberts sings "The Impossible Dream":

Meanwhile, we're back to the Twilight Zone of Korean politics: weird and scary black and white series, and a world vision from the fifties. 

Only difference? The scenario sucks, and there's a total lack of humor.

Seoul Village 2012
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