SEOUL – A provincial governor nicknamed after a leading boy-band is surging in South Korean presidential polls following former United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon’s announcement that he would not run in an election that could come within months.

Governor An Hee-jung is seen as a down-to-earth, uncomplicated politician, traits that could serve him well in a nation roiled by December’s impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. If the Constitutional Court upholds the impeachment, an election would be held in 60 days.

“I want to be a president who would put up a basketball hoop in the yard of the Blue House and play basketball with aides,” An, a youthful-looking 51, said in a recent online video interview, referring to the presidential compound.

The image is in contrast to Park, 64, who was perceived as isolated and aloof even before the corruption crisis that was to envelop her presidency erupted late last year.

None of her prospective successors has a commanding lead in polls. But An has scored the biggest increase in ratings since Ban’s undeclared candidacy fizzled in January, vaulting into second place from as far back as fifth less than a month ago.

A Gallup Korea poll issued on Friday showed An closing the gap on fellow Democratic Party member Moon Jae-in, who leads 29 per cent to 19 per cent. Last week, Moon led 32-10. Gallup Korea is not affiliated with US-based Gallup Inc.

Ban was expected to stand on a moderate-to-conservative platform, while An is a Democrat but has positioned himself as a centrist. As two-term governor of South Chungcheong province, the same area Ban is from, he is picking up regional support as well as backing from older voters who tend to lean conservative.

An, who says he was tortured by intelligence agents when jailed as a student activist, has also courted younger voters who have been demoralised over job prospects in a sluggish economy and have been leading weekly rallies for Park’s ouster.

He has appeared on entertainment shows, singing a hit song on one of them. His Instagram postings include a soap opera parody photo and a New Year video message featuring his cat.

Supporters have nicknamed him the “EXO of South Chungcheong,” after a popular K-pop band.

UPHILL RACE

An was an aide to former President Roh Moo-hyun, a liberal, while Moon was Roh’s chief of staff.

To contest the presidency, An would need to beat Moon, a 64-year-old who is more left-leaning, in a primary unless he leaves the Democrats to form a coalition with others, which he has shown no inclination to do.

Still, his centrist positioning could get him support from conservatives who are lacking a clear standard-bearer.

“We need someone to unite our country,” said An supporter Lee Eui-go, who runs a small business on the outskirts of Seoul.

“As a liberal he succeeded in a two-term governorship in a conservative region, which means his ability and sincerity are recognised by the opposition.”

An has stressed the importance of South Korea’s alliance with the United States, respecting an agreement between Seoul and Washington to deploy the THAAD missile defence system that is opposed by China. Moon says the next government should decide on the missile defence.

An also disagrees with Moon’s plan to boost employment by creating more government jobs.

Married with two sons, An has an eventful past.

As a student activist in the 1980s, he was expelled from high school and imprisoned twice during college for opposing the then military dictatorship.

In 2004, An was imprisoned for violating campaign finance law during Roh’s election but was later pardoned by Roh.

He was elected governor of his home province of South Chungcheong in 2010 and re-elected in 2014.

His biggest asset seems to be his ability to connect with voters.

At a recent event hosted by a conservative foundation, not a traditional support base, An drew cameras and fans seeking selfies and handshakes. During his speech, he was interrupted by cheers from a pair of middle-aged women.

“Thank you, ma’am, for the cheers. You are beautiful,” An said, generating laughs.

The world’s most famous mouthless cat (or is it?) knows you have to eat.

There’s now a pop-up Hello Kitty-themed supermarket in Hong Kong, where you can get all sorts of Hello Kitty themed groceries, like sushi, egg rolls, macarons and even soy sauce.

The eponymous cartoon character will also be the store manager for the store, according to the Apple Daily.

The pop-up supermarket will be set up in departmental store chain Yata’s new store in Sai Wan, Hong Kong Island, and will offer around 250 Hello Kitty themed foods, like Hello Kitty pasta, Hello Kitty salad and Hello Kitty apples.

Like most Hello Kitty-themed offerings, everything from the shopping carts to the shopping bags will be infused with elements of the Sanrio character:

Sanrio and Yata are also working together to bring a pop-up van around Hong Kong Island, to distribute popcorn, candy floss and cash vouchers:

The Hello Kitty pop-up supermarket is slated to open on Sunday, and will be open until May this year.

Mashable is the go-to source for tech, digital culture, and entertainment content for its dedicated and influential audience around the world.

People across the country are preparing to welcome the country’s new Supreme Patriarch at his official ordination ceremony today, with a former disciple of Somdet Phra Ariyawongsakhatayan (Ambhorn Ambharo) labelling him the perfect choice to lead Thai Buddhists.

The sacred appointment ceremony for the new Supreme Patriarch will be held today at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha- confirming Somdet Phra Ariyawongsakhatayan, the abbot of Ratchabophit Sathitmahasimaram Temple, as the 20th Supreme Patriarch of the Rattanakosin Era (since 1782).

Itthichai Saewong, a former monk at Ratchabophit Temple under Somdet Phra Ariyawongsakhatayan, said the new Supreme Patriarch was a fit person to lead the religion given he was one of the most austere senior monks in the country and very |humble.

“I am tremendously delighted to hear that my preceptor when I was monk at Ratchabophit Temple was nominated to be the new Supreme Patriarch. I wish I could make it to the official appointment ceremony to be a witness in this historic event,” he said.

Itthichai – a monk at Ratchabophit Temple from July to December last year – said he had opportunities to be close to Somdet Phra Ariyawong-sakhatayan and serve him as a disciple and as such directly experienced his kindness and witnessed his commendable practices as a monk.

“Even though he is a high-ranking senior monk, he is not prideful about his titles and often told others to treat him just like a simple old monk. During his free time, he usually walked around the temple to greet the visitors and teach the other minor monks,” Itthichai said.

“Despite his kind personality, when he teaches the minor monks, he is always very strict about monk rules and often teaches the monks in his control to behave calmly and carefully all the time.It can be seen that the monks at Ratchabophit Temple all have a respectful manner.”

Somdet Phra Ariyawongsakhata-yan was ordained at Wat Ratchabo-phit in 1948 and studied at the temple until he graduated from the sixth (intermediate) level of Pali studies before going to Banaras Hindu University in India to study a master’s degree in history.

He graduated in 1969.

He then headed a Buddhism mission to Australia in 1973 and set up temples in many Australian cities such as Canberra, Melbourne, and Darwin.

He was appointed abbot at Ratchabophit Temple in 2009.

People living around Ratchabophit Temple are obviously delighted that this is the third time since 1782 that an abbot from their temple was named Supreme Patriarch.

That includes Urai Tangsathit-thong, a 64-year-old original member of Wat Ratchabophit community near the temple.

“Our family has lived in this community for more than 40 years and has a good relationship with the temple. Even though we do not know Somdet Phra Ariyawongsakhatayan personally, we do very much respect him and we are very delighted that he is now our Supreme Patriarch,” Urai said.

She said her family planned to attend the confirmation ceremony in Bangkok today if the health of her mother improves.

Another member of the community, 56-year-old Kasemsak Sapthavorn, said: “We are proud that we have a third Supreme Patriarch from our temple. I have not got anything else to say, other than I am very excited to hear this good news,” Kasemsak said.

The government said today’s ordination will follow the same pattern of the last ceremony in 1989 at the Emerald Buddha Temple. The Supreme Patriarch will then return to Ratchabophit Temple.

Workers from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Emerald Buddha Temple have cleaned up the temple and the surrounding areas in preparation for the ceremony.