While Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's first female president, nabbed the most international headlines after her historic victory in the country's recent elections, Freddy Lim, frontman for the Taiwanese metal band CHTHONIC also managed to earn a spot in national politics.
Typically known for his long hair and tattoos, the now clean-cut Lim is the first rock star to hold office in Taiwan's legislature, reports Blabbermouth. The singer will represent Taipei's 5th District after beating out Kuomintang incumbent Lin Yu-fang by over 6,000 votes.
A long-time activist, Lim belongs to the newly founded New Power Party (NPP), a leading pro-democracy youth movement in Taiwan which emerged from the previous year's Sunflower student movement, of which Lim was a major part. The New Power Party advocates for universal human rights as well as civil and political liberties and national sovereignty.
While NPP is still fairly young, it's certainly resonating with young Taiwanese; NPP has already risen to become the third largest party on the island.
“From my point of view, Taiwan should become a 'normal country' step by step,” Lim told reporters after a campaign rally on Thursday.
“Taiwan will only be able to safeguard its freedom and democracy after becoming a normal country.”
You can check out Lim on stage in the video below:
[Photo via MetalShip]
