Shamans, Hitler and mutual hatred: South Koreans go to polls in rancorous election

Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power party, waves toward his supporters during a campaign stop in Busan, South Korea. Photograph: Yonhap/EPA

Hitler insults, shamanistic intrigue and some colourful language for good measure. It was always going to be difficult for South Korea to match the vitriol surrounding Park Geun-hye’s dramatic removal from office five years ago over corruption charges for which she would spend more than three years in prison.

But the campaign leading up to Wednesday’s election for the country’s next president has given even Park’s chaotic exit a run for its money.