Korean Job Discussion Forums

mack4289 · Joined: 06 Dec 2006

My vote goes to the James Dean commercial. Do you think James Dean's family has any idea he's shilling for Kia?

If anyone hasn't seen it, James Dean, or at least the version of him cut out from the poster that shows up in expat bars around the world, passes by this Korean guy. At first the Korean guy looks a little hostile, like maybe he doesn't appreciate the way James Dean is squinting at him, and there's a moment where he's giving James Dean the evil eye, but he soon brightens up when James Dean apparently gives him the keys to a Kia. He moves on down the road to get in his Kia, and James Dean only shows up again when the Korean guy sees him in his rearview mirror. At the end, the Korean guy now seems throughly satisfied with the car, himself, and his interaction with a long-dead American movie star. All this takes place in some vaguely Old-Worldish place, to the strains of an electronic remix of an old blues song.

As an aside, I think a cool conversational activity with an advanced class would be to could capture a few of the really inexplicable ones on DVD and have the students try to make up stories for them.

xtchr · Joined: 23 Nov 2004

Haven't seen it myself (can't bear Korean TV at all), but agree that it sounds absurd, especially when you consider that James Dean died in a car crash.

VirginIslander · Joined: 24 May 2006 Location: Busan

How many commericials are there to choose from? Seven?

Newbie · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

I've only ever seen the ending so I'm not sure of the whole story but I think it's an anti-FTA commercial:

Traditional Korean warriors storm over the USA on horseback.

Merlyn · Joined: 08 Dec 2004 Location: Korea

mack4289 · Joined: 06 Dec 2006

Pak Yu Man · Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Location: The Ida galaxy

The ones I hate right now are

The "Hyundai Prime Capital Loan" and the "Hi-car Direct" one.

Captain Courageous · Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Location: Bundang and loving it

^
Oh, God, I've been here for two weeks and those two are already burning holes in my brain.

gsxr750r · Joined: 29 Jan 2007

I don't mind JJH crawling up the wall, though.

You're seeing all of these on Super Action, by the way. Also OCN.

The James Dean one is probably some big rip-off. I wonder.

What about the one with the little dark-skinned Korean kid for SM5?

"Kibbun-ee josumnida... KIBBUN-EE JOSUMNIDA!"

"I'm feeling good. I'm feeling GOOD!"

Yeah, we heard you the first time, you little shit.

oneofthesarahs · Joined: 05 Nov 2006 Location: Sacheon City

I love the car commercial with that adorable little moppet who gives out toys to his friends on the bus. That kid is the cutest damn thing I have ever seen.

gsxr750r · Joined: 29 Jan 2007

That's HIM!

He may look adorable now, but in 20 years, he'll be 30 and groping 18 year-olds in room salons, just like the rest of 'em. Laughing

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 11:09 pm Post subject:

The World Cup commercial where no one in the commercial is Korean (they're all big noses...I don't even think the locations are in Korea at all, either), yet everyone is flying the Taegukkii and wearing Korean soccer jerseys. Dae Han Min Guk!

Please! Rolling Eyes

flakfizer · Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 11:23 pm Post subject:

Drew345 · Joined: 24 May 2005

It's not a TV commercial, but one I see on the bus and subway. It is for Glucosamine (anti-arthritis) and shows a bunch of Ajumas out standing waste deep in mud shovelling the mud. It makes me think, just who is going to identify with this? Next time you need to shovel mud waste deep, use glucosamine? What a strange ad. (Though I do take Glucosamine).

SeoulShakin · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

How about the one for the newest, most fashionable piece of exercise equipment ever.... "the saddle".