Thursday, February 14, 2008

[The Chosun Ilbo, February 14 2008] Dead Celebrities in Spotlight Again

South Korea's TV advertisers are turning their eyes to deceased celebrities as a new marketing strategy.

Hungkuk Ssangyong Fire and Marine Insurance debuted a new ad on Monday that stars the late "Emperor of Comedy" Lee Joo-il. "He was a great comedian, simple and unsophisticated, who could make people laugh and cry. The commercial was designed to appeal to viewers' hearts," the company said.

Chung Ju-young, the late founder and chairman of Hyundai Group, appears in a corporate ad for Hyundai Heavy Industries. The ad, which has been on air since Feb. 6, shows Chung lecturing at ChoongAng University in 1986. "The late chairman was a true pioneer and challenger. We tried to relay that image in our corporate ad," the shipbuilder said.

KTF, the nation's no. 2 wireless operator, attracted attention last year by casting the late Paik Nam-june, the world-renowned video artist, in a commercial for its Show 3G mobile service.

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