BY JOANNE RAE M. RAMIREZ
Smart Philippines announced today that a sequel to the “K-lig” commercial featuring Korean superstars and real-life couple Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin is forthcoming.
Last Feb. 14, Smart delivered a video surprise that sent fans of power couple Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin into total K-lig frenzy. Like a climax to a trilogy that started with Hyun Bin’s “Simple, Smart Ako” TVC last June to Son Ye-jin’s Smart Signature turn, the new Smart 5G campaign just made what seemed “impossible, possible.” The TVC also featured a local band, Ben & Ben, behind the video’s soundtrack and musical scoring, with the song, “Inevitable,” the TVC’s recurring theme.
In a virtual press conference, Smart also presented a pre-taped video of the couple answering questions about the Smart commercial, with Hyun, who reaped awards for his portrayal of Capt. Ri Jeong Hyeok in Crash Landing on You recalling, “The shooting was fun despite the cold weather. I remember it was snowing on the day of the shoot.”
Smart also shared a video of what took place behind the scenes during the commercial — the couple’s first appearance together since they confirmed their relationship last Jan. 1.
“It was a coup,” Smart senior vice president and head for consumer wireless Jane Jimenez Basas said. She said she can also promise that both Hyun and Son, who captured many a heart with their portrayal of a star-crossed couple in Crash Landing on You, will be brought by Smart to the Philippines when it is safe to do so.
“I hope to see you soon,” Son, for her part, confirmed. “Stay healthy until then.”
Basas said bringing the couple together in a TV ad wasn’t originally part of the long-term plan of Smart, but after Hyun made his debut for Smart, the clamor to have Son in her own Smart ad, and then the two of them together, was something Smart simply couldn’t ignore.
“Since we always have the best interest of our customers at heart, you can just imagine how we felt when fans of Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin flooded our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram with requests begging for joined material between the Asian superstars. It may have taken a while but we felt it was worth the wait as the stars align for us to finally launch our new campaign on Valentine’s Day. Like a romantic trilogy, we worked hard behind the scenes to make what seemed impossible, possible,” Basas said.
She said talks with the agencies of both Hyun and Son were in full swing in December, as well as the submission of the storyboard.
And then, like a jackpot, the couple confirmed they were dating on Jan. 1, fueling interest and anticipation in their appearance together. Basas said shooting commenced on Jan. 12, and seeing the pair from the sidelines of the shoot left her, “squealing.”
Basas said she couldn’t help but realize how many things came into place for the TVC, making it “inevitable.”
In an official statement released by Sony Music Phils, lead singer Paolo Benjamin said, “Inevitable is a song that tries to describe the nature of fate, and how all our actions somehow lead us to some better place that is destined for us.”
Just like Capt. Ri and Yoon Se ri, Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin.
