Proud Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission as SME Sales Soar

Parasite Lead Actor Choi Woo-shik Stars in Junggi Recruitment Platform Ad
Broadcasting Commission Supports Innovative SME TV and Radio Advertising Project
Han Sang-hyuk: "Pleased to Assist Businesses Despite Being a Regulatory Agency"
Plans to Expand Opportunities to Small Business Owners and Self-Employed from This Year

Advertisement video featuring actor Choi Woo-shik (Source: WantedLab)

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] Choi Woo-shik (playing Kim Ki-woo), the lead actor of 'Parasite,' which won four major awards including Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best International Feature Film at the 2020 Academy Awards, has seen his star rise sharply in the film industry. Last year, he appeared in a TV commercial for Wanted Lab, a small and medium-sized recruitment platform company.

The commercial featured the phrase "Job change these days where the company proposes the interview first," with Choi making a V sign with his two fingers. The response was explosive. Wanted Lab's sales surged by 64.3%, from 3.4 billion KRW (2018) to 9.4 billion KRW (last year), and employment increased by 22 people. While Choi Woo-shik chose to appear in the advertisement for a promising SME, the 'hidden supporter' behind this was the Korea Communications Commission (KCC).

In this regard, Chairman Han Sang-hyuk recently commented at a KCC executive meeting that "the SME TV advertising support policy is a policy that KCC employees can take pride in." The KCC produces and supports broadcast advertisements for SMEs that have technological capabilities but face difficulties due to low recognition and lack of marketing skills. The purpose is to promote SME growth, job creation, and revitalization of the broadcast advertising market.

In fact, the sales of 75 companies that received TV and radio advertising support last year increased by 20.9% compared to the previous year. The sales of 43 companies that participated in TV advertising production support rose by 27.7%, and the sales of 32 companies that received radio advertising production support grew by 8.1%. Exceptionally, some companies saw their sales grow by 700% due to advertising effects, and six companies more than doubled their sales. Employment at the 75 companies that received advertising support increased by 689 people (an average of 9.2 people per company) in just one year. These companies, equipped with technology and services but previously unable to promote due to high advertising costs, increased their profits and employment thanks to KCC support.

Chairman Han Sang-hyuk stated, "This policy is the most meaningful achievement as it helps both SMEs and the broadcasting industry with the same resources," adding, "Since taking office, I have met many business owners, and none of them were optimistic about the future; they only said it was difficult. It is most rewarding to have helped these business owners, even though we are a regulatory agency."

Meanwhile, the KCC, which has been implementing the SME TV and radio advertising support project since 2015, expanded the support target this year to include small business owners (self-employed). Last year, it supported a total of 2.1 billion KRW in broadcast advertising production costs for 75 SMEs. This year, it plans to support 1.7 billion KRW for advertising production costs for 70 SMEs and 1.2 billion KRW for 132 small business owners.