Actor Seong Dong-il's Delightful Parody Extravaganza, Unique Frame Narrative Direction Sparks Interest
Ranked 1st in TV CF Best Creative Category, Praised by Advertising Experts
Screenshot from the KCC commercial "Sung Dong-il trapped in the Infinite Advertising Universe (Feat. KCC Changho)." Photo by KCC
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] KCC's window advertisement "Seong Dong-il trapped in the Infinite Advertising Universe (Feat. KCC Windows)," released on its official YouTube channel on the 10th of last month, has garnered great response with 8 million video views.
In this advertisement, actor Seong Dong-il, known for his flavorful everyday acting across movies and dramas, appears as the model and delivers a delightful parody performance. It gathers all the historically famous commercials that instantly come to mind with just one line of dialogue?boilers, beverages, cosmetics, massage chairs, and more. It is truly a feast of runaway parodies.
Especially, the unique frame-within-frame structure where multiple commercials are continuously connected, combined with Seong Dong-il’s distinctive human touch and comedic acting, provides great entertainment to viewers.
"Did you take drugs to make this ad?"
The reaction from netizens who watched the video has been explosive. Within about a month since the video was released, it surpassed 8 million views and 15,000 likes, with over 1,700 comments.
Comments on the video post include: "I pay for premium to avoid ads, but ironically this ad made me look for it on YouTube because it’s so fun," "After watching this video, I understood superstring theory. The world isn’t made of vibrating tiny strings but of windows," "What kind of drugs did you take to make such a masterpiece ad?" and "The company owner who approved this kind of ad plan deserves praise."
Despite window products being somewhat unfamiliar to consumers uninterested in interior design, the reason for such a hot response is that it accurately captures the tastes and trends of the so-called 'MZ generation.' Among the MZ generation’s humor codes, the word 'Suddenly?' naturally comes out in response to contextless 'drip (ad-lib).'
This ad also repeats the story of
Old commercials featuring iconic lines and scenes like "Honey, we should install a boiler at father-in-law’s house" attract attention. They evoke nostalgia for generations familiar with the original ads.
MZ Generation, an ad that makes you laugh without caring why
As the video progresses, the storyline recklessly rushes forward, putting aside plausibility, allowing even teenagers hearing the line "Your skin is no joke?" for the first time to enjoy it. When it reaches the part "The window that connects the world warmly, KCC Windows (parody of a ramen commercial clich?)," viewers give up trying to find a reason and just laugh.
Additionally, it adds a level of honesty that further captivates the MZ generation. Common reactions like "Did you take drugs to make this?" and "It’s amazing that such an ad plan was approved" stem from a frankness rarely seen in traditional commercials.
Recently, due to controversies over 'hidden ads' among famous YouTubers and influencers, 'front ads'?which openly disclose the advertisement from the start and boldly expose the product to enhance content enjoyment?have become a trend.
In this ad, from the very first scene, it mocks the stereotypical promotional tone with "Who watches ads like that these days? It’s frustrating," then immediately counters with a parody, saying, "With KCC Windows, that frustration will subside and you’ll feel refreshed." Toward the end, it cheekily continues, "Wondering when the ad will end? Then try changing your window," before the ad model finally explodes, saying, "How many times are you going to connect this?"?an honest moment that makes viewers burst out laughing.
'Window,' a medium connecting home and world, inside and outside
The commercial video received praise not only from general netizens but also from advertising experts, ranking 1st in the Best Creative category and 4th overall on 'TVCF,' which publishes domestic and international CF rankings.
Famous marketing YouTuber 'Waldo (WLDO)' named it one of the 'Top 3 Korean Ads of 2020,' and recently, EBS’s popular character 'Pengsoo' released a parody video titled 'Sorry, I’m going to do a front ad' based on the KCC ad, continuing the trend in various content.
Experts generally respond that the continuous connection of parody ads is innovative. It not only draws viewers’ attention by making very different commercials feel seamless but also forms a metaphor that vividly reinforces the copy "KCC Windows connecting the world." Especially, the copy is praised for delivering a warm resonance amid the recently fragmented and rigid social atmosphere.
A KCC advertising representative explained, "In these times of unprecedented pandemic and social distancing, we focused on the idea that the 'window' serves as a medium connecting home and the world, inside and outside. We parodied all the famous past commercials and connected them all. Adding the versatile charm of seasoned actor Seong Dong-il brought great laughter to viewers, and it also aligned well with the recent trend of 'Bucae (sub-character),' where one person diversifies into various characters and performs accordingly."
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