Hyun Bin Returns to TV with New K2 and Samsung CFs

So Hyun Bin has been back from military service for almost two months now and he’s still relatively low key about kick-starting his entertainment career. If there is anyone who can afford to be selective, it’s Hyun Bin. He also can pick a few of the gazillion CFs wanting him and rake in the money while the right acting project comes along. He left for the military on such a high note right after Secret Garden that his endorsement deals have mostly been chomping at the bit for his return. January came two different CFs which created a how-to guide in using Binnie properly, and conversely failing massively in using him as a spokesperson. The screencap above is from Binnie’s latest CF for outdoor sportswear brand K2. I don’t know why Korea has so many outdoor brands when by and large its not exactly the most active population out running, jogging, hiking, or biking to the extent that there is a surfeit of outdoor brands (Eider, Kolon Sport). A CNN report claims that outdoor clothing is now Korea’s luxury brand craving, which is all fine and dandy if the buyer actually partakes of the activity the clothing is indeed for. Back to Binnie, who was a K2 spokesperson before he enlisted and is back being one again. The short CF below is absolutely riveting, not showing any particular product unless you consider Binnie something one can buy at K2. It’s in close up with the heightened mood of intensity, and an even a random yet effective owl to break out the visual flow. It makes me think “whatever he’s selling, it’s sexy as all out and I must have it.” Kudos K2. Conversely Samsung also brought back Binnie to shill for its line of Smart TVs and the one-minute long CF should be a case study on how to waste the hottest spokesperson ever to cameo for 2 seconds at the very end. I watched it initially wondering why Binnie wasn’t showing up yet, morphing into frustration and annoyance until I was ready to punch a hole in my screen when Binnie finally appeared with a smile and a wink and then was gone. Just like that. Yeah, he did narrate the CF but that’s no consolation. Samsung has officially pulled a bait-and-switch on me. In conclusion, go watch the K2 CF for your Binnie fix ASAP.

Hyun Bin for K2:

Hyun Bin for Samsung:


Comments

Hyun Bin Returns to TV with New K2 and Samsung CFs — 25 Comments

  1. awesome!! I’m so looking forward to Hyun bin’s next project but it’s nice to see him before that… though that samsung cf is really bad at maximizing Binnie’s star power.

  2. I would watch Binnie reading the phone book, no secret here. That said, those ads are disappointing in my opinion. His old CFs were more inspired…
    I thought he would jump on work once outside the army but I was wrong. Surely he is right in waiting for the good script. It’s not like there is many awesome drama projects lately. Word in the street is than Kim Eun Sook’s new script would be ready for Spring. It’s just wishful thinking but… I would SO love them to work together again. *Crossing fingers*.

  3. HOMG.

    HOMG.

    SO.

    MUCH.

    SWOON.

    (but seriously, Samsung, WTF is up with that CF? Please fire the exec who thought we’d rather watch a freaking VAN for 60 seconds than… DIES OF SWOONING.)

  4. Interesting comment about Koreans not exactly the outdoor types. I think that if outdoor gets a following in Korea, that will be the start of casual dressing. I live in a place where we ship the outdoors and people end up wearing casual even for office work. But i think there will be a Korean twist to it — casual like those glittery sweats hyun bin wore for Secret Garden.

    • Koreans do hike a lot. It’s called the “national pastime”. 동산하다! Which is kind of an exaggeration since cards and television and noraebang were invented.

      So “a lot” refers mainly to elderly doing Bugaksan on Sundays in full hiking gear, even though it’s absolutely not needed given the nice trail.
      Hiking gear is a way to show off. You can type “hiking Korea” and look at the pictures 😀

      Many families with young children also hike from time to time. Or students. Hey, it’s cheap, and in Korea there is always a mountain nearby!

      So Koreans do hike a lot, compared to Irishmen. 😀

    • As comment above says, hiking is a weekend pastime for many in korea and they definitely dress the part. I went hiking in korea recently and it was very embarassing- the place was very busy with all the koreans in their fancy gear, and then there was me…in just casual clothes. I felt very out of place!

  5. The first one is just an excuse to see Hyun Bin on screen (granted every CF is that, but this one was pretty bold about it lol). I also feel cheated on the next one.. like I waited for an eternity till he finally showed for 2 sec…

  6. I actually did not mind the Samsung commercial. Maybe because I needed to the time to cool down from the K2 commercial. I think I would have been angrier if I had not known he was in it because I would not have sat through any commercial for that long, but here it was like playing Where’s Waldo, and when he appeared I gasped so loudly, my daughter (listening to music on headphones) looked up to ask me what was wrong. Oh, the power of Binnie’s smile. Don’t you think the United Nations could use some of that?

  7. I will go against the grain and admit I like the Samsung CF. I love the black and white, they used one of the best ELO songs of all time, Binnie has a wonderful voice and he looks great for the brief time we see him. All in all I think it is well done.

  8. if could out and electroniv video out i would
    its binnie but can he just hurry up al the lines ready i nnow know to sam soom, secrect garden

    on my recent trip to korea had my friend in with my binnie sear
    sure enjoyed the nan sam cable car i remember every word

    so off itswatch the ads again its the smile and the dimple ahhhh

  9. so sorry for the messed up message above

    was saying binnie need to stop tormenting us

    but the ads a like being given a drop of water and you are dying of thirst

    i now most of the lines to his dramas and had fun riding the nam san cable car i could hear him in sam soon

    the smile and dimple ahhhhh but serously binnie stop tormenting me

  10. “I don’t know why Korea has so many outdoor brands when by and large its not exactly the most active population out running, jogging, hiking, or biking to the extent that there is a surfeit of outdoor brands (Eider, Kolon Sport). ”

    When I went into hiking in a mountain (well relatively speaking) there were so many people there in professional outdoor clothes and gear (almost everyone had a hiking pole – to me the most useless and unnecessarily expensive gear ever -) that I felt really underdressed in comparison (since it was a rather easy hike)

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