[series] Rain’s World of Endorsements: SK Telecom’s 1-MM Magic

Cloud cover by: Michele, Staff Writer

These two very short clips really made me work because I had no idea what was going on and no idea what these ads were trying to promote. I knew they had to have something to do with a mobile phone but still was left scratching my head.

When I discovered what these were all about, I thought the concept was really adorable. And it is quite clear at this point who can rock the adorable pretty much all day, every day! Rain is no stranger to the SK endorsement and I am sure I will bring you quite a few more as I continue with the series. Here, Rain was helping SK promote 1-MM Service for their mobile subscribers.

Check out the first one and then I will explain.

So cute…right??? When I first watched this I was like….what?? But get this, SK Telecom’s 1-MM (1-millimeter) service was a mobile interface (or in today’s lingo: app) SK launched which allowed their subscribers to choose a character image for the handset which would communicate via text. The character was able to understand all ungrammatical sentences and would ask if it did not!! It was also able to give directions and act as a search engine for music, weather and other location-based information. SK launched this service in 2005! This was SIRI before SIRI was even born!!!

I re-watched the clip and noticed that the POV was of the character inside the mobile phone who, along with the audience, watches a frantic Rain try to dress, running late for something! I was only able to make out a portion of the message the little guy gives to Rain and it was something to the effect that he needs 1-MM to wake up!

In the next clip, I was able to understand it a little better, I think!

How about Rain on those drums??? Is there anything this man CAN’T do?? Here, the character says to Rain, “Not right?” Rain says yes. The character then asks if he would like to hear the latest joke. Rain says no. So the character suggests a movie and that seems to be the right suggestion!!