The Hub of Sparkle!

The Korea Herald has an article today about the “increasing number of businesses [that] are turning to deceased icons to help sell their products” — Classic stars breathe new life into ads.

I don’t watch much television, but caught the Audrey Hepburn ad, which left a very negative impression on me. The article’s author, Lee Joo-hee, awkwardly but accurately calls the trend “definitely an unusual penchant for Confucianism-originated Korea, where those who have passed away are considered sacred and should be left alone.”

I wonder how much was paid to Ms. Hepburn’s estate. I wonder how much cheaper the cost was than contracting a Kim Tae Hee, a Jeon Ji Hyun, or an Lee Hyori.

I wonder how effective such ads would be. Audrey Hepburn‘s image in Asia is ubiquitous, and she may well represent the modern ideal of Asian feminine beauty (a good thing, to be sure, meaning that women here still care about class), but using her image to advertise a cell phone seems crass. Do Koreans agree? At least one does; from the article:

Some observers, however, caution that using famous idols in commercials may prompt a negative image of the companies, especially among long-time fans.

“The commercials did make me better recognize the brand and product, but I was actually offended that the (late stars) were used in the advertisements. It felt like the value of money overrode the honor of the deceased,” said Kim Shi-hyung, a 29-year-old office worker in Seoul.

I, for one, hope this trend dies.

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