FOLLOWING THE release of Twenty Five, Twenty One, convenience store shelves were wiped clean of SPC Samlip’s[1] Pokémon bread. After Na Hui-do, the female lead, was shown collecting some stickers enclosed in bread packages, people rushed to get their hands on Pokémon bread to start their own sticker collections. The virality of commercial labels, such as makeup or food brands, that appear in short clips lasting only a few seconds on screen has evolved into a lasting trend. Just a split second of screen time is enough to trigger our impulsive curiosity to look up these products and purchase them; sooner or later, these brands make their way into our everyday lives, dominating search engines and storefronts. K-dramas’ successful use of products is now taking over our daily conversations and wallets. Capitalizing on the audience’s yearning to share a close connection with their favorite character, K-dramas are actively using sponsored products and, in return, receiving even more sponsorship investments, promising a sustainable cycle of viral trends.

[1] SPC Samlip: A food company based in South Korea