Korean dramas are experiencing an unprecedented surge in foreign product placements, with Netflix's latest series "Genie, Make a Wish" by acclaimed screenwriter Kim Eun-sook breaking what was once considered a streaming platform taboo. The show has sparked industry-wide discussions about blatant product placement integration, marking the end of what many considered a nine-year safety zone for global streaming platforms when it came to obvious brand advertising.
The series disrupted viewer immersion with scenes that deliberately blurred the lines between storytelling and advertising. Industry experts argue that rising production costs and intellectual property monopolies are forcing creators to increasingly rely on brand exposure as a revenue source, with these costs ultimately being passed down to viewers. This shift represents a fundamental change in how Korean entertainment content is financed and produced.
One of the most talked-about aspects of "Genie, Make a Wish" involves an amusing real-world coincidence with telecommunications giant KT's products. Actor Kim Woo-bin, who plays a character inspired by the mythological genie from Aladdin, reportedly had to lower the volume on his KT AI speaker while reading scripts at home. Every time he practiced his line "I'm Genie," his smart speaker – also called Genie – would respond with "Yes?" Adding to this coincidence, his co-star Suzy's character is named Gi Ga-young, which when combined with Kim's character name sounds identical to "Gi-ga-Genie," KT's TV set-top box brand.
Despite the striking name similarities leading many viewers to assume a paid promotional deal, Netflix officials confirmed that the production received no financial compensation from KT whatsoever. Kim Eun-sook reportedly chose her character names independently, suggesting she deliberately played with the blurred boundaries between reality and fiction in what industry observers describe as "a reversal of creativity."
The international appeal of Korean content has attracted foreign advertisers at an unprecedented rate, fundamentally changing the landscape of product placement in K-dramas. Among the ten companies that secured product placement deals in "Genie, Make a Wish," half were foreign brands, including China's Narwal and the United Kingdom's luxury brand Jimmy Choo. Industry insiders report that the share of foreign brands in Korean drama product placements has grown approximately fivefold over the past five years, driven entirely by the global reach and popularity of Korean content.
One of the most striking examples of this trend involves Kopiko, an Indonesian coffee candy that has appeared across multiple hit Korean dramas. The candy has been featured in "Yumi's Cells," "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha," "Little Women," "Mine," "Vincenzo," and several other popular series. Top-tier actors including Kim Go-eun, Kim Seon-ho, and Song Joong-ki have all been filmed eating the same candy brand, often in prominent close-up shots that clearly display the product.
The Kopiko placement strategy represents what industry sources call a "reverse-export advertising strategy," where foreign companies use Korean dramas as global marketing vehicles rather than targeting domestic Korean consumers. When "Vincenzo" aired in 2021 featuring the Indonesian candy, Kopiko products were not even sold in Korean stores. The company was strategically using Korean drama's international popularity to reach overseas audiences who watch K-content worldwide.
However, not all foreign product placements have been well-received by Korean audiences. The 2021 drama "True Beauty" faced criticism for a scene showing high school characters eating Chinese hotpot instant noodles branded by Zhai Guo, despite the product being unavailable in Korean stores at the time. Major convenience store chains CU and GS25 confirmed that these noodles had never been distributed domestically, leading viewers to criticize the unrealistic depiction and accuse producers of prioritizing Chinese advertisers over authentic storytelling.
Industry observers note that while foreign product placements signal the growing global influence and commercial power of Korean content, they also risk creating cultural disconnects and authenticity issues for domestic audiences. This tension between global commercial opportunities and local cultural realities represents one of the key challenges facing the Korean entertainment industry as it continues to expand internationally while maintaining its domestic appeal and cultural authenticity.
