The King: Eternal Monarch not only increased the popularity and widen the fan base of Lee Min Ho by millions, but also made him the ambassador of BBQ Chicken. An ardent meat-lover himself, the scene where Lee Min Ho relishes chicken fry has reportedly helped BBQ Chicken achieve record sales.
BBQ Chicken is said to be the main sponsor of the drama The King: Eternal Monarch. The writer of the drama Kim Eun Sook is not only known for the gripping story but also for incorporating sponsors into the plot. Reports claim that sales of the chain went up to 550,000 sets of chicken in the month the scene was aired. Min Ho also became the brand ambassador of BBQ Chicken in April.
The drama artistes were seen endorsing many products within the plot. Sometimes this even led to disappointment of viewers who commented that there was too much time given to product endorsement.
From LED Mask to Bubble Tea, TKEM Had it All
If comments were posted criticizing the use of products in the drama, at the same time these products also saw increase in their sales. The show also popularized products including Cellreturn LED mask. Major characters including Lee Min Ho, Jung Eun Chae and even Kim Go Eun were seen using the mask repeatedly in the drama.
Another product that was one of the major sponsors for the series was Taiwanese bubble tea franchise The Alley. This chain was used as a workplace of one of the important characters of the drama, Kim Yong Ji. The Alley also is said to have seen increase in its sales after the chain was shown in the drama .
The King's Shopping Platform
The extensive advertising led to criticism that the drama was the king's shopping platform. Kim Eun Sook, who is being hailed for giving the perfect ending to the drama The King: Eternal Monarch, is known to have incorporated sponsors and brands in her earlier dramas including Song Joong Ki starrer Descendants of the Sun and Lee Bhun Hun starrer Mr Sunshine too.
Kim Eun Sook endorsed a bakery even in the drama Mr Sunshine that is set in the early 1900s. She used fictional Bullanseo Bakery to advertise currently popular Paris Baguette's logo throughout the drama. Ginseng Chicken from Korean fast food restaurant Mom's Touch also found place in the period drama.
Dalkomm Coffee outlet was shown visibly numerous times in one of the most successful and popular Korean dramas Descendants of the Sun.
These endorsements surely increase the sales of the products advertised in the drama, especially when the lead characters are using and consuming them. But do they remain hidden as a small part of a sub-plot or affect the drama's flow, write your opinions in the comments section below.
