Hyundai Motor Company x Lee Chan-hyuk's 'We Wish' Commercial Behind the Scenes: OST, Filming Location, NGs, and Costumes Revealed

Hyundai Motor Company x Lee Chan-hyuk's 'We Wish' Commercial Behind the Scenes: OST, Filming Location, NGs, and Costumes Revealed

Hyundai Motor Company's "We Wish" (The Snowish Man OST) campaign garnered significant attention for combining singer Lee Chan-hyuk's soulful vocals with the brand's lyrical image. This post focuses on the behind-the-scenes stories viewers might be curious about, focusing on key elements of the commercial: background music (BGM) selection and editing, filming locations and set composition, NGs and rehearsal processes, costume and styling details, filming anecdotes, and filming and post-production techniques. We also provide keyword placement, meta descriptions, and image ALT suggestions for blog SEO.

Background Music (BGM): The Meaning of "We Wish" in the Commercial

As the title of this commercial is the OST song itself, music is central to the advertising message. "We Wish" has been edited and remixed to fit the video format of the commercial, while preserving the original song's emotional melody and the warmth of its lyrics. The music director focused on mid- and low-frequency strings and piano to emphasize Lee Chan-hyuk's vocal tone, adding a small amount of gentle percussion in the latter half to naturally connect the emotional flow with each video transition. During the editing process, the camera cuts and vocal breathing were synchronized to the beat, repeatedly aligning the breaks and rises of the music with important visual climaxes (car silhouettes, facial expression changes, etc.).

Filming Locations and Sets: Combining Urban Lyricism with a Modern Sensibility

Filming took place on both indoor studio sets and urban locations. The interior scenes were shot on a dedicated set that highlighted Hyundai's luxurious interior and vehicle details. The outdoor scenes were shot on location against the backdrop of the city's nightscape and impressive architecture, adding spatial depth and realism to the video. The set designer considered the vehicle's lines and lighting color temperature to create an overall tone of calming gray and navy. He added warm interior lighting to bring the characters' expressions and the textures of the car's interior to life simultaneously.

Costume and Styling: Matching the Brand Tone with Understated Elegance

The costume team chose a minimalist and luxurious style to connect Lee Chan-hyuk's everyday image with the emotional message of the advertisement. The neutral tones (cream, beige, and charcoal) were layered with light layers to convey a sense of season and warmth. The materials used were wool, cashmere, and high-density cotton, allowing the texture to stand out even in close-ups. Accessories were kept minimal, keeping the focus on the face, the vehicle, and props (letters, photos, etc.).

NGs and Rehearsals: Room for Naturalness

The director prioritized capturing natural moments over overly choreographed movements. As a result, while ample rehearsals were conducted before filming to ensure the right movement, the actual shoot encouraged impromptu reactions, resulting in more genuine expressions in some NG scenes. In one take, Lee Chan-hyuk paused and smiled instead of saying his lines. This subtle moment impressed the editor so much that it was used as a B-cut. Most NGs stemmed from minor misalignments in prop or camera placement, prompting the crew to quickly adjust and immediately reshoot.

Filming Techniques: Meticulous Direction of Camerawork and Lighting

The camera team primarily used medium and close-ups to capture the characters' emotions, while slow motion and focus racking were utilized in key scenes to capture the emotional impact. For lighting, soft key light with a touch of remover lighting was used to enhance facial expressions, and highlights and reflections were strategically placed to emphasize the lines of the vehicles. For outdoor night shots, the color temperature was adjusted to create a harmonious blend of neon and the metallic colors of the vehicles.

On-Set Episodes: Warm Moments Between the Actors and Crew

On-set, small incidents warmed the atmosphere. During one long shoot, an old piece of stationery provided as a prop had to be replaced. Lee Chan-hyuk's impromptu, emotional reaction made the filming more natural. During breaks, the production team and the music and lighting teams exchanged ideas, offering impromptu suggestions like, "What if we added another note of music?" These suggestions were actually incorporated into sound breakpoints in the post-production. Many on set praised the actor's thoughtfulness and the staff's expertise for enhancing the commercial's quality.

Post-Production: Color Correction, Sound Design, and Completion of Editing

In post-production, the color correction team balanced the characters' skin tones and the vehicle's metallic textures. The sound team enhanced the immersion by adding sound effects and reverberation tailored to the cut transitions while preserving the original song's emotional impact. The editors aligned the scenes around the musical bridges and vocal highlights to enhance the message. They also produced separate versions optimized for TV, digital, and social media, each with their own length and cuts.

Marketing Points: Why This Commercial Worked

First, the casting of Lee Chan-hyuk, with his emotional image, reinforced the brand message of warmth and trust. Second, the film's active use of the original OST organically combined music and visuals, leaving a lasting emotional impact. Third, meticulous directing during filming and post-production naturally connected the brand and product (vehicle), simultaneously eliciting both empathy and interest from consumers.

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