Behind the Scenes of the Korea Gold Exchange Advertisement: Brand Concept and Behind-the-Scenes Filming with Actor Lee Je-hoon
Brand Positioning and Advertisement Concept
Korea Gold Exchange is a brand that promotes "trust" and "professionalism" as its core values, providing consumers with a safe gold trading environment. This advertisement adopted the concept of "Precious Choices in Everyday Life" to intuitively convey this brand identity. Actor Lee Je-hoon, with his mature and dignified image, was chosen as the ideal model to effectively convey the brand's intended sense of trust. The advertising direction focuses on simple and realistic scenes, avoiding over-the-top extravagance, creating a natural understanding of the service as essential for everyday life.
The advertisement's narrative is broadly divided into three parts. First, it highlights the challenges faced by everyday life, such as investing and gifting. Second, it builds trust by showcasing the Korea Gold Exchange's expertise, safety, and transparency. Third, Lee Je-hoon's calm narration and actions establish the legitimacy of the brand choice, naturally leading to a call-to-action. This structure is a complex design that simultaneously aims for emotional resonance and logical persuasion.
Background Music and Sound Design
The background music (BGM) for this commercial is a soothing yet emotionally charged piano melody, blending strings with the right mix of music to emphasize the authenticity and trustworthiness of the message. The music adjusts its intensity to match the scene transitions, reinforcing the point of empathy. Specifically, when Lee Je-hoon begins his narration, the BGM is reduced to emphasize the weight of his words, while when he delivers the service's core messages (safety, transparency, and trust), the strings rise to create an emotional climax.
In terms of sound design, motion and ambient noise were carefully edited to minimize distractions from the message. Subtle metallic sounds, such as the opening and closing of coins and boxes, were not overemphasized, but were appropriately placed to metaphorically express the material properties (weight and value) of gold. The sound director sought to convey the tactile feeling of trust, unseen on screen, through these sounds.
Filming Locations and Location Selection
The commercial's primary filming locations included clean, urban interiors, small cafes, and studio sets reminiscent of sophisticated office spaces. The urban interior scenes were chosen to emphasize everyday life and accessibility, while the lighting maximized natural light to create a sense of realism and intimacy. The set designer created a color palette of gold, cream, and wood tones, creating a balance between "luxury" and "everydayness."
In outdoor and window scenes, softboxes were used to create soft backlighting, highlighting Lee Je-hoon's silhouette and expression. These locations and filming techniques aimed to visually reinforce the emotions the brand sought to convey in each scene: stability, trust, and warmth. Prior to filming, the production team meticulously assessed the changing light and noise conditions at different times during the location scouting phase, enhancing the quality of each scene.
Clothing and Styling Details
Lee Je-hoon's clothing is minimal and classic, reflecting the brand's reliability and professionalism. Colors are chosen primarily in muted tones like navy, charcoal, and cream, creating a stable image without being overly flashy on screen. Natural materials like wool, cotton, and knits are used for the clothing textures to maintain a "human touch."
Props and accessories were also carefully selected. Watches and rings were chosen with clean designs to add a sophisticated feel, while documents and smartphone cases were coordinated with neutral tones that complement the brand's colors for a unified look. Hair and makeup emphasized natural, healthy skin, focusing on highlighting the actor's natural charm without overstyling.
On-Site Stories and NG Moments
During the commercial shoot, there were minor hilarious incidents between the actor and crew. For example, a scene requiring Lee Je-hoon to maintain a pensive expression for a long time resulted in a laughter-inducing NG. However, the production team flexibly utilized this situation to create a more natural emotional flow in the next take. Additionally, a small box used as a prop shifted slightly during filming, altering the composition of the scene. However, the cinematographer's quick response ensured smooth production.
The synergy between the staff and actors was also impressive. Lee Je-hoon closely consulted with the director to express detailed emotions in each scene, and the production team actively incorporated his suggestions, even allowing for improvisation in some cuts. This collaboration played a significant role in enhancing the natural atmosphere and message delivery of the commercial.
Advertisement Message and Consumer Impact
Ultimately, this commercial alleviates the perception that gold trading is complex and difficult, emphasizing that the Korea Gold Exchange is a safe and trustworthy choice. Actor Lee Je-hoon's calm demeanor and genuine narration effectively convey the brand's values (expertise, transparency, and trust) to viewers. Through the commercial, viewers lower their psychological barriers to the service, increasing the likelihood of making an inquiry or visiting the company.
From a marketing perspective, this campaign is designed not only to raise brand awareness but also to foster trust-based conversion. This structure is designed to effectively combine emotional empathy and informational persuasion to increase brand trust while also creating a funnel that leads to actual transactions.