A Few More Words On Commercials: Korea vs. USA

Just a few, I promise.

I've noticed over the years that USA commercials are largely focused on the following products: cars, medicine, food, and getting healthy. That tells me that the typical USA citizen (I'm so down with saying 'USA' because, as not many people always remember, America is more than just the USA...) has a new-ish car, or feels they need a new-ish car, is probably either turning into a hypochondriac or is just well-informed about their medicinal options, and is hungry and most likely fat at the same time.

Just how far is that portrait from me? Well, I would love to have a car, but I don't need one seeing as I don't live in the USA at the moment. However, when I get back, I would love another Nissan Altima or Maxima, possibly even an Infinity coupe. (They are sister companies.) I'm not a hypochondriac, but I am well-informed of the medication that is available to me should I either become one, or feel I need the generic version for a viable reason. I am not hungry at the moment, but I sure wouldn't turn down some American food. And although I am still what some might call 'fat', I have lost 40 lbs in the past seven months (oh yea, that's right! ...more on that in my next blog), and the scale is still on the way down because I'm just awesome like that.

How far is the USA commercial profile from you?

Having seen my fair share of Korean commercials, and having just given my short profile of USA commercials, I feel it only fair to comment on what the outsider might see as the typical Korean profile. Korean commercials are focused on facial beauty products, credit (Hyundai Credit's "il o pal pal o sam sam gong" (1588-5330) phone number lives in my head even when I'm sleeping), living smart, stuff sponsored by Olleh Telecom, and American products like Huggies, Gillete Fusion shaving gel, and Febreeze (feh-buh-di-jey!). This would tell the outsider that the typical Korean person, as portrayed by Korean commercials, cares about their face a lot. Even guys get the facial beauty products. Koreans also get financed through Hyundai Capital when purchasing their Hyundai cars, they live smart through products like smart phones and energy-saving refrigerators, and they use their fair share of imported American products. They also have way too many things sponsored by Olleh Telecom: I think "do do do O-lay!" will be forever etched in the brain of anyone who has ever lived in Korea for any length of time. (It's a catchy jingle, but dude - sometimes it's on one commercial after the next.)

In no way do I mean for this to cause offense to any Koreans, and I hope that it does not. I just mean to compare one culture's television commercials to another, from a not-so-journalistic view. As for the citizens of the USA, you can all fend for yourselves. Freedom of speech, baby.