A promotional poster of JW Pharmaceutical's Frenz Eye Drop with girl group aespaJW PHARMACEUTICAL
From Karina’s purse to Ningning’s makeup bag, Giselle’s desk and Winter’s powder room, the members of girl group aespa all have one thing in common: eye drops.
The scenes are part of a new teaser campaign for JW Pharmaceutical’s Frenz Eye Drop that was recently released on YouTube and Instagram. Instead of explaining the product’s effects, the ad presents eye drops as an everyday must-have necessity.
As traditional pharmaceutical companies expand beyond medicines into beverages and cosmetics, they are changing the way they advertise, turning to K-pop stars familiar to younger consumers and bringing music, merchandise and packaging into their marketing campaigns.
The company also selected aespa to promote its eye makeup remover to chase younger consumers.
“We saw room to expand the market as eye drops have become more like everyday essentials for people in their teens and 20s,” a JW Pharmaceutical representative said. “We plan to develop Frenz into a major brand spanning both eye health and beauty, especially with our previously launched vitamin A candy for eye health and eye makeup cleanser.”
Legacy pharma brands are getting a makeover, too.
Kwangdong Pharmaceutical has selected sibling singer-songwriter duo AKMU as the new models for the company’s iconic vitamin beverage Vita 500.
A promotional poster for Vita 500 vitamin drinks featuring singer-songwriter duo AKMUKWANGDONG PHARMACEUTICAL
GC Biopharma replaced former mixed martial arts fighter and television personality Kim Dong-hyun with former volleyball star Kim Yeon-koung as the model for its pain-relief patch brand, Zenol, which marked its 40th anniversary in August.
“The aim is to broaden our customer base to people in their 20s through 40s who enjoy exercise and outdoor activities,” GC Biopharma said.
Products aimed at younger consumers are increasingly featuring K-pop stars and even virtual models.
Dong-A Pharmaceutical chose four idols from different generations to promote its Eolbaksa energy drink: U-Know Yunho of boy band TVXQ, Minho of boy band SHINee and Eunseok and Wonbin of boy band Riize.
A promotional campaign for Dong-A Pharmaceutical's Eolbaksa energy drink features K-pop artists from different generations. From left: Singer Minho from the boy band SHINee, U-Know Yunho from the boy band TVXQ and Wonbin and Eunseok from the boy band Riize.DONG-A PHARMACEUTICAL
“Eolbaksa was developed from a combination of Bacchus [an energy drink released in 1963], ice and soda, so we brought together artists who represent different generations to create synergy across age groups,” a Dong-A Pharmaceutical representative said.
Hyundai Pharm chose the AI girl group SweeTeez to promote its functional carbonated drink Healthy Oligo Pop.
The format of ads is changing, too.
Kwangdong Pharmaceutical printed 40 messages about love, encouragement and empathy written by AKMU on Vita 500 labels.
Dong-A Pharmaceutical had its K-pop star models remake and perform “We Are” (1993), a popular song by the 1990s male hip-hop duo Deux.
Hyundai Pharm released limited-edition packages for each SweeTeez member. Customers who buy the product can also receive a randomly selected postcard featuring one of the members.
“Just as entertainment agencies give each idol member a distinct character, companies are linking different flavors, scents and product types to individual members to give each version its own personality,” a pharmaceutical industry source said. “Advertising is no longer just about getting consumers to watch. Companies are also trying to extend that experience to how people choose and share products.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
