The sweet taste of collaboration
Recently, a particular PPL (paid product placement) in the tvN-Netflix drama Vincenzo went viral, both in Indonesia and Korea — a PPL for the Indonesian coffee candy KOPIKO.
The scene certainly surprised both Korean and Indonesian viewers, with both clamoring for the candy afterwards
Interestingly, sweets has long been a part of the ROK-ASEAN trade exchange.
One of the first Korean company invested in ASEAN was the LOTTE Group.
A Korean-Japanese company, LOTTE started its business as a Japanese company by Shin Kyuk-ho in June 1948 in Tokyo, selling chewing gum. 41 years later, LOTTE expanded into ASEAN by establishing Thai Lotte in 1989, selling their ubiquitous LOTTE Gum and the Koala biscuits. 4 years later, LOTTE built its factory in Indonesia, producing gum and biscuits, now can be found all over Indonesian stores and markets. Personally, I have been seeing and buying their gum since I was small, and I do like their products.
On the ASEAN side, Indonesian foods have been making breakthroughs to the Korean market. Around the same time as the Vincenzo-KOPIKO PPL, another Indonesian snack, ABC Leci and Tango Wafers was seen in a teaser for the SM Entertainment group NCT
NCTzens too, have been extremely hyped over the placement, with some even selling the product from Indonesia to Korean fans.
As proven by these exchanges, food and flavors can be an excellent way of promoting relations between the two regions, by fame, or by business.
