Innocean, Hanwha to unveil new-concept SF space films next year

"We are of course planning to submit to international film festivals. And since this is a new model for marketing, we are also considering entering Cannes Lions," said Innocean CEO Kim Jung-ah.

Three short films inspired by Hanwha Group's space solar power project will be released worldwide next year. The science fiction films, set in space, will reflect Hanwha Group's vision and philosophy.

Overall planning and production will be handled by Innocean, a full-service advertising agency, and the Asia Contents & Film Market, Asia's largest content market. Innocean said the project will break from the formulaic copy, product placements and logo exposures typical of conventional corporate advertising.

The goal is not to make "film-like commercials" but to produce genuine films for release in cinemas or on streaming platforms such as Netflix. To that end, Innocean announced the launch of Cinema by Brand, a platform connecting companies with filmmakers.

Innocean CEO Kim Jung-ah unveiled the vision behind Cinema by Brand and its first project at a special session of the 31st Busan International Film Festival's Asia Contents & Film Market, held Monday at Bexco in Busan.

Kim, a 30-year veteran of the advertising industry, made her mark in 2024 with "Bam Naksi" ("Night Fishing"), a 13-minute short film that opened a new chapter in brand content.

Featuring actor Son Suk-ku and the Hyundai Motor Ioniq 5, "Bam Naksi" screened in Korean cinemas for just 1,000 won ($0.72) a ticket and drew 46,000 viewers. It went on to win the Grand Prix — the top prize — at Cannes Lions last year, sending ripples through the advertising world.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the special session Monday, Kim said: "After the success of 'Bam Naksi,' I received so much encouragement from producers and directors that I found myself feeling recklessly brave. After many discussions, we ended up launching Cinema by Brand together with the Busan International Film Festival."

Cinema by Brand has been moving at a rapid pace since July in search of a second "Bam Naksi." It put out a call for 20-minute screenplays centered on Hanwha Group's space solar power project. Despite the short window, 60 submissions arrived from eight countries. Three were selected following a final round of judging earlier this month.

The chosen directors are Hong Eui-jeong, who won the Blue Dragon Film Awards' rookie director prize in 2021 for "Voice of Silence"; Lee Jin-ho; and Edmund Yeo, a Malaysian director. The three plan to release their films to the public next year, each exploring Hanwha's space solar technology and its vision of a sustainable future.

Kim stressed the importance of entertainment value, saying: "People no longer distinguish between advertising and content. Some ads are more entertaining than films, and some films are more boring than ads."

She added that she hoped Cinema by Brand would "break down the boundary between advertising and film and create a new business breakthrough for both the marketing industry and the film industry."

Kim's sights are already set on next year's Busan International Film Festival. "We plan to launch the second call for submissions earlier in order to bring in more brands and creators," she said, adding that the platform may expand into animation and documentary genres.

"Even in this first year, a number of advertisers have shown interest because they can receive ideas from proven film directors," she said. She added that Innocean is considering inviting overseas clients who want to do business in the Korean market next year.

Park Ji-young, executive vice president of Hanwha's Communications Committee, who co-presented at the session, said Hanwha has fewer direct consumer touchpoints than other conglomerates and has long been thinking about how to connect with the public in a more approachable way. "For a company with a large share of B2B business, this can be an experiment — and a chance to gauge the potential for connecting with the public, which is why we have high expectations," she said.