This is Brand Song Week, where we pick out some of the best songs to come out of K-Pop endorsement deals.
In 2009, LG—still one of today’s premier smartphone makers—partnered with two girl groups from SM Entertainment to launch their new lineup of flagship phones: the next-generation Chocolate.
LG went all-in on the marketing campaign, producing two distinct versions of a brand song to match the aesthetics of the two groups: one for Girls’ Generation, who were riding high on the simplistic, girls-next door vibe of Gee, and one more powerful, faster-tempo version for SM Entertainment’s newest group, f(x), for whom Chocolate Love would be a bit of a pre-debut tease before officially releasing LA chA TA a few months later.
Fans are split on which version is better; some prefer f(x)‘s electronic version, while others are more partial to Girls’ Generation’s more serene, bourgeois take on the melody. I count myself among the latter, because... well... Seohyun looks great. K-Pop doesn’t have to be that deep, folks. Especially when we’re discussing songs produced for the sole purpose of marketing a cell phone.