The one that hit me with the laughs was the Chanel products in Reach of Sincerity. The fact that Lee Dong wook had to keep a straight face while product placing in a mirror seriously was the best thing about that show. He not only did it with the lip balm put also the cologne.

This is what sucks about the Dyson PPL, it is not an affordable one. Those things are moderate to hella expensive and in some cases some characters on shows should not have the latest model of one in their homes. For real.

Toreta water!
Also the jewelry!
I really want the Dyson but not sure I can afford it right now TT

One of the places where they really used the PPL well as a part of the story was in Because this is my first life: where she was a PPL writer and in Alhambra where the PPL was a way for the users to gain points/washroom access lol

The subway PPL in the ‘Ghost Detective’ was quite cool! And so was the Breitling watch in MoTA
If only those Dyson’s didn’t need a giant charging station set up I may have succumbed to it :)

I always hated the Subway PPL, it always felt unnatural and unrealistic. But, the one from Reach of Sincerity was one of the best IMO. Too bad it was once in a lifetime. (I still remember how suffocating it was to see Subway almost every scene in 20th Century Boy and Girl...).

The vacuum, dear vacuum...I want one for myself actually!!! He is Psychometric also showed the main lead vacuuming his own appartment before the female lead arrived.

The skin products for man were memorable for me in Reach of Sincerity, especially the lip balm, too precious!

Anyone noticed the apps used in recent dramas? Digital PPL!!! I think He is Psychometric showed one scene about that.

Ahhh Subway, even if I didn't already find their food disgusting, the sheer amount of it in dramas would have stopped me from going.

Subway PPL doesn't necessarily make me want to eat at Subway, but eating at Subway certainly makes me wish that I was eating kimbap instead (or ramyun, tteokbokki, bibimbap, naengmyeon, kimchijigae, Korean fried chicken, dot dot dot.)

I still cannot wrap my head around the Subway PPL in Wok of Love where the glorious Chinese food cooked by chefs made Subway look exactly as it was, cheap fast food. Worst marketing move.

I appreciated and loved all the PPL featured in the last empress. The show being its ridiculous-self, it did not feel out of place to have such random over the top PPL scenes. It just added to the comedy.

What about the Dyson hair dryer?! I've been wanting one before it started appearing in all the dramas. It didn't help that it was on the screen of every drama I watched. I couldn't afford one for years but having that dryer in every drama I watched made me want it all the more.

My favourite is Royal Hotness coffee PPL in The Last Empress. Loved it! In fact all the PPL in TLE was tailored to suit the over the top story line. It was fun and hilarious to watch. The scenes with the azure bracelet was amazing too, from Sunny giving it to Hyuk, to her bracelet snapping from a single tear drop, to Hyuk running around trying to find his and lastly to Hyuk breaking his bracelet. It serves the storyline in an entertaining way. I nearly bought an azure bracelet recently, I was really tempted. hahahaha 🤣

But for subway, I think Memories of Alhambra deserves a mention. They incorporated it into the game, eat subway to gain health points.

I loved TLE's PPL, especially the Maxim coffee! I've always interested in trying in out since it has been featured several times in My Ajusshi (cause come on, that's the only thing that Ji An consistently eats).

Thanks for this uplifting article - made my day (yes, pathetic, huh). But really, an enjoyable read.
Best drama ppl imo (they need an award category for this): Because This Is My First Life and The Last Empress (kudos to instant coffee packets though it only made me go out and buy Starbucks instant coffee packets). Honorable mention: Subway in Reach of Sincerity, but truthfully I only remember the young kid telling her she reminded him of his grandma (I didn't remember it was Subway until someone above mentioned it).
WORSE drama PPL: Any Subway other than above mentioned. Worse Subway ppl in a specific drama: Big Man (Kang Ji hwan) where Jung So Min was relegated to nothing but a ppl for Subway the entire second half of the drama. She got a job there and had no scenes other than working at Subway. I'll never forgive Big Man for that.

Vacuums are my favorite PPL.

i honestly want to try Quiznos - after watching My father is strange & i'm not a robot.

Out of all of these PPLs, I definitely join the chorus of viewers and say no to Subway. #gross
Maxim coffee had at some point, probably after watching Stranger, been in my Amazon cart for weeks but I ultimately didn't buy it because it was surprisingly pricy for instant coffee.

That tsundere chaebol might be a jerk but I'll bet you a Subway sammich he has an enviable dream closet. K-drama high-end closets always makes my heart race. It's not exactly PPL but definitely aspirational. So what makes me sigh with desire?
• Specialized drawers for watches
• Clothes hung on identical hangers, organized by type, color, and length
• Hanging clothes don't touch
• Folded clothes perfectly stacked

I'm fascinated by the instant coffee PPL in k-dramas. I'm married to a coffee drinker but don't touch the stuff myself. I live in a small city that kind of fetishizes fresh-ground coffee. My office mates have electric gooseneck tea kettles and pour-over coffee stations by their computers. Kuerig once came downtown to give away free coffee makers to people trading in their old machines. The line went for two blocks!

Just when I thought I had got over Hyuk, along comes this brilliant article, and @missvictrix, you're fast becoming my favourite writer on DB, because you keep writing about Hyuk and posting those beautiful pics of him. Ah, the memories make me weep...Hyuk sniffing coffee, inhaling its aroma with closed eyes, Hyuk vacuuming with that silly smile on his face. Hyuk, will I ever forget thee?

I admit I searched Maxim coffee on Amazon, even if I live in a city where fresh coffee is a cult.
One time my aunt saw me having instant coffee (not Maxim), and she looked at me as I was committing a crime!

When I watched Because this is my first life, I was too naive to know about PPL, but I remember the main lead going to work even during his free time to sit on that fabulous chair you wrote about (and at the end, he bought one for his home). And when he gave ginseng drink to Ji-ho while she was busy writing her drama, I found him really cute.

Okay, Possessed. I don't know what vitamin water/energy drink those detectives are always consuming, but they can't seem to do their jobs (e.g. stakeouts, desk work, etc) with cracking open a bottle! Lately I've been seeing that brand of beverage in several other dramas too.

That vacuum is a dream of mine but the cost is just crazy.
When I went to visit Korea I did the massage chair experience and it hurts like hell (ahahahah). Plus I had most of the drinks featured in the dramas...sugar overload but I was a happy beanie.

I've noticed a lot more PPL in variety shows, with the MCs talking about and/or using the products (e.g., bikes, moisturizers, etc.). While it's not a big deal, it is a good reminder that "unscripted" shows actually follow a script.

Is it just me, or is there a suspicious amount of vacuum time in "the return of Superman" as well? Or is my PPL sensor too sensitive?