Hyundai ditches cars behind to ride the K-wave

Hyundai Motor Company is tapping into the global rise of Korean culture with its support of K-Everything, a new four-part CNN original series hosted and executive produced by  Korean American actor Daniel Dae Kim, best know for his roles in Lost and Hawaii Five-0.

Premiering on CNN International and streaming on HBO Max, the series explores the forces behind Korea's growing influence across music, film, food and beauty.

For Hyundai, the move marks a shift away from product-focused messaging towards culture-led storytelling, as the automaker looks to strengthen its connection with global audiences through its Korean roots.

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Additionally, the partnership aligns with Hyundai's "Progress for humanity" platform and positions the company alongside a broader narrative about Korea's rise as a global cultural powerhouse.

According to Hyundai, the collaboration reflects the company's own journey from a domestic automaker to a global mobility brand, mirroring Korea's transformation into a major exporter of culture and innovation.

Across four episodes, K-Everything features voices from some of Korea's biggest cultural industries. The music episode includes artists such as Psy, Taeyang and Jeon Somi, while the film episode features Lee Byung-hun and screenwriter Kim Eun-sook.

The food episode spotlights chefs including Corey Lee and Mingoo Kang, while the beauty episode features model Irene Kim and beauty creator Leo J.

"K-Everything marks a significant milestone as we develop a CNN Original Series with our long-standing brand partner HMC for our global audience," said Cathy Ibal, senior vice president, CNN International Commercial.

"We are proud to reach this inaugural moment where K-Everything will showcase the forces behind Korea's cultural rise, tracing how distinct traditions evolved into global phenomena."

The series forms part of Hyundai's broader global campaign with CNN International Commercial and builds on a 22-year partnership between the two companies.

As brands increasingly look beyond traditional advertising, Hyundai's latest move underscores how cultural storytelling is becoming a powerful way to build relevance and emotional resonance with audiences worldwide.

Hyundai's latest content push also reflects its broader efforts to align brand storytelling with social and environmental themes beyond mobility. Earlier this year, the company launched "Forests without names", a global Earth Month campaign spanning South Korea, Argentina and Australia to spotlight underwater "sea forests" and their role in supporting biodiversity and absorbing carbon.

The initiative invited the public to help name a marine ecosystem in Australia and built on Hyundai's wider sustainability efforts, including seaweed restoration projects in Korea and marine waste clean-up programmes across 10 countries.

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