Lee Jung-Jae, Daniel Wu and Sam Hargrave. Two Hollywood actors and a director with global recognition gathered to create a film. It’s none other than “GROUND OF HONOR: RONDO,” a short film produced to market the launch of Rondo, the 10th map in PUBG: Battlegrounds (PUBG). [Link] Directed by Sam Hargrave, the film stars Lee Jung-Jae as the “Beta” who joins the battleground set in Rondo to avenge his brother’s death by the Alpha team. Daniel Wu plays the “Alpha,” determined to ensure the survival of his teammates. The movie revolves around the intense confrontation between those seeking revenge and those striving to safeguard their team. So, how was this viral marketing film created? The Rondo Task Force gave us a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes making of the film.
Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet all of you. Can you introduce yourselves to KRAFTON blog readers?
Jeonggyu Lee: Hello! My name is Jeonggyu Lee, and I am in charge of global marketing at the PUBG marketing team.
Soohyun Hwang: Hello! My name is Soohyun Hwang, and I am handling marketing at the China Business Division.
Jinsug Park: Hello! I am Jinsug Park, and I am responsible for the PUBG operations at GCD (Global Creative Division).
Ukjin Jeong: Hello! I am Ukjin Jeong and I am handling PUBG-related work at the PUBG PM team.
What were your roles in this Rondo film campaign?
Jeonggyu Lee: I think because we ran this campaign as a task force, there were a lot of times when we worked as a team without completely dividing work responsibilities. Still, since my job is marketing, I found myself focusing a bit more on tasks such as agency bidding and selection and providing direction.
Jinsug Park: While working with the agency and director during the production phase, I provided creative input, collaborated on shaping the direction, and assisted in aligning the works with the overall ambiance of PUBG.
Ukjin Jeong: I focused on the background of this campaign and what we were trying to accomplish. Along the way, we set quantitative KPIs or qualitative goals that we were looking at internally.
Soohyun Hwang: This campaign is being actively pushed on the Chinese front as well. I managed the marketing activities in China, taking into account the specific characteristics of Chinese media, and conducted risk assessments to anticipate potential challenges.
How did the idea of shooting a film to promote the new map “Rondo” come about? I’m curious about the initial idea or inspiration that led to the initiation of the film.
Soohyun Hwang: There was a strong consensus for the marketing of Rondo to try something new, different from the approaches we’ve taken in the past. While previous campaigns were focused on the map itself, this time, there were discussions about leveraging celebrities to create more buzz and a bigger ripple effect. Then the talks evolved into the idea of, “What if we film it as a movie if we’re going to use celebrities anyway?” That’s how the idea developed.
Jinsug Park: I think it was actually 50/50 as to whether the idea to shoot a film came first or the idea to use celebrities. Given that Rondo is the largest map ever, there was a significant consideration on how to create a symbolic launch campaign. Within the task force, there was a consensus that we should scale up the campaign compared to our previous approaches. From the perspective of scaling up, we started talking about going beyond games and touching culture. Then we started talking about movies and celebrities, which are examples of culture that fans love, and that’s where the connection was made.
Ukjin Jeong: As a note, the first thing we did when starting this campaign was analyze the map-related promotional campaigns we conducted in the past. During the process, Taego emerged as a key element with many positive evaluations.
By actively leveraging celebrities, we were able to reach a wide range of target audiences that we wouldn’t normally reach. I think that really resonated well with our users, creating a positive impact. Eventually, the idea of celebrities and movies was driven by the idea that we could scale up and do what we were already good at, but at a larger scale..
So, the decision to go with the theme of a movie was made from a scaling-up perspective. How was the selection of the cast for the Rondo film carried out? Were there any challenges or anything special that happened?
Jeonggyu Lee: We prioritized actors with global reach. From that perspective, Lee Jung-Jae, who is a Korean actor but has global recognition from his roles in “Squid Game” and the new Star Wars series, “The Acolyte,” was our top priority for consideration. Just like PUBG started in Korea but became a global IP, we thought there was a parallel with Lee Jung-Jae. Fortunately, the feedback we got was that he was interested in and liked PUBG in the first place, so the process went smoothly.
Soohyun Hwang: We needed an actor with the most favorable image among the Chinese audience and the ability to handle action scenes well. The most suitable actor was Daniel Wu.
Jeonggyu Lee: Oh, I was also impressed by Lee Jung-Jae’s action scenes in the movie “Deliver Us from Evil.” We had confidence that he would be able to handle the action scenes with the quality we wanted. He was also very open to the idea of working with Daniel Wu, so the discussions went smoothly.
Jinsug Park: If I had to pick one thing that was difficult, I think it was the scheduling because they’re Hollywood actors and a global director. Once we got the scheduling right, everything proceeded smoothly without major challenges.
I’d also like to know what it’s like to see Lee Jung-Jae in real life.
Jinsug Park: His aura was just amazing. Of course, his aura on the screen was also incredible, just like it was in person. Since this is an action-oriented movie, we shot with stunt performers. The difference between having a stunt actor and having Lee Jung-Jae in the camera frame was huge. I became a fan because he exceeded my expectations with his exceptional acting (laughs).
Soohyun Hwang: I got the sense that “He is genuinely an actor.” He looks so relaxed when he’s resting, but when the camera starts rolling, his face really changes.
How was it working with Daniel Wu?
Soohyun Hwang: The atmosphere just felt really friendly. During the shoot, whenever there was NG, he would joke around a lot and try to lighten up the atmosphere on set.
Jinsug Park: The word “cool!” just came out naturally. There were a lot of staff members, but he took the time to personally greet and take pictures with each one of them until the end. It was a very hot day, and I remember him smiling without any trace of fatigue. Oh, and he showed a lot of professional qualities as well. Even though he could have worn something lighter and more comfortable, he would make an effort to bring more clothes that fit the concept. For example, I became a fan when I saw him bringing in a scarf or something and actively pushing for it to be more in line with the concept (laughs).
I’m also curious about the process of recruiting director Sam Hargrave and any behind-the-scenes stories. Isn’t he the Hollywood director who recently became famous for the movies Extraction 1 and Extraction 2?
Jinsug Park: Yes. We didn’t choose him simply because he was famous. When we looked at his filmography, we thought that he would be a good fit for the direction of the Rondo film and the action scenes. Within our task force, Sam Hargrave was our top pick for director. However, we were worried that the price tag would be too high and collaboration would be difficult. Nevertheless, our internal needs were incredibly strong (laughs). Fortunately, Sam was amicable, and the negotiations went well. Any other director could have done well, but it’s just hard to imagine anyone achieving such excellent results as Sam did. In fact, before Extraction, Sam was a stunt director, working on Marvel films directed by the Russo brothers. He is a big fan of this genre of film, so he actively provided some creative ideas during post-production. We were truly grateful because many of his ideas were inspired by his genuine love for PUBG.
Also, the cinematographer plays a really important role in the movie. Perhaps because the cinematographer is famous as well, the visual aesthetics turned out exceptionally well. I believe the results turned out great because all of the staff members were well-known in Hollywood and in the field.
How long did the overall production take?
Jinsug Park: I think it took about half a year from the time the task force was formed. Saying that, it seems like we really put in a lot of effort for quite a long time (laughs). In fact, we were only shooting for about three days. Filming an 8-minute movie in just three days is really a short time frame. But because Sam is so seasoned and experienced, we were able to get it done quickly. I remember it ran from 5 in the morning until late at night. Although it was a bit exhausting at the time, looking back on it now, it’s a good memory.
Let’s talk about your thoughts and impressions about the project. What was the most rewarding moment for you during this project?
Jinsug Park: For me, this project, especially from September to December last year, was one of the most challenging periods in my career. We were producing a lot of content. Honestly, I believe there were aspects where we had to pay a bit more attention and put in extra effort in terms of details. I doubt I can achieve results as good as this one even if I go back. I think I’ve pushed the limits of what I can do. As hard as it was, the result was so good that I’m happy with it now (laughs).
Ukjin Jeong: Since this project was executed in the form of a task force, I think each organization had slightly different goals and achievement criteria at first. Therefore, the process of moving forward and aligning to achieve a common goal was essential, and fortunately, I believe it progressed well. I felt like we achieved “One Team, One Dream” (laughs). To sum up, rather than thinking that “We achieved quantitative KPIs” or “It went up by X percent,” I found the most fulfillment when I sensed distinctly positive reactions from users compared to the past, as reflected in comments full of anticipation such as “I’m really looking forward to this season,” “PUBG is changing a lot.”
*Editor’s note: “One Team, One Dream” is a core value at KRAFTON.
Soohyun Hwang: When the Rondo film was first uploaded on Weibo (China’s largest social media platform), I was amazed and felt a great sense of accomplishment seeing the unprecedented number of views. Seeing the views exceed 27 million in just 2-3 days after the launch made me think, “We really did a great job.”
Jeonggyu Lee: When the Rondo film premiered on the domestic PUBG YouTube account, there were over 7,000 people watching it in real-time, and I was really proud when I saw numerous comments praising its quality. And we had the highest daily concurrent user count since we switched to free-to-play in 2022, which was truly amazing (laughs). It felt like the hard work of the past six months was paying off.
Did you become somewhat closer while working together?
Jeonggyu Lee: Yes, as it’s a task force, each member has their own department. Although we had opportunities to collaborate, we didn’t mingle much in that sense. While working on the project, we sweated it out together on the grounds and shared pictures of pets (laughs). That’s how we got to know each other quickly.
Soohyun Hwang: Honestly, if it weren’t for this experience on the grounds, even though we worked together on a task force, I think we might have felt a bit awkward when we met in the office (laughs). But after successfully completing a major campaign, I feel that we have become quite close and comfortable.
Looking back on this campaign, what were the goals that each of you considered most important? Did you achieve them successfully?
Jeonggyu Lee: Considering the campaign’s unprecedented level of investment, the return on investment (ROI) was the most significant goal. When the PM ambitiously set the target, I honestly thought it wouldn’t be easy to achieve it. However, when we actually achieved it, it was truly exhilarating.
Soohyun Hwang: I think it was similar for me. We focused a lot on the views and viewership within China and carried out the campaign carefully, considering potential risks. In conclusion, I am very satisfied. We saw a 600% increase in impressions over the summer campaign. I felt that the results matched the effort we put in.
Ukjin Jeong: One more thing: in 2022, PUBG achieved a big milestone by switching to free-to-play, and our player community became truly diverse. We are getting more new users and more returning users. I believe this campaign was a great opportunity to bring back the diverse range of users that we attracted during that period. For those who have played PUBG in the past, this film served as a nostalgic reminder to stay aware of PUBG and want to play the game again, which helped us achieve our ambitious KPIs.
Do you have any last comments for this interview?
Jeonggyu Lee: Sehyung Oh and Seulbi Lee from PUBG Marketing were the ones who initiated this project. Actually, I think today’s interview should have been reserved for them rather than me (laughs).
Ukjin Jeong: I would like to thank the PUBG developers who played a significant role in carrying out the Rondo campaign. I would also like to thank Su-jin Yoon for the opportunity and Hyukchun and Yoosik for their hard work.
Jinsug Park: Thank you, Jinwoo Yoo, for joining and leading the task force from GCD, and a big shout-out to the incredible members of GCD and BCD who worked hard to create a lot of content for the Rondo campaign.
Soohyun Hwang: Big thanks to everyone for their hard work on the Rondo campaign, especially to Eunji, Chunmae, Junwoo, and Youngsun, who worked tirelessly for the execution in China.
