[DigitalToday reporter Jin-ho Lee] "When you are about to meet another world, you may turn it off for a while."

Actor Han Seok-kyu (한석규) brought back a famous line from an SK Telecom commercial that drew attention 28 years ago.

SKT said on Thursday it launched a new ad, "Now, Time to Meet Another World," timed to Samsung Electronics' release of a new foldable smartphone. The ad is an homage to its 1998 "Speed 011" commercial.

◆ Recreates the 'mountain temple' episode from 28 years ago...brings back a famous scene with the Galaxy Z Fold8

The new ad recreates the concept and cast of the "Speed 011 mountain temple" episode, which drew attention at the time, in a present-day setting. Han, the original lead, returns as the model, tapping into viewers' nostalgia.

As in the earlier commercial, the video opens with Han walking with a monk along a quiet bamboo forest path. The silence is broken by an audio message about pre-order benefits playing from the Galaxy Z Fold8 in Han's hand.

At that moment, the Galaxy Z Fold8 folds its screen and flies off like a butterfly, and the call also disconnects. The scene reinterprets the 1998 commercial, in which a butterfly flew off in surprise at a ringing phone, through the movement of a foldable smartphone. After turning off the phone, Han says in his calm voice, "When you are about to meet another world, you may turn it off for a while," and continues the walk.

The earlier commercial drew wide attention by foregrounding the idea that it is fine to turn off the phone in precious moments, unlike the typical telecom message that service works well anywhere. SKT said the new ad also breaks away from the old mold of telecom ads that list device performance and purchase benefits, and instead naturally weaves in the Galaxy Z Fold8's folding feature.

◆ This time it is, "You may leave it on all night"...a twist that flips the famous line

SKT also released a mockumentary-style ad, "The Emergence of a New Species," in which Han transforms into an explorer, alongside the homage commercial.

It depicts lost smartphones as having actually run away to "SKT Island," described as an optimal habitat for smartphones, before evolving into Galaxy Z Fold8 devices equipped with SKT's "best rate plan" and returning home.

While the previous ad faithfully paid homage to the 1998 original, "The Emergence of a New Species" flips the old famous line to reflect changes in the telecom usage environment. Han explains in a serious narration how smartphones on SKT Island court and evolve like living creatures.

During the exploration, Han grabs a Galaxy Z Fold8 that flies in, and a Netflix screen plays. After a scene in which Han smiles while watching Netflix on the large display, the line appears: "When you meet a new species, you may leave it on all night."

Positive reviews of the ads are also continuing. SKT said the three ads, including "Island Grand Adventure" made exclusively for digital channels, topped 2.78 million views within 1 day of being released on its YouTube channel.

The new Galaxy Z Fold8 ads featuring Han are available on TV and online channels, as well as SKT's official YouTube channel. The TV ads will air through Sept. 15.

Yoon Jae-woong (윤재웅), head of SKT's Product & Brand Division, said, "We did not stop at simply recreating past scenes, but reinterpreted them with a new story and customer value that fit the changes of the times." He added, "For the generation that remembers actor Han Seok-kyu's ads, we wanted to bring back to mind the trust and nostalgia SKT has built up."