Chloe Ko’s AdFest 2025 journey
Chloe Ko, Korean Executive Producer and Founder of Kbox as well as Co-Founder of m25, sat on the Film Craft Lotus and New Director Lotus sections of AdFest 2025 in Pattaya, Thailand. Ko’s experience comes from many Korean agencies including TBWA/MAL and Innocean. She now works with Korean celebrities and produces commercial content for regional clients throughout Asia. Here is a run down of her experience judging.
It is always great fun to sit down with people from different backgrounds and perspectives. Judging these categories at AdFest allowed me to do just that, especially as I interacted with actively working directors and producers from various cities. We reviewed all entries remotely, and each jury member shortlisted their own favorites before arriving at AdFest. For the “Fabulous Five,” we began with 26 scripts and selected only five based solely on the strength of the writing. Those five scripts were then produced into short films, and watching them together was particularly exciting—I had imagined my own version of each script, and seeing how they were shot was inspiring.
Discussing the films as a group was a very different experience from watching them alone. We exchanged diverse perspectives and uncovered hidden details that I had missed initially. One such piece was Steadfast Arm’s Deal by Steadfast Stationary. It was a well-structured film with excellent production design, and its concept was perfectly tailored to feature the paper shredder product. The tagline, “They’ll never put the story back together,” was both witty and fitting. I learned that, due to a limited budget, the team had to shoot overnight immediately after another session with the same talents, they did an amazing job.
Another memorable work was From Now On and Forever by Kandenko. This piece was created entirely using the visual language of human hands. My impression was that this is something uniquely crafted by Japanese creators. The film conveyed the company’s foundation in a simple yet impactful way and appeared to be shot, or made to look as if it were shot in one continuous take.
In the Special Effects category, My Wear by Green Baton captured our attention. It was well-shot, and the story seamlessly flowed with the music. The overall tone was warm, and the casting was well-suited to the narrative. Additionally, we watched two films featuring tennis players. One, Don’t Be Fine With It by Pepperstone, featured John McEnroe in a concept that connected well with an approachable budget. The other, Call of the Kings by Riyadh Season, showcased top tennis players Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune, and Jannick Sinner, highlighting each player’s distinct style with impressive set and wardrobe designs and high-budget CGI work. Comparing the two was interesting; their approaches to celebrity and budget were completely different, but delivered their message with class.
As jurors—producers and directors on the front lines of production—we looked closely at the entire process behind each piece. What was an amazing part of judging process was our collective effort to peel back the layers of each project, from the initial script to the final on-screen magic. We asked each other many questions: What was the brief? Had the casting been decided by the client? What challenges did the directors face? Were the entries more focused on production design or special effects? How did they manage to achieve their vision within the given budget? And why did some opt to submit for the script category even when their production design was outstanding? Each work had its own story, both visible and hidden, and it was our role to consider all aspects before making our judgments. Yet, we also kept in mind the impact on the public and the results once the films were on air. Great films not only meet a brief but also resonate deeply with their audience and that every project is a culmination of many untold stories.
With my agency background and also production experience, judging at AdFest gave me double the inspiration. I imagined myself as one of the creative and also one of the producer, which also connect the role I do between the celebrities and the brand. There always are some conflicts and different goals and it is intense to mediate in the middle but none of our work is only for yourself. The more you understand each other’s perspective, your work process will be smoother and the better outcome will be there at the end of the day.