MCPURA, Gran Turismo and Grecale among vehicles provided for the production; Italian luxury image tied to lead characters' personas as K-drama partnership aims to broaden brand reach

The Maserati MCPURA Cello super sports car. Maserati Korea is providing three vehicles from its luxury lineup — the MCPURA Cello, Gran Turismo and Grecale — to the SBS Friday-Saturday drama series "Brave New World." [Maserati Korea]
The Maserati MCPURA Cello super sports car. Maserati Korea is providing three vehicles from its luxury lineup — the MCPURA Cello, Gran Turismo and Grecale — to the SBS Friday-Saturday drama series "Brave New World." [Maserati Korea]

Maserati Korea is providing three of its signature vehicles to the SBS Friday-Saturday drama series "Brave New World," where the cars will appear as the primary transportation of key characters, reinforcing their personas and the mood of individual scenes.

The company announced Friday that it is supplying the MCPURA Cello super sports car, the Gran Turismo high-performance GT and the Grecale luxury SUV to the production.

"Brave New World" follows a time-slip romance between an unknown actor possessed by the soul of a Joseon-era villainess and a chaebol heir dubbed a "monster of capitalism." The series airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 p.m. on SBS.

The drama has drawn strong viewership, hitting a peak rating of 10.4 percent in its eighth episode, driven by its distinctive premise, stylish direction and the chemistry between its lead actors. In its opening week, it became the first SBS Friday-Saturday drama series to reach No. 1 on Netflix's weekly "Non-English TV" global top 10, drawing international attention.

The Maserati vehicles appear in key scenes that move between reality and fantasy, each chosen to match the tone of the drama. The MCPURA Cello, with its open-air sensibility and powerful performance, joins the Gran Turismo and Grecale as visual devices that reflect individual characters' personalities and the atmosphere of their scenes.

The MCPURA Cello and the Gran Turismo Trofeo serve as the vehicles of Cha Se-gye, the cold and charismatic chaebol heir. Their bold styling and high-performance image underscore his commanding presence.

The Grecale luxury SUV accompanies Cha Se-gye and Shin Seo-ri on a Jeju travel sequence, conveying an Italian lifestyle sensibility and a refined, unhurried atmosphere.

The all-electric Grecale Folgore appears as the vehicle of Mo Tae-hee, the woman set up as a match for Cha Se-gye, its polished and upscale image reinforcing her character's aura. The Gran Turismo Modena, meanwhile, is assigned to Choi Mun-do, a rival of Cha Se-gye, projecting authority and charisma.

Maserati Korea said the partnership is designed to broaden its reach among drama viewers and communicate the Italian luxury lifestyle the brand stands for in a natural, unforced way. The move reflects a broader trend of automakers expanding vehicle exposure through drama and entertainment content partnerships — and Maserati's bid to capitalize on the global reach of K-dramas.

"We planned this collaboration to bring the Italian luxury lifestyle that Maserati represents closer to audiences through K-drama content, which is growing in influence worldwide," said Gaurav Thapa, head of Maserati Korea. "We will continue to create opportunities for people to experience the brand's unique sensibility naturally in their everyday lives."

Meanwhile, through its "My First Maserati" campaign, Maserati Korea is offering Grecale buyers five years of free warranty coverage and three years of maintenance benefits. The brand has also cut the official price of the Gran Turismo high-performance GT by up to 21 million won (about $13,700), sharpening its competitiveness in the domestic market.


kwater@heraldcorp.com