Filmmakers from South Korea definitely know how to create moving dramas, so it’s not surprising that the latest PS4 ad from the local arm of Sony Interactive Entertainment goes exactly that route.
The video, titled “PlayStation Mini Drama (Family) – Dad’s PlayStation” tells the story of a father and a son.
When the son commutes to Seoul to work, he is concerned about leaving his retired father at home all by himself, spending every day alone.
So he gets a PS4 and hangs a piece of paper with instructions on how to use it on the wall near the TV. “Dad, if you do this, it’s pretty easy,” but his father answers “Can I really use it?” The son reassures him. “I wrote everything you need to do, so please give it a try little by little.” Yet, his father doesn’t appear to be convinced.
After coming back from work, the son asks if his dad tried the console out, but he tells him a bit dejectedly to just take it back. This causes the son to reflect on the fact that his father has spent this whole life like this, quietly, without being overambitious or ever complaining.
He really doesn’t like that, as there is no way for him to really get to know his dad. “What kind of person is he?” He asks himself “I wonder if he’s happy” and what are his memories like.
The scene changes to a video game store and a clerk asks “are you looking for something?” The son answers “this one… it’s easy right?” “Yes, you can set it so it’s easy.” “Oh, thank you.”
Back at home, the son turns on the PS4 and notices that his father has used it. “Dad, are you ok from here?” “Just… I like it here.” the father responds as he finally gets off the couch and joins his son on the floor.
As the game running on the PS4 turns out to be Horizon Zero Dawn, the son thinks that his father’s gameplay was very strange. He wasn’t really progressing in the story, and he didn’t even change his weapons. At some point, he would simply close his eyes and get lost into the background music. Yet he didn’t see that as being weird, it was his father own way of playing, and it was a beginning to finally understanding his father.
You can watch it below. It’s certainly different from the ads we normally see in the west, and it’s a bit reminiscent of Final Fantasy XIV’s “Dad of Light” drama from Japan.
