The Chosun Ilbo
According to the newspaper "The Chosun Ilbo", the reason for Hyundai's failure in the car market was due to the company's inability to recognize the value of small cars due to parking spaces. For instance, actor Bae Yong-joon was hired to endorse the mid-sized Sonata in Japan to appeal to the mature housewives who watch "Winter Sonata". The marketing campaign backfired, as large sedans are driven primarily by middle-aged men, while housewives prefer compact cars. In addition, the Sonata was priced too similarly to its Japanese rivals, which resulted in poor sales.