Thought It Was a Disaster Movie... What Is the Government Promo Video That Hit 8 Million Views?

Government's "Everyone's Card" Promo Video Draws Buzz

AI-Generated Twist Resonates with Netizens

Seoul's Climate Companion Card Transition Begins in September

The government’s promotional video for 'Everyone's Card,' featuring disaster movie-like scenes, is becoming a hot topic.

'Modu's Card' Government Promotional Video. YouTube

The official YouTube channel of the Government of the Republic of Korea posted a video last month titled 'Take public transportation every day? Now, get even more back!' The video has surpassed 8 million views and 1,800 comments in just over a month since its upload, quickly spreading online. Netizens responded with comments such as, "I thought it was a disaster movie trailer," "I can't believe a government promo can be this interesting," and "Excellent use of AI."

"The spread is too fast,"—Disaster Movie Scenario Draws Attention

'Modu Card' Government Promotional Video. YouTube

This AI-generated video opens with a scene of a massive object floating in the sky. As characters gaze up at the object that appears among storm clouds, urgent lines of dialogue follow. One citizen dashes down a subway staircase, exclaiming, "I just need to top up one more time!" In a situation room, someone says, "The spread is too fast." Meanwhile, a group of female students whispers, "It's a bit different in our town."

Midway through, a woman says, "Haven't you figured it out yet? All the calculations are done," flipping the narrative. The true identity of the object looming in the sky is revealed to be the transit card 'Everyone's Card.' The earlier dialogue, "I just need to top up one more time!" refers to meeting the monthly spending requirement to qualify for a rebate. "The spread is too fast" alludes to the rapidly increasing number of users. "It's a bit different in our town" points to the structure where the base payment varies by residential area, and "All the calculations are done" highlights the automatic calculation function that applies the most advantageous rebate method.

K-Pass Upgrade: Full Rebate Once Threshold Is Exceeded

Everyone's Card was launched by revising the 'K-Pass' public transportation fare rebate program first introduced in May 2024, and it has been in operation since January 1 of this year. While the original K-Pass provided a flat rate rebate of 20 to 53.3 percent based on usage, Everyone's Card gives a full refund for any amount spent above the monthly threshold. By paying just the base amount, one can use public transportation virtually unlimited within that month.

The threshold amount varies by residential region (metropolitan area, general local area, preferred support area, special support area), user category (general, youth, senior), number of children, and whether the user is in a low-income group. For a standard metropolitan area user, the monthly threshold is 62,000 won, and for youth (aged 19 to 34), it is 55,000 won. The 'Plus' version, which includes transportation modes costing 3,000 won or more per trip (including transfers), has a base amount of 90,000 won for metropolitan youth. The government temporarily reduced the threshold amount by 50 percent from April to September of this year. As a result, the base amount for standard metropolitan users decreased from 62,000 won to 30,000 won.

According to the Metropolitan Transport Commission of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the number of Everyone's Card subscribers surpassed 6 million as of July 29. On September 1, the Seoul Metropolitan Government introduced the 'Climate Companion Pass,' which combines the Climate Companion Card and Everyone's Card; the existing Climate Companion Card will be discontinued at the end of this month. The Climate Companion Pass can be used on lines such as the Shinbundang Line, metropolitan express buses, and GTX, as well as in other regions, and youth benefits now apply to users up to 39 years old.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.