Hyundai Motor Announces Heritage Music Project Ambassador Korean Band Jannabi, ‘pony’ Song and Music Video Release

Hyundai Motor Company today announced a heritage music project with Korean band Jannabi and the release of the collaborative song ‘pony’ and its music video. This builds on the company’s recent brand heritage activities, such as the Pony Coupe Concept restoration and the ‘Pony, the timeless’ exhibition.

The heritage music project with Jannabi aims to go beyond Pony’s legacy as Hyundai Motor’s first independently developed mass-production model by evoking nostalgia for the era (1975-1990) when the Pony brought mobility and freedom of movement to millions of people. Hyundai Motor selected Jannabi as the ambassador for the project because the band is well known for its sentimental style.

"We hope Jannabi's reinterpretation of Hyundai Heritage will help our customers gain a better understanding of our brand's heritage and serve as an opportunity for different generations to look back on their own heritage as well," said Sungwon Jee, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor Company. "Hyundai Motor has always sought out innovation, and we hope this Heritage Project will serve as a milestone as we embark on a journey forward to achieve Progress for Humanity."

Jannabi's song 'pony' is being released in two versions – original and acoustic. Its lines like “There she goes to find a better day” capture vocalist Choi Junghoon’s memories of listening to music in his mother’s old car and how those experiences inspired him to become a songwriter. The song will bring back memories for the nostalgic listeners, while newly introducing the retro style to younger generations.

The music video for ‘pony’ debuts on Jannabi’s official YouTube channel today at 6 p.m., following the 30-second teaser video that was released earlier on the Hyundai Worldwide YouTube channel. The music video also reflects Choi’s childhood memories, such as using a whole fruit of quince as an organic air freshener in the car and playing music on its CD player. The video also shows actual first-generation red and silver Pony1 models cruising through streets that resemble Seoul from the 1970s and ’80s, which is sure to evoke pleasant memories for many Korean viewers.

The video also features IONIQ 5, the acclaimed all-electric vehicle that took design inspiration from the Pony series, showing how Hyundai Motor celebrates its heritage through its current models as it moves toward the future.

The song and video will be officially released on music platforms such as Spotify, YouTube Music and Bugs today at 6 p.m..

Jannabi will hold a special concert at Hyundai Motorstudio Seoul on July 22, where they will perform ‘pony’ among other songs. Tickets will be available through a giveaway event on the Hyundai Motorstudio social media channels, and also to the winners of the Pony photo contest currently underway.

Hyundai Motor has been actively communicating its brand heritage through various activities, including the recently opened ‘PONY, the timeless’ exhibition. The exhibition has been extended for two months and will now be open to public through October 8.