Dodgers Pitcher Hit as Spokesman

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One Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher is becoming quite the pitchman.

Hyun Jin Ryu has appeared in ads for Hanmi Bank of Koreatown, which specializes in lending to the Korean-American community. The South Korean southpaw is now the star of a campaign promoting noodles from his native land.

Ottogi is offering buy-one, get-one-free multipacks of Jin Ramen instant noodles at some ethnic supermarkets in Los Angeles for one day after each game Ryu wins for the team.

The campaign, handled by Koreatown agency AdCreasians, also features Ryu in TV spots on Korean-language stations in Los Angeles and other cities promoting Ottogi’s noodles.

Soa Kang, the agency’s chief executive, said the South Korean company was looking to bolster ties with the local Korean community, which has rallied around Ryu since he began pitching for the Dodgers last season. Kang said the two-for-one deal is a good investment for Ottogi.

“They wanted to say, ‘Let’s cheer for the Dodgers and Ryu together and celebrate as a community,’ ” she said.

The campaign scored big when Ryu got a win for the Dodgers when they played in Australia to open the season.

Kang said the promotion was so effective that many local stores ran out of Jin Ramen.

– Jonathan Polakoff

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