Welcome to the SK-II CITY: SK-II Builds Virtual City to Bring Tokyo to the World for the Launch of Its New 'VS' Series

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May 02, 2021, 22:00 ET

SINGAPORE, May 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With international travel in many parts of the world still on a hiatus, take a trip with global prestige skincare brand SK-II to its first-ever virtual city - SK-II CITY - for the launch of its latest SK-II STUDIO installment: 'VS', a groundbreaking animated anthology series to inspire every woman that they have the power to #CHANGEDESTINY.

SK-II CITY - Discover the 'VS' Series & World of SK-II

Inspired by the streets of Tokyo, the SK-II CITY transports visitors to the middle of a bustling urban intersection with all the sights, sounds and sense of discovery of Shibuya Crossing. Look for Japanese icons like Mount Fuji and Tokyo Tower and enjoy branded experiences found only in SK-II CITY.

CATCH A MOVIE IN THE SK-II CINEMA

SK-II CITY visitors can binge-watch the six 'VS' Series films in a virtual cineplex that allows guests to immerse in the communal feeling of sitting in a theatre while watching the films.

The 'VS' Series is a collection of six animated films based on the real-life experiences of six Olympic athletes - gymnast Simone Biles, swimmer Liu Xiang, table tennis player Ishikawa Kasumi, badminton players Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo, surfer Mahina Maeda, and Hinotori Nippon^[1], the Japan Volleyball team. They each explore what it means to take destiny in their own hands, overcoming societal pressures that often dictates how one should look, act, and feel to be perfect.

Each film within the 'VS' Series by SK-II STUDIO explores different aspects of societal pressures that women experience: Trolls. Pressure. Image Obsession. Rules. Limitations. Machine-Like Mindsets. Brought to life in the form of a "strange beast" or "kaiju" in Japanese, each "kaiju" sheds light on the inner demon each athlete must defeat to pursue their destiny. Look carefully, and SK-II CINEMA movie-goers may even be able to spot a "Kaiju" in the midst as they enjoy the films.

JOIN AN EXCLUSIVE BACKSTAGE TOUR OF SK-II STUDIO

Crossing the street from the movie theatre, visitors can enter the SK-II STUDIO to go on an exclusive BACKSTAGE TOUR of the 'VS' Series.

With a mix of animation and live action, the 'VS' series spans across a broad range of genres including sci-fi, fantasy, action and sports. Each episode is independent, with its own universe and style, featuring the work from award winning animation studios - Imaginary Forces, Passion Pictures, Platige Image and C3 and original music from singer-songwriters like John Legend and Lexie Liu. On the backstage tour, visitors can immerse themselves in animation sketches, film trivia and behind-the-scenes footage from the six athletes and singer songwriters John Legend, Lexie Liu.

The SK-II CITY marks a new milestone in SK-II's global innovation journey to transform beauty and skincare retail experiences in a safe yet entertaining and meaningful way in these unprecedented times.

It is part of SK-II's ongoing journey to explore new ways to connect with a new generation of consumers who are yearning for more meaningful experiences with the brands they know and trust. This has been a journey since 2018 with the launch of SK-II's Future X Smart Stores in Tokyo, Shanghai, Singapore, in departmental stores, pop-ups, travel retail and even in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and China International Import Expo (CIIE).

"We are thrilled to launch the SK-II CITY, as we premiere our next SK-II STUDIO blockbuster 'VS' Series. The SK-II CITY is inspired by our Japan heritage as well as our brand purpose #CHANGEDESTINY," shared Sandeep Seth, Chief Executive Officer, Global SK-II. "In these times of the pandemic, as international travel is still restricted, we want to be able to provide our consumers a gamified experience that she can gain inspiration and shop in a safe yet entertaining and meaningful way."

To find out more about the 'VS' Series and learn about SK-II STUDIO and #ChangeDestiny, please visit the virtual SK-II CITY at https://city.sk-ii.com/.

[1] The "VS Limitations" by SK-II STUDIO was filmed in 2019 with the Japan National team Hinotori Nippon of 2019.

The athletes appearing in the films share SK-II's brand purpose of #CHANGEDESTINY and have real-life destiny-changing experiences, often while under intense scrutiny, pressure and judgement. Their selection is completely independent from Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

About SK-II

For nearly 40 years, SK-II has touched the lives of millions of women around the world through skin and life transformation. The fascinating story behind SK-II began with a quest to understand why elderly sake brewers had wrinkled faces, but extraordinarily soft and youthful-looking hands. These hands were in constant contact with the sake fermentation process. It took years of research for scientists to isolate the miracle ingredient PITERA™, SK-II's exclusive and naturally derived ingredient crafted from a proprietary fermentation process of a unique yeast strain. Since then, SK-II with PITERA™ has become a special secret shared by celebrities all over the world such as Tangwei, Ni Ni, Chun Xia, Haruka Ayase, Kasumi Arimura, Naomi Watanabe, Chloe Grace Moretz. For the latest news and in-depth information, please visit http://www.sk-ii.com.

About #CHANGEDESTINY

#CHANGEDESTINY is at the heart of the SK-II brand philosophy that celebrates how destiny is not a matter of chance, but a matter of choice. Inspired by the stories of women from around the world, #CHANGEDESTINY sheds light on the pressures they face and the universal 'box' they are put in to be perfect in society's eyes. Award-winning #CHANGEDESTINY campaigns include 2016's "Marriage Market Takeover" that put a spotlight on the labels of "Sheng Nu" or "Leftover Women" in China, 2017's "The Expiry Date", 2018's "Meet Me Halfway" and 2019's "Timelines" a docu-series in partnership with Katie Couric about the evolving and controversial topic of marriage pressure and societal expectations women face globally.

SOURCE SK-II