New trends of the screen
The Korea Times commented that the AI film industry is growing strongly in Korea.
For example, on January 8, the comedy "Forbidden Fairy Tale" used AI technology to depict younger versions of the actors and create a scene with a hot spring erupting.
Similarly, the horror film "The Unrighteous" released in December 2024 used AI for about 20-30% of post-production work, helping to reduce production costs by 30%.
Also in late 2024, the movie "It's Me, Moon Hee" is the world's first project to bring a real actor using AI instead of using virtual characters.
The work is considered a breakthrough when veteran actress Na Moon Hee plays the main role but not directly.
Instead, AI technology transformed her into a 20-year-old warrior who flies fighter jets and rides motorbikes — a complete change from the image audiences are used to seeing.
Additionally, every aspect of the production, including visuals, dialogue, and music, is created using AI, rather than live filming and dialogue.
Or in October 2024, the Korea International AI Film Festival received more than 2,000 entries.
Domestic film festivals such as the Bucheon International Fantasy Film Festival have introduced AI competition categories, while the Busan International Film Festival has launched the AI Film Market.
The Jeonju International Film Festival also hosted AI-focused discussions, showing the industry's recognition of this emerging trend.
Shorten time, reduce cost
According to director Yu Ji Cheon, the short film "Na Moon Hee Universe" was completed in 7 days.
Yu Ji Cheon, who works in the construction industry, taught herself AI filmmaking in her spare time. "My challenge was to portray the character of Na Moon Hee as realistically as possible."
Meanwhile, director Jeong Eun Wook revealed that he completed the Korean film "Do You Really Know Her?" in 1 week.
According to Jeong Eun Wook, although AI is not as precise as traditional live filming techniques, the technology allows creators to create the desired image in just a few seconds.
Films using AI technology have the advantage of depicting a variety of settings without the financial burden of filming at real locations.
According to a survey by the Busan International AI Film Festival, up to 31.8% of creators take 8-15 days to complete an AI film, of which 28% complete it within 4-7 days, showing the efficiency of this technology compared to traditional filmmaking.
However, according to Park Eun Ji - Director of the Institute of AI Management and Culture Research at Seoul Venture University, it is important for AI-generated works to do a good job with copyright issues, because according to the trend of the times, the role of AI in content creation is inevitable for the purpose of saving costs.
