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The Korea Times

By Park Jin-hai
Korea’s first artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drama, Kiss Lighting – Ghost Cupid, is generating buzz ahead of its premiere, scheduled for December 4 with a pre-release on YouTube.
The unique story follows a ghost named Wooyeon (Jung Hyuk), who helps people find love. What sets it apart is the use of AI to write the screenplay and create visuals.
According to the production company, Kings Creative, the director initially wrote a rough outline, which was then refined using ChatGPT. The resulting ideas were discussed in meetings before the writer finalised the script.

For the visuals, AI tools such as HeyGen, ElevenLabs, and Midjourney were used to generate images.
Korea is witnessing the increasing adoption of AI in drama production, extending beyond this project.
In April, another broadcaster, MBC C&I, launched a programme to select 12 new creators and develop dramas using generative AI and extended reality (XR) technology.
Of the 12, nine were produced as pilot episodes and were first screened for invited guests in October. These pilots were later publicly shown during the AI Content Festival 2024.
Experts say that one of the biggest advantages of using AI in drama and film production is the significant reduction in time and costs, making it possible for anyone to become a movie or drama creator.
We’re in a great era where we can make films whenever we want
Yang Eek-jun, a producer at Mateo AI Studio
According to Jung In-su, a producer at Kings Creative, AI drastically simplifies processes that once required significant time and effort.
For instance, changing someone’s face on screen previously meant spending several nights rendering and meticulously cleaning up skin. With AI, however, you can easily experiment with different options to achieve the desired result.
Additionally, generating countless illustrations with AI costs less than 100,000 won (US$72) per month, compared to the 200,000-300,000 won typically charged for a single human-created illustration
Yang Eek-jun, a producer at Mateo AI Studio, which won the grand prize at the 1st Korea International AI Film Festival this year with the film Mateo, said: “We’ve entered an era where creators can be liberated from the constraints of capital and technology thanks to AI.

“If you make a short film with your own money and it doesn’t get into a film festival or attract attention, then regardless of your passion, you have to take a break for a year or two, simply because it costs so much money,” Yang said during a recent conference on AI and the future of creativity at Korea National University of Arts. “But now that AI is here, we can make films at home with just our time and effort.
“I believe we’re in a great era where we can make films whenever we want and then compete again. In fact, for those of us who create content, I think this is more important than AI dominating humanity.”
Jung noted that AI empowers people to create images and videos that were previously unimaginable.
“Starting from the script, everything ultimately relies on big data. AI can access information that we might forget, and while we search for data and develop ideas, AI generates text based on facts and the directions we provide,” Jung said.
AI-generated content often fails to maintain audience engagement beyond the first minute
Yang Eek-jun of Mateo AI Studio
He added that many writers and directors he knows frequently use ChatGPT for research, treating it much like an encyclopaedia.
Although the United States and China dominate the AI service market, Korea has a competitive edge when it comes to leveraging the technology for content creation, as the country’s robust telecommunications and computer infrastructure offer a significant advantage, according to producer Lee Sang-wook of MBC C&I.
However, with AI technology advancing at such a rapid pace, Yang at Mateo AI Studio emphasised that strong storytelling has become even more crucial amid the overwhelming flood of content.
“Creating an AI-featured film, typically at least 80 minutes, is the biggest concern, as AI-generated content often fails to maintain audience engagement beyond the first minute.
“With attention spans waning so quickly, we question whether we can sustain viewer interest for an entire 80-minute film. This is our greatest challenge and a new frontier for us,” he said.
Yang also noted that the global AI content market is grappling with significant copyright challenges, highlighting the risks of unintentionally infringing upon existing works, using animation as an example.
“When we experimented with animation, we noticed similarities between our work and that of studios like Pixar and Disney. This underscores the significant copyright challenges we face. We’re closely monitoring legal developments in this area,” he said.
Read the full story at The Korea Times.


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Lifestyle

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Film & TV

Producers in Korea use ChatGPT and similar software to script dramas and films, and do AI editing. It cuts costs but there are still hurdles


Producers in Korea use ChatGPT and similar software to script dramas and films, and do AI editing. It cuts costs but there are still hurdles.


Asian cinema: Korean films

Artificial intelligence

Korea Times