'Manager Kim' action scenes and Son Seok-gu's child role too.. Can AI be the 'relief pitcher' for K-content? [★22nd Anniversary] ①

*This content was translated by AI.

• StarNews 22nd Anniversary Special Feature [Asking the Path of K-Content in the AI Era]

[Editor’s Note] Artificial intelligence (AI) has deeply penetrated our daily lives. Now, AI is also reshaping the content landscape. Beyond being a simple auxiliary tool, it is driving changes across the entire K-content ecosystem, from directing techniques in films and dramas to production cost structures. While expectations grow for technological innovations that break the limits of direction, concerns are also rising regarding content copyright issues and the encroachment on human jobs. On the occasion of its 22nd anniversary, StarNews examines the current state of K-content entering the AI era, explores the challenges we must address, and looks ahead to future prospects.

'Manager Kim' action scenes and Son Seok-gu's child role too.. Can AI be the 'relief pitcher' for K-content? ①

Broadcasting stations in deficit era.. Can AI solve skyrocketing production costs? ②

"Change the technology, preserve the story".. Survival methods for K-content in the AI era ③

"Made with AI, not humans".. The air raid of 'AI short-form' that has taken over social media ④

In the recently aired SBS drama "Manager Kim," a large-scale action sequence lasting three minutes captivated viewers. Spectacular scenes included blowing up buildings, breaking through snow-covered tunnels, and car chases. However, there is a special secret behind these scenes. They were not filmed by actually demolishing sets or mobilizing vehicles. The scenes were realized using 100% AI (artificial intelligence) video generation solutions.

Disney+ series "Casino" and Netflix series "Murderer o Difficult" are also cases where AI technology was actively utilized. Both works used AI face de-aging and deepfake technologies to meticulously realize actor Choi Min-sik's younger appearance and Son Seok-gu's childhood. After the broadcast, news that AI technology was used in these scenes sparked widespread discussion.

As such, AI is rapidly permeating the entire K-content industry, from content planning and post-production to marketing. In a situation where production costs and labor expenses are soaring and competition among global OTT platforms is intensifying, can AI become a new breakthrough for the K-content industry? While expectations are growing regarding innovations in direction and cost reductions brought about by technology, voices of concern over the ethical and industrial pains that rapid technological adoption may bring are also significant.

To film large-scale explosions or underwater chase scenes in dramas or movies, production costs for sets amounting to hundreds of millions of won are essential, along with advanced special effects (VFX) technology, specialized personnel, and months of post-production work. Such massive costs and long production times have acted as significant constraints in implementing large-scale action scenes in dramas with tight shooting schedules. Mophius Studio, which produced the drama "Manager Kim," reduced these constraints by utilizing its own AI platform, "Achron." The studio completed the sequence in a short period using AI technology without actually demolishing sets or conducting large-scale filming, earning praise on home screens.

Not only action sequences but also actors' faces are being replaced with AI technology. Without excessive makeup to play a young version of an adult actor or the effort of finding a child actor who resembles them, it is now possible to transcend spatiotemporal limits. AI technology has learned from actors' past photos and voices to implement natural de-aging that is indistinguishable from live-action.

This is not limited to K-dramas or movies. In the rapidly growing "K-short-form drama" market, new production methods utilizing AI technology are emerging one after another. A representative method involves shooting mannequins and then synthesizing actors' facial expressions and hand movements through AI. Through this, cases of reducing production costs and production periods by up to 50% to 90% have been reported. Of course, AI technology, which is still in a developmental stage, does not yet perfectly realize all scenes. However, viewers' sense of alienation toward AI technology is gradually diminishing. While recognized as so-called "Mitti" videos, more viewers are accepting and consuming them as a content production method.

Currently, the K-content industry faces a fatal high-cost, low-return structure. The skyrocketing appearance fees of lead actors, rising staff labor costs, and the establishment of the 52nd-hour workweek system have significantly increased production costs per episode compared to the past. Amidst this, profitability is worsening due to the contraction of the advertising market and intensified competition among platforms.

In this situation, AI technology is rapidly emerging as a practical alternative that dramatically boosts productivity on production sites. Utilizing AI technology not only reduces costs and shortens production periods but also allows for the replacement of high-cost location shooting and complex VFX work. Furthermore, it opens paths to challenge high-cost genres with relatively smaller budgets, thereby expanding the autonomy and expressive range available to creators.

Even at the planning stage, storyboards and scripts are being implemented using AI, serving as communication tools among production staff. The government also recognizes the importance of this transition, actively supporting the overall AI transformation of the content industry by allocating over 20 billion won in the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism budget for AI content production support.

While AI technology enables cost reductions and creative freedom in direction, there are also numerous problems that must be resolved on the other side. Concerns arise not only about copyright and portrait right infringement, which could shake the foundation of the K-content industry, but also about the possibility of stifling human creativity. Although AI technology offers a sweet hand to those deeply troubled by soaring production costs, on the other side, legal and ethical issues are surfacing as regulations fail to keep pace with technological development.

First, copyright conflicts surrounding "unauthorized learning data" for AI models have emerged as a major issue. Currently, various video generation AI solutions utilize tens of thousands of creative works such as dramas, movies, and webtoons as learning data, but standards for obtaining proper permission from original authors or paying corresponding compensation in this process are not yet clearly established. Social and legal discussions on how much consent from copyright holders is required during the AI's learning of creative works and how appropriate compensation should be calculated have only just begun.

Overseas, copyright disputes between AI companies and the content industry have already become a reality. Hollywood entertainment companies have even filed large-scale copyright infringement lawsuits against AI companies. Such conflicts are expected to emerge as an important issue domestically as the combination of K-content and AI becomes more mainstream in the future.

Ethical issues surrounding de-aging and voice synthesis technologies that realize actors' faces and voices are also being raised. Earlier this year, an AI content company sparked controversy by releasing a short film created using deepfake technology on actress Yeom Hye-ran's face. It was reported that there were no prior discussions with Yeom Hye-ran or her agency, and the video was eventually deleted.

The video production company stated that they "implemented it with permission for the portrait rights of a famous actor," but this was a deepfake video that had not been discussed, and the appearance of the actor in the video was realized with a face very similar to the actual actress Yeom Hye-ran, causing further shock.

On-site, basic tasks previously handled by storyboard artists, VFX artists, and junior directors are being rapidly replaced by AI. This has led to concerns that opportunities to gain experience from the bottom of the industry have significantly diminished, spreading "job fear" throughout the sector.

AI is no longer a temporary trend but has become a new paradigm that changes our lives and industries. In the content industry, AI is no longer limited to being a simple directing aid tool; it is opening new possibilities based on infinite scalability. Given that AI technology offers benefits such as cost reduction and expanding the realm of creation, attention is focused on whether it can establish itself as a "game changer" that transforms the K-content ecosystem.

For AI to become a true relief pitcher for the K-content industry, serious consideration must be given not just to the technology itself but to "how to utilize it." When the time and costs saved through AI are reinvested into the essence of works—such as the depth of narrative, human emotional lines, and the construction of original worldviews—K-content can finally secure both novelty and quality simultaneously.

Major countries overseas have already taken a step ahead in establishing institutional frameworks for coexistence with AI. Hollywood has established standard contract criteria through agreements with writers' and actors' unions, mandating prior consent and compensation for the digital replication of actors. The European Union (EU) passed the "AI Act" for the first time, legalizing the disclosure of sources for AI learning data and labeling of generated content.

Ultimately, to move beyond temporary assistance in reducing K-content production costs and achieve sustainable mutual growth, systems must be improved. We must establish precise guidelines that go beyond the immediate benefits of cost reduction. When a proper licensing system for AI learning data is established, standard contracts are revised to protect the rights of actors and staff, and institutional foundations recognizing the labor value of creators when utilizing AI tools are put in place first, K-content and AI technology can coexist and secure true global competitiveness.

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*This content was translated by AI.