“Chief Kim” Succeeds with AI… “Signal 2” Fails to Replace Jo Jin-woong, Cast Remains Despite Juvenile Offender Controversy [★FOCUS]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The broadcast schedule for “Second Signal” (hereinafter referred to as “Signal 2”), in which actor Jo Jin-woong had completed filming, has been finalized. However, an attempt to replace the actor using AI failed, and it was decided to air the existing footage featuring Jo Jin-woong as is.

On the 6th, tvN issued an official statement regarding the scheduling of “Signal 2,” stating, “We are taking seriously the concerns and opinions sent by viewers regarding the drama. The misconduct in the past of a specific cast member is an issue that we, as a channel, cannot view lightly.”

The statement continued, “However, ‘Signal 2’ is not the work of a single cast member. It is a collective creative product containing the time and effort of many staff members, production crews, and related parties from the planning stage through filming and post-production. We believe it is necessary to distinguish between the evaluation of an individual cast member, the value of the work itself, and the efforts of the creators who participated in it.” It added, “Therefore, after much deliberation, we intend to schedule ‘Signal 2’ as a tvN Monday-Tuesday drama starting December 7, with cautious consideration.”

The broadcast time was set for 10 p.m., later than previously. Considering the progression of the eight-episode work and viewer flow, three episodes will be released in the first week. On the premiere day, the content of Episode 1 will be partially reduced and adjusted to air Episodes 1 and 2 consecutively, followed by Episode 3 the next day. Thereafter, one episode is scheduled to air each Monday and Tuesday.

Particular attention was drawn to whether Jo Jin-woong would appear in the drama. tvN explained, “Until this decision was made, we examined various ways to maintain the quality of the work while minimizing concerns. We sought revision methods using video technology and conducted tests for character replacement using AI (artificial intelligence). However, there were limitations in naturally realizing acting expressions and narrative flow, making it difficult to apply the technology finally.”

Ultimately, as the attempt to replace the actor using AI hit technical limits, Jo Jin-woong’s existing footage will be broadcast as is.

Jo Jin-woong was embroiled in suspicions last December regarding his history as a juvenile offender, drunk driving, and assault records. As the controversy spread, he declared his retirement. At the time, he stated, “I bow my head to apologize for disappointing everyone who believed in and supported me due to my shameful past. I humbly accept all this criticism and intend to stop all activities as of today, putting a period on my path as an actor. I believe this is the proper responsibility and duty I must bear for my past mistakes.”

At that time, Jo Jin-woong had completed filming in “Signal 2,” continuing his role as Detective Lee Jae-han from Season 1. However, due to the aftermath of the controversy, the work’s scheduling was postponed indefinitely. Subsequently, the production team examined various methods, including character replacement using AI, but ultimately chose to maintain the existing footage.

In contrast, the SBS drama “Chief Kim,” which ended in July last month, gained attention for successfully realizing video content using AI technology. According to Morpheus Studio, a company specializing in video technology research and content production, “Chief Kim” produced an entire sequence of about three minutes showing the past of the protagonist Chief Kim (played by So Ji-sub) using AI. It was the first time in Korean drama history that an entire long sequence was realized in this manner.

The scene depicted Chief Kim’s past after being recruited as an operative from North Korea and sent there to carry out a special mission, and it was broadcast split across Episodes 1 and 2.

The AI-realized sequence included building demolitions, car chases on snow-covered roads and in tunnels, vehicle rollovers and crashes. It also realized underwater scenes where vehicles break through railings and submerge in river water, as well as the subsequent recovery of the vehicles. Gunfights and action scenes featuring So Ji-sub and other characters, as well as close-ups capturing the characters’ expressions, were naturally depicted.

In particular, it drew attention for overcoming the issue of maintaining character consistency, which has been cited as a technical difficulty in AI video, and completing long-duration scenes.

These are scenes that would have required significant costs for art direction, outdoor locations, special effects such as demolitions, and VFX work including CG if they had been filmed with live-action shooting. The “Chief Kim” production team boldly chose a full AI production method to realize the scenes necessary to complete the protagonist’s character.

While “Chief Kim” has shown new production possibilities utilizing AI technology, attention is focused on how it will be depicted in actual broadcasts as “Signal 2,” which failed to replace the actor with AI, decides to air Jo Jin-woong’s parts as they are.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original