Author Jang Ryu-jin says AI may write stories, but not 'Parasite'

Novelist Jang Ryu-jin, left, speaks during a book talk organized by The Korea Times in connection with the award ceremony of the 56th Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards at Kyobo Building in central Seoul, Tuesday. To Jang's right are translator Sean Lin Halbert and moderator In A-young. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

By Kim Se-jeong

• Published Nov 5, 2025 1:22 PM KST

Best-selling author Jang Ryu-jin said that no matter how smart or creative artificial intelligence becomes, it will never be able to produce a masterpiece like "Parasite," the 2019 Academy Award-winning film co-written by director Bong Joon-ho.

“I think AI (artificial intelligence) can very quickly produce certain types of stories — like, ‘make me a story like this’ or ‘make me a story like that,’ especially ones that follow a certain formula or structure,” Jang said during a book talk organized by The Korea Times alongside the award ceremony for the 56th Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards at Kyobo Building in central Seoul Tuesday.

“But when it comes to stories that reach a certain level of depth or artistry, I don’t think AI could ever create those ... For example, AI can write mass-produced kinds of stories, like when you tell it, ‘Put in this element, add that, include this part and write it like this.’ It can definitely do that," Jang said. "But I really don’t think AI could ever make something like Bong Joon-ho’s 'Parasite.' I actually think AI could be helpful in taking care of some of the tedious groundwork that comes before the real creative process."

The author's optimism stands out at a time when many writers around the world are expressing serious concern — and in some cases, taking collective action — to protect their livelihoods from the rise of AI.

Jang said her positive outlook stems from personal experience.

“Before transitioning to a full-time writer, I [worked at an IT company and] was involved with Clova, an AI app. I got to see, at least a bit, what goes on behind the scenes — how it’s built, how it works under the hood. Maybe that’s why I think this way. But at the end of the day, it’s still something made by people, right?” she said.

Tuesday’s book talk also included translator Sean Lin Halbert, who won The Korea Times' Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards in 2018.

Unlike Jang, Halbert voiced concern about AI’s growing power, saying it could harm rather than help emerging translators.

“I teach nonfiction translation at the Literature Translation Institute of Korea and AI is already much better at it than my [beginner-level] students,” he said. “They know this and wonder why they should make an effort when AI can produce faster and often better results ... AI is something translators should learn to avoid.”

Halbert translated Jang’s first full-length novel, "To the Moon," into English. The novel follows three working-class women trying to get rich through cryptocurrency.

Jang said she had always planned a happy ending for all three protagonists from the beginning.

“In a society where desire is considered a sin, I wanted them to desire,” she said. “And I didn’t want to punish them for having desires.”

Since its publication in 2021, "To the Moon" has become a bestseller in Korea and has also been translated into German, Turkish and several other languages. The English translation of "To the Moon" was published earlier this year.

Reflecting on the book’s success, Jang said she feels like a parent whose grown-up child is now thriving on their own.

Speaking about his translation of "To the Moon," Halbert said he wanted readers to see that the novel isn’t just about money, but also about deeper themes such as solidarity among women and co-workers.