'I’m Popo,' Korea’s first all-AI film, asks what comes next for cinema

“I’m Popo,” billed as the first full-length film created entirely with generative artificial intelligence, is set to hit theaters May 21. Courtesy of Rising Sun Art Company

“I’m Popo,” billed as the first full-length Korean film created with generative artificial intelligence (AI), is set to open in theaters on May 21.

The film centers on Popo, a robot designed to protect humans, who begins killing people identified as potential criminals. Its premise sets up a clash between an AI that bases its decisions solely on statistical probability and humans who continue to believe in hope. At the same time, the film tackles one of today’s most pressing social questions: the rapid development of AI technology and the threat it may pose to humanity.

The movie marks the latest extension of AI use, which continues to expand across short-form viral videos on social media, advertising and short films. And while bold attempts to use new technology, along with broader industry changes driven by technological advances, are generally welcomed, this case has been met with considerable concern over whether films created by AI can be regarded as creative works.

As a first-of-its-kind project, “I’m Popo” carries significance as the first full-length Korean film created entirely with AI. While some human input was involved under the director’s guidance, including voice acting, AI technology was at the center of the overall production process. Its director, Kim Il-dong, said the age of “one-person filmmaking” has arrived.

“I hope it serves as an opportunity to reflect on the influence of AI, which we now encounter in everyday life,” Kim said.

While its production was not placed entirely in AI’s hands, “The House” is another example of a film that used AI to generate backgrounds and visual effects. The Korean-style occult thriller centers on Yumi, a woman who can see the spirits of the dead and begins facing strange, chilling events after moving into a new apartment. The film shot all of its performances in an indoor studio, while AI was used to generate backgrounds and visual effects.

According to its production company, CJ ENM, the total shooting cost for the film came to 500 million won ($343,000), roughly one-fifth of what such a project would typically require. CJ ENM said it plans to actively adopt AI technology across its content production process, starting with the film.

Cases of "The House" and "I'm Popo" symbolize a major wave of change sweeping across the film industry: AI, which had long remained more of a production aid, is now making its presence felt at every stage of production, from drafting scripts and building storyboards to generating video, creating special effects, designing backgrounds and synthesizing voices.

Those with optimistic views say AI could create new opportunities for independent films and emerging creators, as it allows them to produce a certain level of quality even with limited budgets. Short-form videos and advertising content using AI are already being actively produced in the global market, and that trend appears to be extending into the film industry.

But that optimism is not shared by all. Doubtful reactions predominate when the question turns to whether AI, lacking a creator’s agony and emotions, and doubtful in its ability to carry artistic values such as a message or the zeitgeist of an era, can fundamentally capture the true nature of cinema. On a more technical note, critics say the way AI works — essentially drawing results from preexisting data — makes it impossible for the technology to invent new perspectives or emotions in the way human creators do.

Controversy has continued as the Academy Awards announced new standards that bar films using AI in certain ways from reaching the podium. In essence, the rules make works featuring AI-generated actors or AI-created screenplays ineligible for nomination. Meanwhile, James Cameron, director of the “Avatar” film series, emphasized that he did not use generative AI in his film, stressing lived experience and respect for actors as key elements of cinema.

Whether one likes it or not, the movie industry has already moved into a phase where the unique perspectives of human creators are merging with the efficiency of AI. The prevailing view, for now, is that AI remains closer to a tool that supports production efficiency than a replacement for human ingenuity. But how that relationship will evolve remains unclear, especially as art and technology are already beginning to coexist more closely.

The emergence of AI-made films signals a new tide, one that raises questions about the value of human creativity. For now, it remains to be seen where this change will lead.

This article from the Hankookilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.