Director Kang Yoon-seong Unveils 'The Intermediary' at ₩600M Budget Using AI, Aiming to Revitalize Film Industry

Experimentation is a privilege reserved for the strong. Director Kang Yoon-seong, who achieved consecutive successes with Disney+'s 'Casino' and 'King of Pigs' (Pachinko), has pioneered a new era by directly confronting the wave of AI technology.

Kang's latest project, titled 'The Intermediary,' realized the passage between the living and the dead with a production budget of approximately 600 million KRW. "I wanted to be a pioneer in proving that AI can be utilized in commercial films," Kang stated in a recent interview at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul. "I believe AI is the vitality needed for external capital to significantly enter the stagnant film market."

The original title of the screenplay was 'Mobius.' The concept was drastically altered to fit the AI theme, based on an idea conceived 25 years ago. Numerous creatures, such as those from the Chinese Zodiac, were created. While CG would have cost over 10 billion KRW, Kang was confident it was achievable with AI, thus demonstrating extreme efficiency.

"Bringing efficiency through AI is an undeniable trend that must be embraced without resistance," Kang explained. He cited an example where a car explosion scene, which would typically require extensive CG work, was created on set in just one minute using AI. He envisions AI technology not only reducing production costs but also creating more job opportunities.

While acknowledging that the early stages of AI in filmmaking may have some unnatural elements compared to CG in certain scenes, Kang emphasized that the technology is evolving monthly, making AI's complete replacement of CG a looming reality.

"The rise in production costs is due to the normalization of labor costs. We were receiving absurdly low costs in the past," Kang argued. "There are no longer areas to cut budgets, which weakens the competitiveness of the film industry itself. AI is a new breakthrough. The industry is destined to change when efficient products enter; resisting this is resisting the times."

Furthermore, Kang predicted that AI would lead to improved welfare for actors and staff. He explained that in action sequences previously requiring stunt doubles and limited shots to hide their faces (e.g., wire work), AI can now perfectly render the actor's face, even when using a double, enhancing the audience's emotional connection. He also suggested the possibility of realizing more ambitious scenes like larger-scale vehicle explosions.

Addressing concerns about AI potentially shortening actors' careers or threatening their positions, Kang stated, "If AI actors gain popularity, that's one thing, but actors have their own roles. Ultimately, AI completes the final product based on the filming done by actors. Actors might become more comfortable, but they won't disappear." He concluded that the human role remains crucial in making choices and decisions, which AI cannot fully replicate.

Netizens expressed excitement and curiosity about Director Kang's innovative approach. Comments included, 'AI movies are fascinating!', 'Looking forward to it since it's from the director of Casino,' and 'The cost-saving potential is huge, I'm even more excited for the future.'