10 million won in production costs and a six-month production period. A 90-minute commercial film created entirely by artificial intelligence (AI) is set to hit theater screens. This full-time AI production film is expected to present a new production paradigm in the South Korean film industry.
On September 7, a press screening and media conference for the film 'Steelay' took place at CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall in Yongsan, Seoul. Attendees included director Seol Woo-in, Ham Seul-ki, CEO of Aino Studio, Jo Heung-kyu, CEO of Raon Company Plus, and Ha Jung-woo, Vice Chairman of the National AI Strategy Committee, along with team leaders Kang Tae-kyung and Oh Se-eun, and assistant director Won Kyung-hye.
'Very Steelay' is a sci-fi action film that tells the story of an autonomous robot, AIRA, which perceives humans as a threat. The protagonist, Yoon Kang, searches for his missing father with the help of his AI, Ara, while donning a combat suit called Steelay left behind by his father to combat the worst virus known to humanity, Code Zero.
This project is a full-time AI production film, created entirely by AI from planning to completion. The production cost was under 10 million won, with approximately 5 to 6 million won spent on AI generation tools. The production period was just six months, resulting in 13,000 pieces of content created to maintain the narrative, which underwent a rigorous editing process involving thousands of video cuts.
The most significant difference between 'Steelay' and previous AI films like 'Middle Earth' and 'I Am 404' is its longer runtime and 100% AI implementation.
Ham Seul-ki stated, "While previous works had shorter runtimes or incorporated some CGI, we opted to rely entirely on AI, even if the quality was somewhat lower. Since there has been no precedent for a tech hero genre film made entirely in Korea, we wanted to prove that a 90-minute feature could be created solely with AI and provide opportunities for creators."
In response to concerns about the film's quality on large screens, Ham acknowledged, "We began production earlier this year, and at that time, we did not anticipate the AI quality would improve as it has. After completing about 90%, better quality tools became available, leading to inconsistencies in some sections. However, we believed that if we didn't release it, there would be no examples left in the world, and the industry wouldn't progress. While it may not be perfect, our primary goal was to meet the audience and leave a mark in the market."
Director Seol Woo-in discussed the challenges of maintaining dialogue synchronization and character consistency, stating, "We created a prompter using words that closely match Korean lip movements. The protagonist's voice was recorded with both an actor and a voice actor to match the lip movements, and some parts utilized AI voices for naturalness."
Regarding character design, he explained, "We analyzed current trends and constructed characters based on the physical traits of popular idols using specific prompts." However, he emphasized the need for caution regarding portrait rights, noting, "As there are currently no regulations or systems in place, creators must make conservative judgments. They should clearly explain what materials were used in the final product, and we hope a system is established soon."
Kang Tae-kyung, a team leader who participated in the project as an actor, shared, "I even tried to incorporate my face into some scenes. As an actor, I feel confident that while AI cannot replace actors, it can certainly be a valuable creative tool."
During the conference, Ha Jung-woo, Vice Chairman of the National AI Strategy Committee, addressed government strategies and tasks for the development of the AI film industry.
He explained his attendance, saying, "I received a call from the director during my break. Since K-content is our strength, I wanted to see firsthand how advancements in generative AI video technology would change creators and hear voices from the field."
Ha pointed out that investment in domestic core technology is focused on innovative AI models that excel in programming, while the content AI sector, which requires large amounts of video data and GPUs, has not been prioritized and is lagging behind.
He emphasized future government support directions, stating, "First, we need to find ways to provide creators with stable access to their own AI tools. Second, we must support many creators in entering the AI creative space without financial burdens."
Ha also raised concerns about copyright and attribution issues facing the industry. He noted, "As the AI creation ecosystem grows, copyright issues will be the first to arise. We need to quickly establish a structure where existing copyright holders and AI creators can share added value, whether through funds or data purchasing methods." He added that there should be clear guidelines and standardization from the Ministry of Culture regarding the mandatory labeling of AI-generated content, as quality issues may arise.
Addressing fears that AI could threaten the existing creative ecosystem, Ha remarked, "Just as the advent of television did not eliminate radio, I don't believe AI will completely replace content. It will simply change the types of content we enjoy. AI has a clear role in reducing time by 10-20% or making dangerous shoots less risky. If we can help creators utilize this effectively, we can grow alongside the existing ecosystem."
Meanwhile, 'Steelay' is set to be released in theaters in October.
On September 7, a press screening and media conference for the film 'Steelay' took place at CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall in Yongsan, Seoul. Attendees included director Seol Woo-in, Ham Seul-ki, CEO of Aino Studio, Jo Heung-kyu, CEO of Raon Company Plus, and Ha Jung-woo, Vice Chairman of the National AI Strategy Committee, along with team leaders Kang Tae-kyung and Oh Se-eun, and assistant director Won Kyung-hye.
'Very Steelay' is a sci-fi action film that tells the story of an autonomous robot, AIRA, which perceives humans as a threat. The protagonist, Yoon Kang, searches for his missing father with the help of his AI, Ara, while donning a combat suit called Steelay left behind by his father to combat the worst virus known to humanity, Code Zero.
This project is a full-time AI production film, created entirely by AI from planning to completion. The production cost was under 10 million won, with approximately 5 to 6 million won spent on AI generation tools. The production period was just six months, resulting in 13,000 pieces of content created to maintain the narrative, which underwent a rigorous editing process involving thousands of video cuts.
The most significant difference between 'Steelay' and previous AI films like 'Middle Earth' and 'I Am 404' is its longer runtime and 100% AI implementation.
Ham Seul-ki stated, "While previous works had shorter runtimes or incorporated some CGI, we opted to rely entirely on AI, even if the quality was somewhat lower. Since there has been no precedent for a tech hero genre film made entirely in Korea, we wanted to prove that a 90-minute feature could be created solely with AI and provide opportunities for creators."
In response to concerns about the film's quality on large screens, Ham acknowledged, "We began production earlier this year, and at that time, we did not anticipate the AI quality would improve as it has. After completing about 90%, better quality tools became available, leading to inconsistencies in some sections. However, we believed that if we didn't release it, there would be no examples left in the world, and the industry wouldn't progress. While it may not be perfect, our primary goal was to meet the audience and leave a mark in the market."
Director Seol Woo-in discussed the challenges of maintaining dialogue synchronization and character consistency, stating, "We created a prompter using words that closely match Korean lip movements. The protagonist's voice was recorded with both an actor and a voice actor to match the lip movements, and some parts utilized AI voices for naturalness."
Regarding character design, he explained, "We analyzed current trends and constructed characters based on the physical traits of popular idols using specific prompts." However, he emphasized the need for caution regarding portrait rights, noting, "As there are currently no regulations or systems in place, creators must make conservative judgments. They should clearly explain what materials were used in the final product, and we hope a system is established soon."
Kang Tae-kyung, a team leader who participated in the project as an actor, shared, "I even tried to incorporate my face into some scenes. As an actor, I feel confident that while AI cannot replace actors, it can certainly be a valuable creative tool."
During the conference, Ha Jung-woo, Vice Chairman of the National AI Strategy Committee, addressed government strategies and tasks for the development of the AI film industry.
He explained his attendance, saying, "I received a call from the director during my break. Since K-content is our strength, I wanted to see firsthand how advancements in generative AI video technology would change creators and hear voices from the field."
Ha pointed out that investment in domestic core technology is focused on innovative AI models that excel in programming, while the content AI sector, which requires large amounts of video data and GPUs, has not been prioritized and is lagging behind.
He emphasized future government support directions, stating, "First, we need to find ways to provide creators with stable access to their own AI tools. Second, we must support many creators in entering the AI creative space without financial burdens."
Ha also raised concerns about copyright and attribution issues facing the industry. He noted, "As the AI creation ecosystem grows, copyright issues will be the first to arise. We need to quickly establish a structure where existing copyright holders and AI creators can share added value, whether through funds or data purchasing methods." He added that there should be clear guidelines and standardization from the Ministry of Culture regarding the mandatory labeling of AI-generated content, as quality issues may arise.
Addressing fears that AI could threaten the existing creative ecosystem, Ha remarked, "Just as the advent of television did not eliminate radio, I don't believe AI will completely replace content. It will simply change the types of content we enjoy. AI has a clear role in reducing time by 10-20% or making dangerous shoots less risky. If we can help creators utilize this effectively, we can grow alongside the existing ecosystem."
Meanwhile, 'Steelay' is set to be released in theaters in October.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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