At its inaugural meeting in Seoul last month, the non-profit Korea Association of AI Film Directors (KAIFD) said it was established to support directors and video creators using AI, as concerns over copyright, consent, credit and ethical use continue to grow.
The association says it is not simply a group of software users, but a creative community of directors who use AI to develop their own stories and cinematic worlds.
The association's launch on July 15 reflects a broader shift in the country's film industry, where AI filmmaking is increasingly being recognized as more than just a technical experiment. In 2024, the annual Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival introduced an AI competition section, while the Korean Film Council partnered with MBC C&I, the Busan Film Commission and the Bucheon festival in March to foster AI talent in film and media.
KAIFD's first chairman is Choi Min-cheol, who runs production company Choicine and AI film studio nomorefrog. He said cinema's essence lies not in technology but in human stories and a director's point of view, and that AI should serve as a creative tool rather than replace the director.
The association plans to conduct research, provide education, hold screenings and festivals, and promote international exchange in AI filmmaking, while its immediate focus is on copyright issues and production standards.
As AI becomes more widely used in filmmaking, creators face new questions over ownership of AI-generated images and footage, the use of digital actors and synthetic voices, and how profits should be shared on collaborative projects.
KAIFD said it will encourage creators to establish copyright, revenue-sharing and secondary-use terms before production begins. It also plans to develop standards to ensure that the use of AI does not diminish the contributions of directors, writers, actors, editors and composers.
The association also released an ethics code built on three principles: verification, consent and responsibility.
Creators are expected to check the sourcing and licensing of any material they use, including images, video, music, voices, scripts, characters and reference footage, and review the commercial-use terms of the AI tools themselves.
Generating or altering a real person's face, voice or identity requires clear consent, according to the code. Any use of a digital replica of an actor, model or voice actor should also be agreed on in advance, covering purpose, duration, distribution and compensation.
On deepfakes and misinformation, KAIFD said AI-generated scenes should not be presented as real footage. In news, documentary or archival formats, AI-generated reenactments should be clearly separated from real material.
It said final responsibility for released AI-generated content rests with the creator who selects and publishes it, while its long-term goal is to help South Korean filmmakers work internationally and build a production environment where technology, authorship and ethics can coexist.
AJP Takeaways:
- The Korea Association of AI Film Directors, or KAIFD, launched as a nonprofit in Seoul on July 15, 2026, to support filmmakers using generative AI and establish industry standards for authorship, rights and ethical production.
- Led by chairman Choi Min-cheol, founder of production company Choicine and AI film studio nomorefrog, KAIFD defines AI as a creative tool under a director’s control rather than a replacement for human storytelling.
- The association plans to develop guidelines covering copyright ownership, revenue sharing, secondary use, production credits, digital actors and synthetic voices, with terms to be agreed before filming begins.
- KAIFD's ethics code is based on verification, consent and responsibility, requiring creators to check source licensing, obtain permission before reproducing a real person’s face or voice and clearly label AI-generated reenactments.
- The launch reflects the growing institutionalization of AI filmmaking in South Korea, as festivals, broadcasters and film agencies expand AI competitions, training and production programs while confronting risks involving deepfakes, misinformation and creator rights.
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