Since its premiere, the currently-airing K-drama Agent Kim Reactivated has continued to smash viewership records with a series high of 21.6% while hitting No. 1 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV Shows. With so many viewers, action sequences from the drama sparked debate for being using AI technology, making it the first mainstream Korean drama to adapt AI.
In Agent Kim Reactivated, So Ji-sub plays a former secret agent who was once regarded as an extremely dangerous figure by both North and South Korea before becoming a single dad. However, some flashbacks of his character during his younger days fighting his way through North Korea in scenes that include explosions, gun fights, etc. and showed So Ji-sub wearing a mask were not actually filmed by the actor.
The AI-generated scenes mark the first extended AI-generated dramatic sequence in a Korean television series. Speaking about the project, a VP of Korean visual effects (VFX) company Morpheus Studio said: “From the outset, the Agent Kim Reactivated production team had a clear vision for how AI-generated imagery would be used. This project demonstrates that, for creators with strong planning and compelling storytelling, AI can become a powerful new tool and an outstanding creative partner.”
