The film ”In Between” does five days' worth of work in two hours... Could this first ”AI feature film” be a breakthrough for the cinema district?

"The computer graphics (CG) of the vehicle explosion scene, which took about five days for a human to do, can now be completed in one to two hours using AI," said Kang Yoon.
This is the first case of full-scale AI use in a domestic commercial live-action feature film, garnering attention. The Korean film industry is currently facing its worst crisis due to rising production costs, declining audience numbers, and worsening profit margins.
There are speculations that AI could become a factor in new opportunities. The film "The Middle Ground," which was released on the 15th, was directed by Kang, who also directed the film "The Outlaws," and is directed by AI director Kwon Hansel.
This is Korea's first AI commercial feature-length blockbuster, which was presented in collaboration with director Ian. Until now, AI-powered films have mostly been experimental short films of around 5 to 20 minutes, but "The Middle Ground" is a running
It is a 60-minute long film series with plans to produce a sequel. Starring Byun Yo-Han, Kim Gang-Woo, Bang Hyo-Lynn, and others, it features 16 characters, including the Grim Reaper creature.
All of the main action scenes were realized using AI. Previously, CG scenes were created manually by designers over several days, but AI can produce similar results in just a few hours based on the data it has learned.
AI is evolving rapidly based on its excellent learning capabilities. Director Kang said, "Until the beginning of this year, AI technology was so advanced that it didn't mix well with live-action films."
However, he explained, "But now I can see that it is developing at a very fast pace. It continues to develop even while filming 'The Middle', to the point that it's difficult to keep up with the speed."
Film critic Jeong Chang-il said, "AI technology will not only reduce production costs and time, but will also change the audience's perception in the future."
"The negative reaction to films made by AI will likely decrease over time," he said. Effective use of AI appears to require specific agreements from the planning stage onward.
Bang Hyolyn, an actor who appeared in "The Middle Ground," said, "Compared to regular live-action films, there are many parts that rely on imagination, so I was able to understand the relationship between people through the process of acting.
There needed to be more interaction between the two countries."