Digital love and loss: Suzy generates AI version of Park Bo-gum in sci-fi film 'Wonderland'

“Wonderland is an ideal but weird world,” actor Park Bo-gum said during an interview with local reporters at a cafe in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Tuesday, a day before the film's premiere.

A still from sci-fi fantasy film ″Wonderland″ [ACEMAKER MOVIEWORKS]

Audiences may leave theaters with a lot of thoughts after watching director Kim Tae-yong's new sci-fi film "Wonderland," which hit local theaters today. As demonstrated in the film, technology may offer humans a more comfortable and restful life, but may also have the tendency to stir up confusion.

“Wonderland is an ideal but weird world,” actor Park Bo-gum said during an interview with local reporters at a cafe in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Tuesday, a day before the film's premiere.

In the world of “Wonderland,” people can reconnect with their lost loved ones, or those who are seriously impaired, through AI technology. The film poses a thought-provoking question regarding the intersection of technology, memory and reality, inviting the audience to ponder the issues along with the characters as they experience the technology. The film features a star-studded lineup, including actors Suzy, Park, Tang Wei, Choi Woo-shik and Jung Yu-mi.

Actor Park Bo-gum [THEBLACKLABEL, ACEMAKER MOVIEWORKS]

Actors Suzy and Park, who play Jung-in and Tae-ju, respectively, spoke with the local press on Tuesday to introduce their new film. They said that the film's thought-provoking technology, though imaginary, was what inspired them to accept their roles.

“When I first received the script, the idea that a person can meet somebody they dearly miss and want to meet, even if it's through a video call using AI technology, was interesting to me,” Park said.

“The idea that making data according to human memories was also interesting to me,” Suzy said. On the other hand, however, she said that it scares her to think about an AI version of herself being created, suggesting that such a technological development could be a double-edged sword.

A still from film ″Wonderland″ [ACEMAKER MOVIEWORKS]

“I think that an AI version of Suzy, created from public memories, would be scary because I anticipate it would constantly be smiling,” she said.

Suzy and Park portray a couple who were once deeply in love before Park's Tae-ju fell into a coma due to an accident. Suzy signs up for the Wonderland service, making an AI version of Tae-ju based solely on her own memories. She sets him up as a kind, perfect and bright astronaut. However, when Tae-ju miraculously wakes up, there's a discrepancy between the real Tae-ju and the AI version of him created by his girlfriend.

Suzy and Park sing a duet together in outer space in the film, which, according to the actors, was planned a day before the actual scene was shot.

“The scene was not in the script as far as I can remember,” Suzy said. “A day before the shoot, director Kim came to us, asking if we could sing for the scene.”

Actor Suzy [MANAGEMENT SOOP, ACEMAKER MOVIEWORKS]

“At the time, I was a bit worried. But thinking that Jung-in and AI Tae-ju couldn't meet each other in reality, the director’s idea of allowing them to meet in such a way felt quite heartbreaking and sad.”

Park showed his affection for the song, titled “Wish,” as he wrote its lyrics. He said he wrote them thinking of the people who use the service, not just Suzy's Jung-in.

“I made the song's title, too,” Park said. “It comes from the phrase ‘Wonderland is here,’ describing the Wonderland service users who wish to meet the loved ones they miss. But, it also has a different meaning, delivering a message that the moments of being around the people that are currently with you can also be a Wonderland.”

A still from film ″Wonderland″ [ACEMAKER MOVIEWORKS]

A still from film ″Wonderland″ [ACEMAKER MOVIEWORKS]

As the technology is introduced through various narratives and cases in the film, the question arises about whether one would sign up for the Wonderland service. Both actors also pondered the question themselves.

"I believe I would sign up for the service because there may come a time when I have to accept the pain anyway. So, I would leave it to my future self to overcome the pain and I'd register for the service,” Suzy said.

Park said he initially would have registered for the service if he could, but his mind changed while shooting the film, saying that not registering for the service would be better for his health.

A still from film ″Wonderland″ [ACEMAKER MOVIEWORKS]

Park recommended that viewers should pay attention to every narrative of each character in the film, which he says will enable them to understand the film more “richly.”

“The film poses a question to the audience about what they would do if they were put into such a situation,” Park said.

To find out more about Korean films, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]