The sun was shining, and the sky was bright blue in London when I met Director Yoon-sung Kang, just after the London East Asian Film Festival premiere of his latest work, “Run to the West,” a two-part avant-garde sci-fi movie that is taking over Korean cinemas these days.
Despite days of the famous British rain and the chilling temperature, the city was still buzzing from the screening — that soft, electric hum that lingers when audiences know they’ve seen something new.
Run to the West: The Dawn of AI Cinema
“Run to the West” is officially the first feature film to integrate AI technology, not just in Korea, but in the world. Director Kang humbly downplays the milestone, but his movie is truly a first.
The story itself, however, was written 25 years ago — a debut long delayed but destined for this exact moment. A film once too ambitious for its time has now become part of cinematic history.
The movie features a strong ensemble: Byun Yo-han, Kim Kang-woo, Bang Hyo-rin, Lim Hyung-jun, and Yang Se-jong, each embodying Kang’s vision of a world suspended between life and death.
In the film, mythology and modernity coexist, as Buddhist and folkloric elements intersect with AI-generated imagery, while the story unfolds between the worlds of the living and the dead.
Amid the intensity, actor Min Kim makes a memorable appearance — short but striking. His expressiveness, already familiar to viewers of Big Bet and A Shop for Killers, brings both wit and a hint of humour to crucial scenes. It’s the kind of moment that lightens the air without breaking the tension, a balance Kim handles instinctively, proving once again his acting prowess.
At the festival, Kang also received the Future of Asian Cinema Award, honouring his pioneering approach to storytelling and technology.
When we spoke later, his tone was calm yet confident — the voice of a filmmaker who knows he has already stepped into the future.
Interview with Director Yoon-sung Kang
Q: “Run to the West” arrives at the London East Asian Film Festival as the first Korean feature made with AI — and possibly the first in the world. What does this international premiere represent for you?
Yoon-sung Kang: London is one of the best places to show our film — the centre of the world. I’m not entirely sure if it’s the very first movie made with AI technology, but I’m proud to present it here. It’s the first time we’ve combined traditional filmmaking with new technology in this way.
Q: You once said this story was meant to be your debut 25 years ago. Why did you decide now was the right moment to bring it to life with AI?
Yoon-sung Kang: AI doesn’t completely match the texture of live-action images; it feels slightly different. So, I chose a story that could live in that space between worlds — between life and death. This story, written 25 years ago, allows colour, form, and meaning to shift. It felt right for blending AI with live action.
Q: Technically, how did you combine the two? Did you film everything first with real actors and integrate the AI later?
Yoon-sung Kang: Yes. All live-action scenes were shot first, then we applied AI to merge or enhance the imagery. That workflow was essential for keeping the actors’ emotions real. To help the actors deliver their outstanding performances, the initial shots were filmed opposite stunt actors wearing costumes that we then enhanced with AI in post-production.
Q: This is a bold shift from your crime and action films like “The Outlaws” and “Big Bet.” Did you see it as a risk to move into sci-fi and fantasy?
Yoon-sung Kang: I enjoy telling stories about people who want to know — those who are curious about unseen worlds. Even if we live in the same world, there are still parts of it we don’t understand. I wanted to introduce that unknown place. So, yes, it’s different in form, but the heart of my storytelling is still there.
Q: Writing and directing sci-fi must be very different from crime realism. What was hardest about creating this new world?
Yoon-sung Kang: In my usual films, I can meet real people, listen to witnesses, and shape stories from their experiences. Here, I had to imagine everything — that was new freedom, but also pressure. People know me for realistic films, so I worried how they’d react. Still, imagination gave me energy and an absolute artistic freedom.
Q: The film mixes Korean mythology with futuristic technology. How did you balance those two worlds?
Yoon-sung Kang: I didn’t want to insert tradition just for decoration. I wanted Korean audiences to feel it was their story, not something distant or exotic. At the same time, I hoped international viewers would be curious about elements like the Twelve Zodiac Animals and the Reaper King. That curiosity connects cultures.
Q: Guillermo del Toro recently said, “F*** AI — art is born from human imperfection.” What is your response to that view?
Yoon-sung Kang: I understand him. He probably worries that AI will replace humans, such as actors and directors. I don’t want that either. AI should serve creativity, not replace it. It’s a tool, not an author. When used well, it can support artists, save time, and expand imagination.
Q: Where do you draw the ethical line? For instance, would you ever replace an actor entirely with AI?
Yoon-sung Kang: No. Actors give emotion; AI can’t. We can make a face look younger, but we can’t create genuine feelings. Technology can help us — for example, de-aging a character or erasing wires in action scenes — but the soul comes from the performer. AI is just another evolution of CGI, nothing more. When CGI technology first came to the picture, everyone was quick to condemn it. I agree with you when you say that it’s the same debate we are now having about AI.
Q: You mentioned AI also saves time and budget. How much difference did it make in production?
Yoon-sung Kang: A lot. Typically, shooting complex effects scenes might take a year and cost around $7 million. We finished “Run to the West” in about seven months for $1 million. For example, scenes like exploding cars would normally take longer shooting times to capture multiple frames with green screens and require a lot of groundwork. Using AI, we were able to create special effects with a single image. The quality isn’t lower; it’s just a more innovative process. AI enables us to speed up post-production without compromising detail. Even though it is not perfect yet, the development of the technology goes fast, and I am sure the quality of the next one will be higher.
Q: How do you think “Run to the West” fits into today’s Korean cinema landscape, especially as theatres struggle and OTT platforms grow?
Yoon-sung Kang: The pattern is changing. Dramas are now mainly produced to be broadcast straight to streaming platforms. In theaters, audiences want something big — spectacle and imagination. Viewers still prefer to experience special effects on the big screen rather than on their home TVs. Movies like those from Marvel, DC, and Star Wars will always draw the audience to a more cinematic experience. AI can help smaller teams make that kind of large-scale cinema again. It’s a way for Korean filmmakers to stay bold even with limited budgets.
Q: Looking back, how would you define your identity now as a director?
Yoon-sung Kang: I want to be a director who tells real stories, but also challenges what’s possible. I admire people like Martin Scorsese and James Cameron — they know what audiences feel and expect. I hope to be someone who can also foresee what stories the world wants next.
Q: Finally, what was your biggest challenge directing “Run to the West,” and where do you hope it “runs” next?
Yoon-sung Kang: Combining AI-generated creatures with real actors proved to be the most challenging part — both technically and emotionally. We had to invent new workflows on set every day. After London, I hope the film travels to more festivals to show that Korean cinema can lead innovation, not just follow it.
“Run to the West”: A New Language of Cinema
“Run to the West” isn’t just a film about crossing realms.
It’s a step into a new language of cinema — where tradition meets technology, and imagination refuses to slow down.
Director Yoon-sung Kang doesn’t chase innovation for its own sake. He uses it to question what remains human in the process — what emotion survives when the frame becomes digital, and what truth still belongs to us when the tools evolve faster than we do. His vision doesn’t erase the past; it translates it.
In a landscape where many filmmakers hesitate to touch AI, Kang’s courage feels both radical and natural — the mark of someone who understands that progress, like storytelling, never stands still.
And amid all the spectacle, it’s the human pulse that stays with you: the sorrow of the run, the echo of mythology, the laughter that breaks the tension. Even the smallest details — a look, a pause, a fragment of stillness — feel like reminders that cinema, no matter how advanced, still begins with a heartbeat.
In that sense, “Run to the West” isn’t just a film about life and death, or man and machine. It’s about the delicate space in between — the one that belongs entirely to art, made with the heart and soul of the artist.
While I patiently wait for the second part of the movie, it was truly enchanting to meet Director Kang under London’s AI-free, autumnal blue sky.
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