By Karim Hammam
South Korean director Yeon Sang-ho returns to artificial intelligence themes in his latest psychological thriller "Paradise Lost," which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and opens in North American theaters Friday.
Plot centers on mother and AI recreation of missing son
The film stars Kim Hyun-joo as Ryu So-young, a mother whose son Sun-woo was abducted on a school camping trip. For nine years she interacts with an AI version of the boy, frozen at age 10 through augmented reality glasses. When the real Sun-woo, played by Bae Hyeon-seong, returns as an adult, she is torn between the two versions.
Director's continued exploration of AI
Yeon, known for "Train to Busan," has previously examined AI in the 2023 Netflix film "JUNG_E" and the zombie thriller "Colony," which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this year. "Paradise Lost" originated from a three-page story written by Yeon's mother, a homemaker and cleaner, about a mother and son in a village. The title references John Milton's epic poem.
Yeon discusses AI's limits and Asian filmmakers' receptiveness
In an interview with The Associated Press, Yeon said the film questions whether a relationship with an AI can be genuine, noting that AI provides suitable reactions but does not truly contemplate. He suggested Asian filmmakers may be more receptive to AI than Hollywood, as AI and other technologies lower barriers for non-English-language productions. Yeon also dismissed debates that lump all AI applications together, comparing audience test screenings to collective intelligence systems.
