Yeon Sang-ho tackles AI, human abyss in grief-driven 'Paradise Lost'

Director Yeon Sang-ho's new psychological thriller, Paradise Lost, delves into the complexities of motherhood and human identity in an age of artificial intelligence. Speaking after the film's premiere in Seoul, Yeon expressed his belief that the essence of being human lies in our capacity for deep thought, which AI cannot replicate.

He emphasized that humans possess a mysterious, unknown inner world, akin to a black hole in space. This theme is central to Paradise Lost, which seeks to explore the depths of human consciousness.

The inspiration behind the film comes from a three-page story written by Yeon's mother. The narrative follows So-young (played by Kim Hyun-joo), a mother who lost her son, Sun-woo, nine years ago along with 12 other children in a school bus accident. Seven days after the tragedy, the bodies of several children were discovered in a mining town warehouse basement, and the search was subsequently abandoned, leaving So-young consumed by grief.

In her quest to cope with the loss, So-young forms a daily connection with an AI-generated version of her child through an augmented reality program. Yeon's film explores the impact of technology on human emotions and the profound depths of grief that can accompany the loss of a loved one. Through So-young's journey, Paradise Lost offers a thought-provoking examination of the human condition in the face of AI's growing presence in our lives.