{
  "id": 13914867,
  "title": "Yeon Sang-ho tackles AI, human abyss in grief-driven 'Paradise Lost'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/yeon-sang-ho-tackles-ai-human-abyss-in-grief-driven-paradise-lost",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-12T09:02:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/films/20261012/yeon-sang-ho-tackles-ai-human-abyss-in-grief-driven-paradise-lost"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nThe 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.\n\nIn 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.",
  "summary": "Director Yeon Sang-ho, best known for his intense genre storytelling, returns with the thought-provoking psychological thriller \"Paradise Lost,\" exploring the complexities of motherhood and human identity in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). \"In the era of AI, I believe being human means living in a world of deep thought,\" Yeon said after the premiere of the movie in Seoul Monday. \"AI…",
  "key_points": [
    "Yeon Sang-ho's 'Paradise Lost' explores AI's impact on human identity.",
    "Film's protagonist, So-young, grieves over lost son in AI-generated form.",
    "Story inspired by Yeon's mother's three-page narrative."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Yeon Sang-ho tackles AI, human abyss in grief-driven 'Paradise Lost'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/yeon-sang-ho-tackles-ai-human-abyss-in-grief-driven-paradise-lost-13918141",
        "published": "2026-10-12T09:22:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}