Popular K-drama A Killer Paradox received a variety of reviews for its gripping storyline, plot twists, and the representation of characters. The series premiered on February 9, 2024, on Netflix. It follows the story of a young college student, Lee Tang (Choi Woo-Shik), who becomes a murderer overnight after accidentally killing a serial killer. Meanwhile, detective Jang Nan-Gam (Son Suk-Ku) does everything in his power to catch Lee Tang.
In an interview with the local news, A Killer Paradox director, Lee Chang-Hee, revealed that the makers used deepfake technology for the younger version of Son Suk-Ku’s character, Jang Nan-Gam. When asked where he found a child actor who was very similar to Suk-Ku, the director said, “It’s actually CG (computer graphics).”
A Killer Paradox Director Lee Chang-Hee opens up on using deepfake technology to create Son Suk-Ku’s younger self
Director Lee Chang-Hee revealed that he used computer graphics and deepfake technology to create Son Suk-Ku’s younger version in A Killer Paradox. The similarities between Son Suk-Ku and his younger self were clearly visible in the series. The director noted that the similarities were noted because of the use of graphics.
Explaining the reason behind using deepfake technology, the director revealed (originally in Korean), “There are many people saying that the child actor playing Son Suk-Ku’s character has a high synchronization rate.” Meanwhile, he also expressed that other dramas and movies use different child actors to play younger versions of the characters and “insist that it is true.” Lee Chang-Hee clarified, “This is cinematically acceptable, but I don’t like that.”
The director further noted that the past scenes don’t involve the younger versions speaking any lines throughout the series, indicating the use of CG. He revealed that it took a lot of work to collect data, including past photos of Son Suk-Ku, to closely resemble the younger version. Reflecting on the response to using deepfake technology, he said, “Because it costs a lot of money, many production companies asked if it was necessary to go to that length.”
As per the news report, A Killer Paradox recorded over 3 million views within three days of its release. Moreover, the series also ranked 2nd in the Netflix Global Top 10 Non-English TV category. All episodes of the K-drama are available to stream on Netflix.
