The late Kim Soo-mi reappeared on stage — A case study of introducing an AI Avatar at the GAMFF opening ceremony

About

There are many ways to remember and honor someone who has passed away, but what if you could have one more conversation with them in their voice and manner of speaking? At the opening ceremony of the 2025 Gyeongbuk International AI·Metaverse Film Festival (GAMFF), Perso Interactive trained on the voice, facial expressions, and speech patterns data of the late Kim Soo-mi and implemented an AI Avatar and TTS, staging a special event in which AI Kim Soo-mi appeared on the opening ceremony awards stage screen.

Actors Jung Jun-ho and Shin Hyun-joon, who were especially close to the late actress during her lifetime, held a real-time conversation with AI Kim Soo-mi on stage, deeply moving attendees and leaving a powerful impression. The conversation experience, which naturally reflected the late actress's speech patterns and personality, was a meaningful example showing that AI technology can go beyond a simple function and become a means of connecting emotions between people.

Background

GAMFF is an international film festival that combines AI and metaverse technology with video content, and for the opening ceremony, it needed special content that could showcase the potential of AI technology in the most impressive way. However, existing performances and video-centered formats had limitations in terms of interaction with the audience and providing a differentiated experience.

Rather than stopping at a simple technology demonstration, the idea of implementing an AI Avatar of the much-loved late Kim Soo-mi on the opening ceremony stage was adopted as a way to maximize the event's emotion and message. By enabling real-time interaction with actors who had a deep connection with the late actress during her lifetime, the production was designed to honor her memory while directly demonstrating the new emotional possibilities that AI technology can create.

Solution

Using Perso Interactive technology, we implemented an AI Avatar and TTS trained on the voice, facial expressions, and speech patterns data of the late Kim Soo-mi. Through prompting that reflected the style and personality of the real person, we created a natural conversation experience, and AI Kim Soo-mi appeared on the large screen at the opening ceremony awards stage and engaged in real-time conversation with actors Jung Jun-ho and Shin Hyun-joon. Rather than a pre-scripted set of lines, a natural conversational flow reflecting the person's way of speaking and emotional tone was implemented, providing the audience with an experience as if they were communicating with the real person. Amid the attendees filling the venue, the late actress's voice and expressions seemed alive, delivering a deep resonance to the scene.

In addition, at the B2B exhibition booth, we also operated a tourist information AI Avatar station experience and an AI Avatar promotional video production experience that allowed visitors to experience Perso Interactive directly. Through this, it expanded beyond traditional video-centered production into performance-style AI content capable of real-time interaction.

Results

The Perso Interactive-based AI Avatar stage presented at the GAMFF opening ceremony left a strong impression on the audience and drew a high level of immersion. The scene in which the AI Avatar, naturally embodying the late actress's speech patterns and personality, and a real actor continued their conversation seamlessly went beyond a simple technology demonstration and evoked emotional responses, becoming a key moment in the entire event.

It also showed that AI technology can be used as part of a performance beyond simple information delivery or automation functions, suggesting new possibilities for existing stage production methods. As visitors experienced Perso Interactive firsthand through the on-site experience booth, their understanding of and interest in the technology also increased naturally, serving as an opportunity to confirm both the scalability and applicability of AI-based content.

This case is significant as a representative example showing that AI technology can evolve into content that conveys emotion and story.

Recommended For

It will be a useful reference for planners of large-scale events and memorial events, creators of content using famous IP, and anyone looking to enhance the emotion and completeness of an event using AI technology. In particular, it offers an effective direction for those who want to plan content that goes beyond simple visual production to evoke audience emotion and immersion, or who want to create a differentiated stage experience using AI technology.

Related article: Jung Jun-ho and Shin Hyun-joon moved to tears by the late Kim Soo-mi restored by AI, saying, "I really missed her"

Questions You May Have

Q. Can it be deployed on site right away without installation or separate development?

A. Yes. Perso Interactive AI can be deployed immediately on site without separate development or infrastructure setup. However, if additional event information or customization is needed, we proceed with the desired development through prior consultation. After development, the station (kiosk) device can be placed and operated immediately on site.

Q. How is the AI Avatar of the deceased produced?

A. We train on voice, video, and facial expression data left during their lifetime to implement the AI Avatar and TTS, and natural conversation is possible through prompting that reflects the actual person's speech style and personality.

Q. How far can real-time conversation go?

Perso Interactive combines a language model and voice synthesis technology to generate natural conversations in real time tailored to the situation, and it can be expanded in various forms depending on the content purpose.