Silla's Hwarang ride into K-pop and win Seoul's AI film prize

Reimagining 5 Silla Hwarang as Modern Characters

'Hwarang,' an AI music video film that reinterprets the spirit of the Silla Dynasty's Hwarang as modern K-POP idols, has won the Grand Prize at the 5th Seoul International AI Film Festival. Directed by Shin Hyo-jung, the founder of the K-CULTURE AI International Film Festival, the work also earned the honor of winning in the 'Best Beauty Art' category.

For this project, the director researched approximately 35 Hwarang recorded from the Silla Dynasty and selected five key figures: Kim Chun-chu, Kim Yu-sin, Wi Hwa-rang, Bi-hyeong-rang, and Cheon-gwang. Detailed historical records were reflected in the character settings.

Wi Hwa-rang, the first Pungwolju, was portrayed as 'Lee Hwa,' the successor to a fashion group symbolizing a noble crane, based on historical descriptions of his jade-white face and red lips. Kim Chun-chu, inheriting political leadership and the symbol of the dragon, was transformed into 'Chun-chu,' the son of a modern politician. The great general Kim Yu-sin was reborn as 'Yu-sin,' the son of a global IT entrepreneur, using the image of a horse galloping through battlefields.

The legendary Bi-hyeong-rang was set as 'Bi-hyeong,' the son of a modern Taekwondo Association president, based on records of him commanding ghosts and goblins. Cheon-gwang was composed as the youngest character, the son of an ordinary office worker, symbolizing a pure deer.

Connecting Hwangsanbeol and Gwanghwamun via AI Technology

The video uses AI technology to connect the battlefield of Silla's Hwangsanbeol with modern-day Gwanghwamun. The image of Hwarang riding horses and shooting arrows transitions into modern, flashy dance and music. The five Hwarang in the work are shown performing on global stages—starting in Seoul and moving to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Venice—to spread the light of K-CULTURE.

Director Shin Hyo-jung holds a PhD in Political Science from Korea University and currently serves as the president of the Korea Artificial Intelligence (AI) Film Festival Association and an AI education specialist at Seoul National University's AI-Media Content Lab. "I researched approximately 35 Hwarang recorded in the Silla Dynasty and created the five modern Hwarang characters based on Kim Chun-chu, Kim Yu-sin, Wi Hwa-rang, Bi-hyeong-rang, and Cheon-gwang," Shin stated.

Director Shin is currently working on completing Part 2 of 'Hwarang' and plans to present an expanded universe through the production of a series continuing from Part 3 to Part 5. The K-CULTURE AI International Film Festival, founded by Shin, will be held on September 6 at Entreble in Gangnam, Seoul.