Recently, Park Bo Young has become quite the sensation for her appearance in the healing, mellow romance drama Our Unwritten Seoul. Impressed fans began praising not only the actress but also the growth of the K-Drama industry entirely.
Although the drama has a storyline of two twins switching lives and living apart, the story of Our Unwritten Seoul was praised for the way Park Bo Young is incorporated into various scenes. Scenarios where the twins appear together feel natural and were well constructed as the production company not only used stand-ins but also utilized CGI and deepfake AI technology in order to create realistic interactions between characters. Rather than just seeing Park Bo Young talking to someone off-screen, fans can enjoy seeing two Park Bo Young’s who are seemingly in the same setting.
Other dramas were also complimented for applying deepfake CGI for creating believable scenes throughout episodes. IU, Choo Young Woo, and Yook Sung Jae also play two roles in their corresponding dramas and the technology enriched the story and added to the fun of seeing our favorites on-screen acting among themselves.
However, this technology isn’t just limited to creating twins and doubles; dramas like When Life Gives You Tangerines also cloned a younger version of IU to help progress the story during the various stages of her life. IU played the lead Ae Soon and Ae Soon’s daughter Yang Geum Myeong in another timeline. Traversing through generations and time while seeing IU’s characters in different settings felt believable and interesting as fans were absorbed into the melodramatic story.
Choo Young Woo also showcased how well he can act as he balanced playing two roles, Cheon Seung Hwi and Sung Yoon Gyeom in the drama The Tale of Lady Ok. The scenes where the two characters appear together really delighted fans and added tension to the already captivating scenario. It was revealed that the actors filmed the two characters separately and then composited the screens. However, since their gazes and gestures often do not match, the production intricately refined these flaws using computer graphics. In addition, they film with body doubles who resemble the main cast in both height and features. After, deepfake technology is used to change the stand-in’s face to that of the actor thus developing a seemingly realistic visual.
While deepfake technology was once something feared by the public, it has become a useful storytelling tool that can’t go unused for K-Dramas of this nature. But it doesn’t come without challenges. Playing two roles is a hurdle for actors. Although it’s an opportunity to expand one’s acting spectrum and establish one’s position as a reputable actor, it is also a lot of pressure because one’s acting alone can single-handedly affect the quality of the work.
Park Bo Young shared her concerns and feelings saying, “When I read the script, I thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime role and challenging opportunity. I think my acting has improved a lot while working on this project.” IU had also shared similar sentiments saying, “When I was offered to play two roles, that part felt like a mission that made my heart race.”
Not only do we get to enjoy seeing our favorite stars steal the show, but also the scenario where one actor plays two roles adds a lot of tension and fun as only the viewers know something that the surrounding characters don’t.
>> Park Bo Young Is Her Own Scene Partner in ‘Our Unwritten Seoul’—and She Nails It
What do you think of the latest changes in the way K-Dramas are filmed? Are you enjoying stories that fully utilize your favorite Korean stars? What do you think of Park Bo Young’s latest drama? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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