The marriage of auteur vision and AI presents a new competitive formula for the film industry

Director Son Ho-seung, who has drawn the attention of the global genre film community with awards at more than 45 international film festivals, is now knocking on the door of Europe’s genre cinema heartland — this time with artificial intelligence in hand. His two short films, “National Pension” (Gukmin Yeongeum) and “Eumboksikdang: MSG,” have both been officially selected for the International Competition of the Fantasporto International Film Festival, opening February 27, 2026 in Porto, Portugal. This marks the first time a Korean short film has appeared on this stage in approximately 14 years, since Choi Si-young’s “Lizard Girl” (Domabaem Sonyeo) in 2012. Of the roughly 900 submissions from 75 countries, only 22 films were selected for the competition — and the fact that a single director passed through this narrow gate with two works is exceptional in itself.

What makes this particularly noteworthy is that both films were produced using generative AI technology. This aligns with a core theme of the Fantasporto festival itself: the festival’s 2026 regulations explicitly state its mission to “select films of high aesthetic and thematic quality while pursuing new forms and methodologies.” Son’s two works are expected to demonstrate what potential can be unlocked when a proven genre filmmaker’s distinctive vision meets new filmmaking tools.

Son Ho-seung: Toward a ‘Korean Black Mirror’

Director Son Ho-seung previously proved his genre filmmaking credentials with his short film “Will You Come Up?” (Wilyukeomup?), which won awards at more than 45 international film festivals. His current project in development, “Under” (Eondeo), is an eight-episode anthology drama aiming to be a “Korean Black Mirror,” weaving together eight bizarre and brutal stories set in the back alleys of Seoul, specifically at Semi-Basement No. 57. The U.S. horror distribution platform 13HORROR.COM described “Semi-Basement No. 57” (Banjiha 57beon) and “Dog Eat Man” (Dogeuismaen), representative episodes of the “Under” series, as “deeply unsettling and wildly imaginative” and “a chilling metaphor born from societal neglect.”

“National Pension,” one of the two films invited to Fantasporto, is also part of the “Under” series. The film transforms Korea’s national pension system into a stage for dystopian imagination, using black comedy to expose how vulnerable individuals are within state systems. Production company Hongeo Films describes the film as one that “intersects social systems and individual survival through black humor and satire.” The work was also selected for NAFF (Network of Asian Fantastic Films), the genre film industry program of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN).

The other invited film, “Eumboksikdang: MSG,” is a short-form adaptation of a feature film project currently in development by Son. The film uses the format of black comedy horror to unpack the structures of emotion and labor consumed within a world of star ratings, reviews, and evaluation systems. The work has already won awards at major genre festivals across North America, Europe, and Australia — suggesting that the global genre film community is responding positively to Son’s narrative and aesthetic sensibilities.

AI as a Tool — The Creative Vision Remains the Director’s

Meanwhile, AI-assisted filmmaking has been emerging as a new opportunity across the Korean film industry. Bloomberg reported that “Korea’s film industry is showing its healthiest recovery since the COVID-19 pandemic through AI technology, with multiple film studios actively adopting AI tools.”

Indeed, Mofac Studio, which produced “King of Kings” (King obeu Kingjeu), recently invested $4.3 million in building an AI-based film production platform. Meditation with a Pencil is also reportedly using AI-assisted tools for its remake of the Hong Kong film “A Better Tomorrow” (Yeongungbonsaek). Within this broader trend, Son Ho-seung’s invitation to Fantasporto suggests that AI may present a new paradigm for the film industry going forward.

Sources

•  Fantasporto 2026 Official Website (https://fantasporto.com/pt-pt/fantasporto-2026-regulations/)

•  Bloomberg, “AI Brings Korea’s Struggling Film Industry Hopes and Anxiety”, 2025.10.13

•  Maxmovie, “Director Son Ho-seung’s Two Short Films Simultaneously Invited to Fantasporto Competition”, 2026.01.15