Grieving South Koreans seek comfort in AI videos of deceased loved ones - The Joplin Globe
Lee Geon Hui used AI technology from a Seoul-based firm to create a personalized video message from his late grandfather to comfort his father
- Incident date
- Dec 2025
- Target
- Lee Geon Hui's father
In December 2025, Lee Geon Hui commissioned a Seoul-based tech company called Vaice to produce an AI-animated video message intended to comfort his father. The video featured a digital likeness of Lee's late grandfather delivering a heartfelt, personalized message to his son.
What happened
Lee Geon Hui sought to honor his father, who had raised him as a single parent, by creating a digital tribute to the man his father missed dearly. Lee provided the content of the message, which Vaice used to synthesize the virtual character. In the resulting clip, the digital grandfather addressed his son as his most precious child. The message specifically included an apology for requiring his son to assist with farm work during his childhood, as well as an expression of regret for previously opposing his son’s career choice to become a hairstylist. This application of AI highlights a growing trend in South Korea where grieving individuals utilize synthesis technology to generate video messages from deceased loved ones for emotional support.