TLDR: AI content studio MCA and KT have announced the ‘It’s Me, Ko Jun’ contest, a special category within the ‘2025 KT AI P.A.N’ AI video contest. This initiative invites creators to produce AI-generated films featuring actor Ko Jun’s replicated face and voice, building on the success of last year’s ‘It’s Me, Moon-hee’ contest. Submissions open from August 1st to August 15th, 2025, with a total prize pool of 200 million won.
Seoul, South Korea – A groundbreaking initiative in artificial intelligence filmmaking has been unveiled with the announcement of the ‘It’s Me, Ko Jun’ contest. This special category, part of the larger ‘2025 KT AI P.A.N’ AI video contest, challenges creators to leverage generative AI to produce short films starring actor Ko Jun. The contest is a collaborative effort between AI content studio MCA and telecommunications giant KT, with co-hosting support from the Directors Guild of Korea (DGK).
The ‘It’s Me, Ko Jun’ contest marks the second season of what is touted as the world’s first star-based AI movie contest, following the significant domestic and international interest generated by last year’s ‘It’s Me, Moon-hee,’ which featured veteran actress Na Moon-hee. The primary goal of this new season is to further popularize AI content and inspire a new wave of AI creators.
Participants in the contest will be provided with image and voice data of actor Ko Jun by MCA, enabling them to use generative AI tools to replicate his face and voice, effectively casting him as the lead in their original short films. A notable and symbolically significant feature of this season is the option for creators to also cast Na Moon-hee, MCA’s first AI celebrity and the star of the previous season, as a supporting character, marking the first instance of AI celebrities co-starring in a production.
MCA, a pioneer in the AI content space, established Korea’s first AI celebrity management system three years ago with the launch of Na Moon-hee as its inaugural AI celebrity. The studio is at the forefront of integrating generative AI technology into content creation, producing diverse forms of AI content including movies, animations, music videos, and advertisements, thereby driving the AI-based creative ecosystem.
Under the slogan ‘Freedom of Creation,’ the contest highlights the transformative potential of AI technology in entertainment. AI allows stars to ‘participate’ in multiple projects simultaneously, a feat impossible in traditional filmmaking, and empowers creators to develop entirely new narratives based solely on their imagination.
The contest is open to all, regardless of nationality, and welcomes submissions from individuals, teams, and companies. Films can be submitted as live-action or animated features, with no restrictions on genre, encouraging a wide array of creative expressions from comedy and romance to horror, historical, fantasy, and sci-fi.
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Submissions for the ‘It’s Me, Ko Jun’ contest will be accepted for a two-week period, from August 1st (Friday) to August 15th (Friday), 2025. The total prize pool for the ‘2025 KT AI P.A.N’ AI video contest is an impressive 200 million won. The grand prize winner across all categories, including the Ko Jun actor category, will receive 50 million won. Specifically for the ‘It’s Me, Ko Jun’ special IP category, the winner will be awarded a total of 38 million won, which includes a 15 million won grand prize.
