Language-based artificial intelligence has rapidly integrated into daily life, with people now consulting AI for everything from work tasks to personal relationships. This technological shift is beginning to manifest in Korean television drama narratives, where AI interactions are becoming increasingly common plot devices.
In the streaming platform Tving's 16-episode romantic comedy "Nice to Not Meet You," middle-aged actor Lim Hyun-joon, portrayed by Lee Jung-jae, turns to an AI chatbot for career guidance during a personal identity crisis. The character has spent his entire career playing a single role – a detective – which brought him fame and wealth but left him creatively stagnant. After failed attempts to expand into different roles, Hyun-joon finds himself frustrated, anxious, and increasingly depressed.
The series continues to feature AI interactions in its third episode, where Hyun-joon again seeks artificial intelligence guidance, this time for styling advice before a blind date with journalist Wi Jeong-shin. The AI assists him with wardrobe selection and hairstyle decisions, demonstrating how the technology has become integrated into personal decision-making processes.
"Nice to Not Meet You" is not alone in incorporating AI elements into its storyline. Netflix's original fantasy romance "Genie, Make A Wish" (2025), starring Kim Woo-bin and Suzy, also features scenes where the lamp genie character, played by Kim Woo-bin, consults artificial intelligence to better understand human desires and wishes.
For regular AI users and technology advocates, these dramatic portrayals may seem routine and realistic. However, more skeptical viewers find themselves questioning the writers' intentions behind these scenes. The inclusion raises important questions about whether these moments simply reflect the new reality of AI dependence or represent subtle marketing efforts by AI companies.
Cultural critics believe this trend directly mirrors how quickly artificial intelligence has become a fundamental part of modern existence. "It's hard to imagine life without AI now," explained cultural critic Kim Kyo-seok. "Its presence in dramas is simply mirroring the world we live in. You'll see more of that coming."
Critic Jung Duk-hyun echoed this sentiment, noting the widespread adoption of AI technology. "Literally everyone uses generative AI to ask random questions or even to consult about personal problems," he said. "That reality is naturally being reflected in dramas."
However, Jung suggests the use of AI in these series serves multiple narrative and commercial purposes beyond simple realism. He pointed out that Perplexity Korea participated in production support for these dramas, indicating potential marketing collaborations. "It can also function as marketing," Jung noted.
The integration of AI also serves important storytelling functions within the dramatic narratives. Jung observed that in "Nice to Not Meet You," the AI interactions emphasize the protagonist's isolation. "Lim Hyun-joon is portrayed as lonely," Jung explained. "He doesn't have many people around him to talk to. The writer may have used AI to emphasize that loneliness." This creative choice highlights how artificial intelligence is filling emotional and social gaps in modern life, serving as a substitute for human connection and guidance.
