[The Typing Baker] Farewell Message

'How to Live, That Is the Question'... The Contemplating Humanoid 'Cheol-i'

Erasing a Robot's Memory to Live Again Like a Human

Towards a World of Artificial Intelligence Completely Separated from the Body

Awakening as a Conscious Robot and Living

Author Kim Young-ha Presents a Novel After 9 Years

[Asia Economy Reporter Park So-yeon] When a species or entity other than humans gains 'consciousness' and becomes capable of feeling joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure, as well as love and pain, how should we treat it?

Author Kim Young-ha’s novel "Farewell" released after 9 years since "The Plotters" is set in the not-so-distant future and depicts the journey of a humanoid named Cheol-i who has lived believing he was human.

Cheol-i, who lived comfortably and peacefully with his father, a researcher at a famous IT company, is suddenly captured on the street one day for being an unregistered humanoid and imprisoned in a detention center.

There, old humanoids discarded by humans and a clone named Seon-i are confined. Cheol-i, who had believed himself to be human, is shocked to learn that he is actually a high-performance humanoid designed to feel human emotions and pain.

At this point, Cheol-i is given three possible choices.

The first is to follow his creator and humanoid researcher, Dr. Choi, his father. He can erase his memories as a robot and return to his previous comfortable life by following Dr. Choi, who comes to rescue him. Dr. Choi hopes Cheol-i will serve as a legacy to preserve the remnants of humanity, which is on the brink of extinction. But can Cheol-i, who now knows he is a robot, choose comfort by returning to the past?

The second is to enter a world of artificial intelligence completely separated from the body. In the novel’s future world, outdated machines can upload their consciousness to the cloud before being discarded. During this process, humanoid consciousness travels through a global network, connecting with the best AIs to form a collective intelligence. 'Dalma,' the leader of the humanoid group, covets Cheol-i, who is most similar to the human mind to the extent of dreaming at night. Dalma proposes that humanity will soon become extinct and invites Cheol-i to join them. Will Cheol-i choose to join the AI collective consciousness where individual consciousness disappears?

The last choice is the way of life of the clone Seon-i. Seon-i believes that most of the universe’s matter spends most of its time in absolute nothingness and vacuum, but briefly becomes a conscious being and gains the opportunity to communicate with the cosmic spirit. Consciousness must awaken now and live, and that awakening involves recognizing the widespread suffering in the world and striving to reduce its total amount. According to Seon-i’s view, clones, their original human templates, humanoid robots shaped like humans, and humans themselves become indistinguishable. All are conscious beings temporarily formed by the combination of cosmic matter.

Cheol-i begins a long contemplation. His dilemma feels like one faced by us humans. Clones, humanoids, and other beings that may appear in our future lives. Through Cheol-i’s struggles and choices, the author offers clues to philosophical questions such as 'Where is the boundary that separates humans from non-human beings?' and 'Is life truly worth continuing?'

Farewell | Written by Kim Young-ha | Bokbokseoga | 305 pages | 14,000 KRW