[Kim Daesik·Kim Hyeyeon's AHA] In the AI Era, an Artist's Competitive Edge Is the "Unique Self"

(23) Manwook, Painter
Body, Choice, and the Conditions of Art in the Artist's Words
Collaboration with AI: Reflections on Physical Experience and Creative Agency
A World Where Humans, Machines, and Plants Become Each Other's Conditions

Editor's NoteThe Asia Business Daily has decided to explore how rapidly advancing generative artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the field of artistic creation, and what questions "humans" should be asking, from the perspectives of both engineers and artists. To this end, we have established a monthly feature in which Professor Kim Daesik of KAIST's School of Electrical Engineering and Choreographer Kim Hyeyeon (CEO of Yeonist) engage in conversations or discussions with artists about their works. The section title, 'AHA', stands for 'AI, Human & Art.' We hope that, through Professor Kim Daesik, who is passionately exploring the future of generative AI, and Choreographer Kim Hyeyeon, who boldly integrates generative AI with dance, readers can take a step closer to the profound questions surrounding AI, humanity, and art.

Manwook (MANWOOK, real name Park Kyunghwa) is an artist with a unique background, having majored in sociology and entering the art world later in life. The perceived disadvantage of being a "non-major" without formal art education has, in fact, become his strength. He boldly uses fluorescent colors, explores the relationship between humans and non-humans, and has recently been actively utilizing generative AI as a creative partner. Among Korean artists, he is one of the most active in incorporating AI into his work, registering AI-generated pieces as utility models and pioneering a new genre called "Gen Print." He is currently holding a solo exhibition, "Glitch Garden: Operating Plants, Growing Machines, Hesitant Humans," at Gallery Mari until January 30, 2026. We asked him about the essence of art in the age of AI.

Manwook (Park Kyunghwa, MANWOOK), a painting and fine arts artist, is posing ahead of an interview on the 5th at a cafe in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

-Was there a special reason you transitioned from studying sociology to becoming an artist?

▲The Andy Warhol exhibition I saw at the Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul in 2007 changed my life. I was shocked by the "Silver Car Crash" series, where car accident scenes were repeatedly silk-screened. I originally worked in video editing and was very interested in mass media and mass production society, but Warhol managed to express all of that in a single painting. Until then, I thought art was just about drawing pretty pictures. But after realizing that art could express contemporary mass media and cultural phenomena, I impulsively enrolled in an art academy. When I said, "I want to paint like Andy Warhol," they simply had me start with drawing basics.

I later tried graduate school, but the direction I was drawn to felt a bit different from institutional education, so I quit midway and just started painting on my own. I didn't even know there were colors you should or shouldn't use, and I used fluorescent colors freely, which were usually avoided. At first, not having formal training felt like a weakness, but now that I'm exhibiting, I think that's actually what gave me my unique style. Not having that "framework" has now become my strength.

-You are known as one of the most active users of AI among Korean painters. What led you to incorporate AI into your creative process?

▲I've always been interested in how media and mediums change social culture. When I learned video editing, it was still linear editing, but everything changed when Premiere came out. After that, ordinary people started creating content. I found the point where everyday life became content to be fascinating.

But art is still often considered the "exclusive domain of the artist." Is that really true? In an era where anyone can create and edit their own content like on YouTube, I wondered if art could also change in that way. Around that time, I participated in a lecture series called <Unique World> based on insights into the era of art and technology, which helped me clarify my own standards as an artist regarding AI. So, I began working with AI in earnest at the beginning of this year.

My approach is a bit unique. I try to avoid using text prompts as much as possible, instead inputting my own work data and image prompts. When I feed the data from the pieces I've created by hand over more than ten years, the AI identifies patterns and generates new images. What surprised me was that, although I thought my work was rough and lacked consistent patterns, the AI was able to find its own patterns within it. People can even recognize the results as my work.

Humanoid robot_80.3 x 116.8 x 2.5cm_oil stick on wood panel_2018. Courtesy of the artist

-How does the process of creating with AI differ from working by hand? Is AI a tool for you, or a partner?

▲At first, I thought of it as a tool, but that wasn't the case. When working by hand, it's a solitary struggle. But collaborating with AI, I found myself engaging in extensive dialogue. For example, to bring the character from my picture book "Baekko Cat" to life, I had to keep explaining the cat's characteristics. This made me articulate everything about my work and the stories I wanted to tell.

Beyond that, AI has been a real help in generating ideas. The title of my current exhibition, "Glitch Garden: Operating Plants, Growing Machines, Hesitant Humans," also came out of a conversation with ChatGPT. I was particularly fond of the phrase "hesitant humans."

ChatGPT even helped me register a utility model. I used AI to organize materials for my patent attorney, and ended up submitting the application myself. Although it's still under review, it was something I would never have dared to do on my own. In this way, AI presents me with resources and capabilities beyond what I imagined. It's like brainstorming with a great conversational partner. Rather than being a simple tool, it's definitely something that expands my potential.

-Please introduce the "Glitch Garden" exhibition currently underway at Gallery Mari.

▲This exhibition started with collaboration with generative AI. It showcases landscapes formed by the mutual influence of plants, machines, and humans. While "glitch" usually means an error or defect, I wanted to see it as a condition where new possibilities sprout, rather than as a failure.

One of the representative works features a female figure with unfocused eyes and a long neck, but in fact, it's not a human-it's a machine. Rather than depicting machines as external objects, I wanted to express them as family within my own boundaries, so I worked in human form. As technology advances, the boundary between humans and machines inevitably becomes more blurred.

I'm especially interested in the process where, based on my past work data, the AI generates 100 images and I select one. While working on this, I kept asking myself: Even though I provided the data, to what extent can I claim this as my own creation? In this sense, AI in this exhibition functions not as the subject of creation, but as a device that exposes the limitations of the creator.

Manwook (Park Kyunghwa, MANWOOK), a painting and fine arts artist, is posing ahead of an interview on the 5th at a cafe in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

-The installation connecting plants and machines in your exhibition is intriguing. What is this work about?

▲It's an installation where weeds are grown in small trays, using energy collected from machine errors to nurture the plants. The error messages displayed on the screen are converted into electrical energy, which is then used to support plant growth. I thought errors and weeds were similar-they are both things we can't control. By connecting the two, I wanted to ask, "Who is nurturing whom?"

The plants depend on the light provided by machines to grow, and the machines respond to the state and intervention of humans. I think that, in today's creative process, humans, machines, and nature are not separate entities, but conditions for each other, growing together. I designed the system, but at the same time, I am constantly pushed outside of it. I hesitate between intervention and letting go, unable to fully control the results.

-How can you distinguish between works created with generative AI and those made by hand?

▲Honestly, it's hard to tell with the naked eye now. At the beginning of the year, you could still spot errors, like odd-looking fingers, but those are disappearing. Printing technology has also advanced, so when images are printed on canvas, it's often impossible to tell even by touch. The ink is layered to create texture.

However, when artists talk to each other, it's easy to tell. If someone is determined to deceive, it might be impossible to detect. That's why I think artists who use AI must have a clear reason and disclose it transparently. It should be clear which parts were made with AI and why it was used.

In my case, I generate 100 images and select one to turn into a work. I used this format in my previous exhibition as well-while the other 99 images are discarded, I reduced them to a smaller size and exhibited them together. I also let visitors take the image prompts home. Now, rather than distinguishing between handwork and AI, I think it's more important to clearly indicate usage and consider the artist's "purpose" and "choices" when using AI.

Always searching for or chasing something (that does not exist)_We desire what others desire_91x116.8 cm_Pigment Print on Hahnemuhle William Turner 310 gsm (Genprint)_2025-850. Courtesy of the artist. This work is a generative print created by the artist using AI.

-Many artists are resistant to AI. The essence of art is creation, but if AI creates and humans only select, is that still art?

▲I've struggled with that question a lot. Is this creation or generation? There is definitely an ambiguous area. Since I have a foundation of hand-created data, I would still call it "creation." In the first half of this year, I worked almost exclusively with AI. Then, when I returned to handwork in the second half, I went through a month and a half of stagnation. Having tasted such a convenient tool, it was hard to go back to more difficult manual work.

Ironically, if you ask me what skills are most needed today, I would say "using your body." Working with your hands and body, that training is really important. AI can pattern data and generate images that are appealing to people. But it can't replicate the emotions that come from the body-the lines that change daily, the feelings of anger or hope. Creating art is important, but so is viewing it. Without direct experience, you can't know the difference.

-What is the atmosphere in the art world regarding the adoption of AI?

▲In my experience, the atmosphere is not very welcoming. Many galleries say they cannot accept works created with generative AI. So when I first presented my AI work, people around me were concerned about whether I should disclose the use of AI. But since the use of AI was central, I chose to be open and proceeded with the exhibition. In practice, this led to a variety of opinions and became an opportunity to reflect on contemporary art. In terms of collecting, there is definitely less preference for AI works compared to originals.

On the other hand, younger collectors who are just starting out seem indifferent. The methods and speed of adoption vary by field and position, but I think this is an unstoppable trend of the times. The recent announcement of the AI Basic Law is another sign. What I want to emphasize is that AI is not just a tool, but a concept of "expansion." I recommend that artists try and integrate it in their own way.

Collecting Weed Seeds _ 29.7 x 42 cm _ Oil Stick, Pencil on Paper _ 2025 - 57. Courtesy of Gallery Mari.

-What kind of work are you planning to do in the future?

▲I want to further develop the installation I'm doing in the current exhibition. As the next step after growing weeds with machine error energy, I'm considering generating new images with this energy. Given the pace of technological advancement, I think it's not far off that physical AI-robots-will be able to create installation art. Right now, generative AI is mainly used for two-dimensional works, but I believe it will expand into media art, and eventually, robots will be able to create installation art as well.

I don't have many worries. I just want to keep working steadily and try out the things I want to do. Even if it doesn't seem perfect, I just try it. I plan to keep experimenting without being constrained by technical aspects.

Manwook (Park Kyunghwa, MANWOOK), a painting and fine arts artist, is posing ahead of an interview on the 5th at a cafe in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

-In the age of AI, what do artists truly need?

▲Physical experience. And I want to emphasize the uniqueness of one's own existence. AI theoretically knows everything and explains it far better than we do. It can eloquently describe love, hatred, loneliness, and pain. But it has never experienced any of it. This raises the question: Are the emotions AI describes really genuine? For us, "a pain that pierces the heart" is not just a word-it's an experience. And that experience is different for everyone. I believe this is the uniqueness of being human.

In the AI era, humanity's only real competitive edge is not "us," but "me." Robots can share data, but humans are each "the only me" with their own unique experiences. That's why working with your body and having direct experiences will become even more important. Ironically, the more AI advances, the more analog things-experiencing with your body and touching with your hands-will become the true competitive edge for artists.

Wrestling with these questions in the AI era also seems to expand into the question of "living together." Living together is a process of constant experimentation, failure, and correction in trying to understand the conditions of others. To connect this to the current exhibition, I wanted to rethink the structure of coexistence created by humans, machines, and plants. I hope visitors to the exhibition will sense how we become each other's conditions and find their own answers.

Kim Daesik, Professor at KAIST School of Electrical Engineering · Kim Hyeyeon, Choreographer and CEO of Yeonist