As drama actor fees hit W500m per episode, a digital alternative emerges

With per-episode fees for lead drama actors surging to as much as 500 million won ($362,000), driving up production costs dramatically, an alternative has emerged that could cut those expenses significantly — commercializing digitized versions of actors' likenesses.

The approach also offers protection for actors' digital intellectual property against generative AI and deepfake technology. The digital IP project has already drawn nearly 100 actors, underscoring growing interest in the field.

According to industry sources Friday, the Korea Digital DNA Center (KDDC) is developing a digital DNA system to record and manage actors' digital information.

Digital DNA is an asset framework that captures an actor's facial features, body, expressions and movements in high-resolution 3D and volumetric formats — with the actor's prior consent and participation. Volumetric technology captures the full three-dimensional spatial information of a person or object in real time and renders it as computer-generated stereoscopic imagery.

In practice, KDDC scans and digitizes actors using 40 cameras and equipment capable of capturing up to 270-degree angles. The resulting data forms the foundation for using an actor's digital IP in AI and digital content production.

KDDC sells actors' digital IP to production companies and collects fees from them in return. Actors are not charged any storage or scanning fees.

Nearly 100 actors — including two widely recognized performers identified only as A and B — have already registered their digital IP with the center.

The digital IP model could also rein in on-set costs at a time when per-episode drama production budgets have soared to 2 billion won — up from 300 million to 400 million won just a few years ago.

Savings could extend beyond actor fees to cover staffing, camera equipment and location costs for advertising shoots, as well as hair and makeup expenses.

"In the AI era, an actor's face, voice and movements are not mere images or data — they are a vital part of that person's digital identity and assets," a KDDC official said. "We will build an environment where actors' rights are protected first, while also enabling them to participate safely in the new AI content market on the basis of informed consent and proper contracts."