LG founder’s grandson, production firm partner up to bring AI to filmmaking

As AI tools go mainstream, filmmakers, writers and actors are scrambling to find out if these technologies can really aid their creativity or if they can replace humans. But there’s one big concern to address before getting swept up in the debate: AI can’t run without massive data centers and power infrastructure.

A new joint venture, dubbed Utopia East, aims to address that need by developing infrastructure specifically for producing movies and TV shows using AI. The joint venture is held by a 50-50 investment firm Stock Farm Road (SFR) and AI film and television production company Utopia Studio.

SFR, co-founded by Brian Koo (grandson of LG Group founder Koo In-Hoi) and Amin Badr-El-Din, founder and CEO of BADR Investments, is contributing capital to the joint venture with creative expertise and industry contacts. Utopia, meanwhile, is providing the technology, workflow and infrastructure.

The project will also involve co-producing film and television projects and expanding access to Korean intellectual property to international audiences. According to Silica Shen, co-founder and CEO of Utopi Studios, production will begin using existing infrastructure, and the company expects the first part of this collaboration to be released next year.

In the short term, the use of AI is going to be primarily about reducing costs and increasing efficiency, Koo told TechCrunch.

“But beyond that, we’re very excited about the new possibilities of AI. As we engage with manufacturers, we’re exploring what completely new things can be possible. Right now, our primary focus is on some Korean manufacturers,” Koo said. “As short-form content was a novelty when it first emerged, we see opportunities for new approaches. We are working not only with established directors in cinema, but also with young, innovative creators who are not limited to traditional films.”

But novelty alone will not alleviate the concerns of those working in the entertainment industry or those consuming the content. AI may one day replace humans creative roles choice acting, actingAnd writingYet it often lacks the depth, nuance and emotional resonance of human storytelling. This has sparked a wide-ranging debate about the value of human creativity in an age when machines can mimic, but not completely replicate, human touch.

But Shen and Ku maintain that their use of AI is only aimed at improving existing processes. “These questions were at the center of everything we created at Utopai Studios,” says Shane. “From the beginning, our focus has never been on automation. Our workflow is designed to work with filmmakers, not in place of them. We still need writers to write, directors to direct and actors to act,” Shane said.

Every model and every dataset used is fully licensed and contractually approved, ensuring the technology respects the creators whose work makes filmmaking possible, Shane added.

“We want creators to understand that AI can expand their creative potential rather than compete with them. It can help bring their dreams to life, giving them the freedom to fully explore their creativity without worrying that AI will replace them. This, we believe, is going to be one of the most exciting outcomes for us,” Koo said.

“Typically, content and IP grow incrementally — one IP evolves after another — but with the right technology, especially AI, exponential growth is possible. It’s not about AI replacing people; it’s about the enormous value it can create for audiences, creators and engineers alike,” he added.

The agreement follows SFR’s recent agreement with the Jeollanam-do provincial government for construction A 3-GW AI data center in South Korea.

“The data center is part of our larger mission at Stock Farm Road to build the backbone of the next generation of intelligence-driven industries. Beyond Utopia Studios and entertainment, we also focus on areas such as manufacturing, energy-to-information, AI, and quantum computing. These are the same interconnected fields that need it.”

The data center will serve as the foundation for everything Utopai predates and will include a complete AI infrastructure for entertainment content, data management, creative intelligence, production and distribution.

Although financial details of the joint venture have not been disclosed, the capital is coming from multiple channels, including SFR’s investment vehicles, global sovereign and institutional investors and film and entertainment industry partners, the company said.

The JV will begin producing Korean content, but eventually aims to expand to other parts of Asia. “Japan is also always a great market,” making it a natural starting point for expansion, Shen noted, adding that he also sees significant potential in China and Thailand.