Robots Made Me Cry in the New Korean Movie ‘Wonderland’

The Korean movie Wonderland is just about AI and humans! So why is the trailer already making me spill tears? Most of the existing stories about artificial intelligence have been cautionary tales centered on the dangers of technology.

This trend makes sense seeing as AI is advancing at an alarming rate. There are valid concerns surrounding AI, but this is not a movie about that. Wonderland is about grief and coping with loss through AI. Many people don’t get the chance to say goodbye to their loved ones. In this upcoming movie by director Kim Tae-yong, “Wonderland” is an app that simulates video calls with deceased loved ones.

The movie has been playing in South Korea’s cinemas nationwide since June 5, 2024. International viewers will have to wait a little longer for the movie to be available to them.

I’m not the only one crying over this trailer

Aside from its compelling plot, Wonderland also has a notable power cast. Notably, Suzy Bae (Vagabond) and Park Bo-gum (Reply 1988) are making their comebacks on the big screen. Jang Yu-mi (Sleep), Tang Wei (Decision to Leave), and Choi Woo-sik (Parasite) will also play major roles in the movie.

Watching this movie, I couldn’t help but think: Wouldn’t it be nice if Wonderland existed? You can even interact with them on a daily basis through a video call instead of confronting reality and having to let go of loved ones. OK, yes, I know we’ve all watched that Black Mirror season two episode, “Be Right Back.” It played out the scenario of what would happen if someone never moved past their grief and instead recreated their boyfriend through AI.

But there is a diversity of stories in Wonderland. One is about a daughter who lost her mother early on. Another is about a woman whose boyfriend went into a coma and woke up completely changed. There are different forms of loss portrayed in Wonderland, all of which are equally heartbreaking.