Media artist Lee Jin-joon is exploring the complex relationship between human memory and artificial intelligence in an era where technology is reshaping how we perceive reality. His solo exhibition "Champagne Supernova" at BBM gallery in Seoul, which closed Saturday, presents his artistic response to what he calls the "epistemological crisis" of our time - a fundamental shift in how we understand and define reality in the age of AI.

Lee, who serves as an associate professor at the Graduate School of Culture Technology at KAIST, believes we are currently living in an uncomfortable transitional period. "Being in between always comes with a sense of unease. Sometimes it feels like going through a dark tunnel and telling yourself, 'Hang in there, light will come,'" he explained during a discussion at the gallery on Thursday. According to Lee, society is experiencing overwhelming AI technology now, but will eventually enter a post-AI era where artificial intelligence becomes deeply integrated as foundational infrastructure.

"What terrifies me is not losing our jobs to AI, but the fact that our entire way of perceiving the world has changed," Lee said. He describes this transformation as an epistemological crisis, meaning a fundamental crisis in how we perceive and define reality. The artist argues that the flood of images in our digital age has made it impossible to distinguish real memories from those shaped by artificial imagery, leaving people uncertain about their own identities as they live within their own fantasies.

Lee emphasizes that AI accelerates this crisis by creating filter bubbles that only show people what they want to see and hear. His exhibition "Champagne Supernova," which marks his first solo show at a commercial gallery, represents his attempts to find creative breakthroughs within this technological reality. "Ignoring AI and sticking to carving stones by hand - that is not creativity. We already live in the age of AI, and there is no way back," he stated.

After studying sculpture at Seoul National University, Lee pursued a master's degree in moving image design from the Royal College of Art in London, which shaped his current multimedia approach. The exhibition featured several works that directly engage with AI technology, including two collaborative collage paintings titled "On Some Faraway Shore No.6" and "On Some Faraway Shore No.7," both inspired by his hometown near Korea's southern coast.

These collage works investigate how contemporary artists can create something truly personal and unique when AI-generated memories tend to be standardized. Lee explained his creative process: "For example, when I tried to express the moment my mother gave me sweet strawberries when I was sick, the AI simply drew a random woman handing out strawberries." His solution involves a multi-step process where he writes down personal memories, feeds them into an AI image generator, then prints, cuts, and manually reassembles the resulting images into collages before painting over them with acrylic paint.

The exhibition also featured "Mnemosyne Theatre," a VR video installation, and its companion piece "Memory Theatre," a single-channel video. These works draw inspiration from Renaissance philosopher Giulio Camillo's "Theatre of Memory" - an imaginary architectural structure designed to spatially organize all human knowledge and memory. "Giulio Camillo imagined a theater filled with the universe's knowledge, where just stepping inside would let you recall everything. I created my own version of that theater in three dimensions, to process the memories of my own childhood," Lee explained.

The centerpiece of the exhibition was an 88-minute single-channel video also titled "Champagne Supernova," which explores these themes through extended visual narrative. Lee's approach to working with AI reflects his nuanced perspective on the technology: "AI is frightening, but it's also fascinating. Something new is always born from fear and the unknown."

Lee has gained international recognition for several high-profile projects that blend technology with artistic expression. In April, he attracted global attention with "Good Morning Mr. G-Dragon," an ambitious project that transmitted an AI-generated video into space based on K-pop artist G-Dragon's iris data, accompanied by his music. This project exemplified Lee's interest in pushing the boundaries of how art can engage with both technology and popular culture.

In September, Lee directed "Cine-Forest: Awakening Bloom," a large-scale media performance that transformed Bundang Central Park into an open-air theater featuring light, sound, and storytelling. The performance drew more than 1,000 visitors and demonstrated his ability to create immersive experiences that bridge digital and physical spaces. Through these varied projects, Lee continues to explore how artists can maintain authentic creative expression while embracing the possibilities and challenges of our increasingly AI-integrated world.