가상인간을 생산하는 몸, 노동, 미디어 가상인간 ‘로지’ 사례를 중심으로 = Body, Labor, and Media in Producing Virtual Humans A Case Study of the Virtual Human ‘Rozy‘

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

As the technology for producing cultural and media content diversifies, the emergence of "virtual humans" is reshaping the conventions and landscapes of cultural industries. Criticizing the limitation of the social discourse and academic discussions surrounding virtual humans, which have focused primarily on their economic effects and industrial value as media commodities, this study argues for the necessity of research into the "production" and "production system" of virtual humans as a new media cultural phenomenon. When considering the media ecosystem that is being reconfigured around digital computers and artificial intelligence, this study theoretically describes the need to investigate the multi-layered production system, including producers, technology, and production networks, which are complexly involved in "production" within the contemporary media environment. Then, the study summarizes the system producing the virtual human "Rozy" into four contexts: 1) the production network of algorithms, graphics, and digital technologies, 2) repetitive labor in tech-professionals, 3) social media and digital care-giving labor, and 4) the labor of faceless bodies as ghost labor. Through the case of producing the virtual human "Rozy," the study captures a facet of the dynamic changes that the cultural industry is undergoing due to the evolving technologies contributing to production and distribution. Furthermore, it highlights new perspectives and critical viewpoints for media production studies within the changing media ecosystem.