
Actor Jung Yoon-min has revealed that the photo he shared, which appeared to show him meeting Hollywood star Brad Pitt in Bukchon, was actually created using AI.
On May 11, Jung took to his social media to clarify, "So many people have been asking if Brad Pitt visited Korea after seeing my photo in Bukchon, so I am posting this clarification. To get straight to the point, it is an AI-generated image."
On May 9, Jung had posted a photo on his social media with the caption, "I can't believe I met Brad Pitt in a Bukchon alleyway." In the photo, Jung is seen smiling brightly with his shoulder next to Brad Pitt's, both looking at the camera. The background shows a Bukchon alley, with N Seoul Tower visible in the distance.
The photo shared by Jung quickly became a hot topic online. Since there had been no reports of Brad Pitt visiting Korea, many were shocked, with some commenting, "Brad Pitt in Bukchon? What an incredible surprise encounter." Others expressed skepticism, asking, "Isn't this an AI-generated photo?" or "It looks like a composite."
The photo eventually made its way into news reports, leading to growing curiosity about why Brad Pitt might be in Korea. However, it was not a real photograph.
After the commotion, Jung admitted that the photo was AI-generated. He explained, "I was personally scared by how precisely this technology can create real people and backgrounds, so I shared it lightly to raise awareness, but it ended up receiving more attention than I intended."
He added, "It's truly an amazing era where technology has advanced to the point where it can even make it into the news. Everyone, please be careful and stay alert so you don't get fooled by fake photos."
Meanwhile, Brad Pitt's last official visit to Korea was in 2022 to promote his film 'Bullet Train'.
[Photo = Jung Yoon-min's Instagram]
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)