As AI-fueled deepfakes skyrocket―misusing stars’ faces and voices without consent―the Korea Entertainment Management Association (KEMA) and M83 (KOSDAQ: 476080) have unveiled a “Digital DNA” infrastructure aimed at setting a new industry standard.
KEMA said it will jointly push the Digital DNA initiative with KDDC (Korea Digital DNA Center), a subsidiary launched by M83, to proactively block illegal content that exploits entertainers’ likenesses.
Digital DNA captures a performer’s unique face, voice, gestures, and other identifiers, then registers and stores them as an Official Digital Identity. Powered by AI, VFX, and security tech, the system tracks and manages usage and distribution in real time.
Built to verify authenticity and rights, the platform is designed to block unauthorized copying and misuse at the source―so only creator-approved data can be used to produce and distribute content. The result is a strict, consent-first authentication layer for the AI era.
Any asset created with unregistered data is instantly flagged as unauthorized, providing clear grounds for takedowns and legal action.
The move arrives as celebrity-targeted AI fakes outpace what individuals can realistically fight: voice-cloning scams that demand money, explicit content using idols’ faces, and impersonated audio files mimicking actors to solicit investments or favors―all now the subject of real reports and investigations.
KDDC and KEMA argue it’s time to shift from “after-the-fact cleanup” to “prevention through prior registration.” By requiring pre-verified, official data only, the plan sets a shared baseline for the industry―protecting personal rights, curbing reckless content abuse, and rebuilding trust across the creative economy.
Underpinning KDDC’s stack are M83 and its subsidiary DiBlAT, recognized for high-end VFX and AI. M83 has proved its chops on major projects including Netflix’s "Sweet Home" Seasons 2 and 3, "When Life Gives You Tangerines," "Space Sweepers," and the films "Hansan: Rising Dragon" and "Noryang: Deadly Sea"―earning a reputation as a leader in generative AI, deepfake, and immersive content tech.
DiBlAT specializes in AI-driven video production and digital human technology. Beyond architecting the Digital DNA-based actor verification system, the company oversees digital human creation and operations end-to-end―core to building a reliable, secure, and standardized digital identity infrastructure.
Once registered, a performer’s Digital DNA becomes a bona fide asset that can be licensed across advertising, film, TV, online video, and gaming―boosting trust throughout the K-content production and distribution pipeline.
“Digital DNA is a vision we began shaping more than a decade ago from hands-on VFX production,” said KDDC co-CEO and M83 CEO Jung Sung-jin. “It isn’t just about fighting deepfakes―it’s a sovereignty framework for digital identity that protects every stage of content creation in the AI era. This will be foundational infrastructure for both individual rights and industry trust.”
Partnering on the initiative, KEMA is a nonprofit under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, representing more than 3,000 leading Korean pop-culture artists, around 280 management companies, and roughly 600 members. The organization advocates for member rights and drives the global growth and systematic development of Korea’s entertainment industry.
“It’s not enough to chase and delete fakes,” a KEMA representative said. “We need a system where only registered data can be used legally. With Digital DNA, we’ll foster a healthier creative ecosystem and ensure K-content is produced and distributed in ways the global market can trust.”
KDDC will also collaborate with content studios to build the broader framework the industry needs, including: ▲ a Digital DNA data bank ▲ verification and commercialization of AI/VFX actor digital doubles ▲ standard contracts and copyright management systems ▲ and AI content production guidelines, all rolled out in phases.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)