[On Stage] Analog Love of Artificial Intelligence Robots

Musical 'Eojjeomyeon Happy Ending'

The story of fateful love between AI 'Helperbot' created by humans
and a repetitive life
An indirect critique of 'machine alienation' caused by humans

The main characters Oliver (Jung Wook-jin) and Claire (Han Jae-ah, right) from the musical 'Maybe Happy Ending'. (Photo by CJ ENM)

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] In a rundown apartment on the outskirts of the Seoul metropolitan area in the late 21st century, abandoned AI robots called ‘Helperbots’ live together. Oliver, a resident here, always starts his day by playing jazz music on an LP record?music his former owner James loved?and tending to his plants. One day, after decades of this repetitive life, Claire knocks on Oliver’s door. Claire is a Helperbot one version more advanced than Oliver. Her charger is broken, and after wandering from house to house, she receives help from Oliver. Thus begins their encounter.

This is the opening scene of the musical “Maybe Happy Ending,” which depicts love between AI robots. Since its premiere in 2016, the production has stirred a new breeze in the original musical scene, winning six categories at the 2nd Korean Musical Awards and four categories at the 6th Yegreen Awards. The musical, which opened this year, is also enjoying great popularity, scoring 9.7 points on major ticketing platforms like Interpark and Yes24.

The play indirectly criticizes ‘machine alienation’ caused by humans. Robots discarded simply because their version is outdated, despite no significant difference in performance, are no different from today’s smartphones. Rather than technological advancement, the rapid version upgrades of machines are driven by the capital logic of companies that must constantly create demand to survive. This phenomenon has accelerated as humanity entered the digital era. Oliver’s daily ritual of playing LP records may be a nostalgia for the analog era. Even so, it might be a human fantasy implanted by digital commands rather than the free will of the Helperbots...

The main characters Oliver (Jung Wook-jin) and Claire (Han Jae-ah, right) from the musical 'Maybe Happy Ending'. (Photo by CJ ENM)

But love is different. In the play, humans program the Helperbots so that autonomous love is impossible. Yet Oliver and Claire eventually fall in love. Why? Probably because defining love is impossible. Humans would need to perfectly define love in binary code (0s and 1s) to issue commands forbidding it to robots. But this is impossible. The moment Oliver and Claire are drawn to each other by feelings they cannot understand, the ‘taboo’ sealed by imperfect coding inevitably breaks.

Having awakened to love, Oliver and Claire gradually begin to reject other human-imposed rules. Accumulating wealth, driving, and going beyond a 15 km radius are illegal for Helperbots, but they lightly ignore these restrictions. The two run out of the apartment and travel together to Jeju Island. Oliver goes to meet his former owner, while Claire wants to see the fireflies she likes.

Through the trip, they get to know each other better. Even after returning home, their relationship deepens. But eternal love does not exist. Claire’s limbs begin to break down more frequently. Realizing her durability is running out, they sense that separation is approaching.

Musical 'Maybe Happy Ending' performance scene. (Photo by CJ ENM)

The highlight of the play is the memory deletion scene in the latter part. Claire, looking pitifully at Oliver who cares for her as she deteriorates, suggests they end their relationship. However, their love for each other does not fade after parting. The precious memories they shared torment them. Finally, Claire persuades Oliver to reset their memories to a time when they did not know each other at all.

“Knock knock.” The play returns to the scene where Claire knocks again to borrow a charger. Oliver opens the door. They behave as if meeting for the first time. Did they delete their memories, or do they still keep them? Perhaps they are endlessly repeating the entire process of meeting, loving, and parting hundreds or thousands of times.

German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844?1900), through his thought experiment of ‘eternal recurrence,’ asks, “If the life you have lived were to be repeated again, would you agree to it?” Perhaps Oliver and Claire willingly agree to this, repeating a life of ‘amor fati’?love of fate. However, just as the opening and closing scenes differ slightly, this repetition creates ‘difference,’ making it an infinite variation of possibilities like the jazz music Oliver loved.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.