[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] “When we started production four years ago, artificial intelligence (AI) wasn’t quite at this level yet, but now we’re truly living in an AI-driven world. The theme of emotional connection between humans and androids—and the relationships that unfold within that context—really appealed to me.”

Shin Chang-hwan, CEO of Studio Gale and director of *Nanolist*, shared these thoughts upon unveiling the new animated series *Nanolist*. In an interview with E-Daily prior to the series’ release, Director Shin emphasized that through *Nanolist*, he sought to depict a future where humans and AI coexist while simultaneously expanding the genre boundaries of Korean animation.
“Nanolist” is a 12-episode animated series depicting the bittersweet daily life of “Ahn Do-jin,” an ordinary high school student, and “Nano,” the ultimate killing machine left behind by his older sister. Based on the Naver Webtoon of the same name by author Min Song-ah, it premiered exclusively on TVING on the 17th. Since its release, it has topped TVING’s real-time popular animation chart, proving its popularity.

Director Shin expressed his deep affection for “Nanolist,” calling it “a project I put my all into.” He was drawn to “Nanolist” not only because of the genre’s appeal—science fiction—but also because of the relationship between humans and AI that the series explores.
“People talk a lot about ‘physical AI’ these days, don’t they? I thought that someday humans and androids would coexist, and I wanted to explore that idea,” he said. “I liked that ‘Nanolist’ is both a sci-fi story and a love story. It’s compelling, and the genre and subject matter aligned perfectly with what I wanted to tackle.”
The production of *Nanolist* began during a search for a strong IP. Studio Gale, together with its co-production partner Studio N, reviewed popular titles from Naver Webtoon and continued discussions with about 30 works shortlisted as candidates. Director Shin explained, “After three or four rounds of discussions about works with strong IP, we settled on *Nanolist*.”
Production on “Nanolist” began in 2022; the project was selected for a government support program in 2024 and wrapped up early last year. Although it took about another year from completion to release, the series has now reached viewers as a TVING Original animation through South Korea’s leading online video service (OTT).

When asked about the background behind its release as a TVING Original, Director Shin said, “Isn’t TVING’s primary audience women in their 20s and 30s? The target audience for ‘Drunk City Girls’ and ‘Transfer Love’ aligned well with that of ‘Nanolist.’” He added, “Since it’s a female-centered narrative with many female lead characters, production gained momentum quickly.”
There were some trials and errors during production. In particular, the character designs underwent a complete overhaul as the team worked to bring the original work’s unique character to life through animation. Although development initially focused on making extensive use of 3D, the team shifted course to reflect feedback that the animation needed to preserve the distinctive feel of the original work.
Since this was their first foray into the genre, it took a long time from planning and production to release, but they expressed confidence in the project, noting it was a work created through their own “blood, sweat, and tears.” In particular, they determined that the present—with AI technology having advanced dramatically since production began in 2022—is actually the most appropriate time to unveil “Nanolist.”
Director Shin said, “When we started in 2022, AI technology hadn’t advanced to this extent, but now we’re living in an AI world, aren’t we? Given this trend, I even think that in three or four years, the kind of AI featured in *Nanolist* might actually exist.” He added, “Interest in the emotional connection between humans and physical AI is also growing, and I believe this is a work that’s perfectly timed.”

Compared to the works Studio Gale has presented so far, “Nanolist” marks a definite shift. Studio Gale, which has demonstrated its strength in the children’s and family animation sector through titles such as “Pororo,” “Tayo,” “Grammy’s Circus Show,” and “Long Long, You’re Gonna Die, Right?,” has now expanded its reach into a genre that targets adult audiences as well.
Director Shin is focusing on the changing animation audience. Animation, once considered the exclusive domain of children, has now expanded its reach to become content widely consumed by the 40s and 50s generation, and the expectations of audiences—who have become accustomed to global content, including Japanese animation—have also risen. Director Shin believes that, in line with this changing market, Korea must also continue to produce animations featuring diverse genres and themes.
“The age range of animation viewers has broadened, and their expectations have risen,” he noted. “Watching Japanese animations like *Chainsaw Man* and *Slam Dunk*, I feel that Korea’s animation intellectual property (IP) is still in its infancy.”
Director Shin’s ultimate goal is to broaden the genre spectrum of K-animation and prove the potential of domestic animation IP. “While we still have a long way to go compared to global animation productions with budgets in the tens of billions of won, such works must continue to emerge from our domestic production market,” he said. “Even if we go through trial and error, I want to demonstrate the potential of K-animation by continuously presenting new and better works.”