Andrew Thomas Huang directs a striking promo for Brooklyn-based singer and DJ Yaeji, in collaboration with Microsoft. 

Filmed in Korea, the promo for Pondeggi is inspired by traditional hand games and beondegi, the Korean street food made from silkworm pupae. The video follows Yaeji as she transforms into a silkworm, engaging in a dreamlike journey to preserve the cycle of metamorphosis, while facing off against a 'techno-witch' played by the legendary Uhm Jung-hwa.

Huang makes distinctive use of AI to realise a vision which in some respects shares the sense of the incredible that was a characteristic of his use of VFX when he first broke through as a visual artist. And this was created in partnership with Yaeji and Microsoft as part of the Artifacts: New Experiments in Art & AI initiative - one of three commissioned projects. This groundbreaking project explores cultural memory and transformation through AI-driven innovation, showcasing how AI can expand creative possibilities while preserving human artistry. 

Huang and Yaeji integrated AI tools—including Microsoft Copilot and open-source AI technologies—to enhance the storytelling, introducing unexpected and surreal visual elements. “The benefits I found from the technology were all in the form of happy accidents—results that were dreamlike that I didn't even know were possible,” says Yaeji.

Andrew Thomas Huang adds: “Microsoft’s tools were great conduits for preserving the integrity of the original performance while translating it into this fantasy world, taking inspiration from nature and silkworms.”

The result is a hallucinatory visual making great use of the technology and resources at the creative team's disposal. Huang and Yaeji discuss their collaborative process here.