[Heroes' Belated Graduation] is an innovative campaign with AI and hologram technologies that held a special graduation ceremony for student independence activists, who were unjustly expelled or suspended simply for participating in the Korean independence movement. By using AI deep learning and de-aging technologies, we restored the school days appearances of them and created a yearbook with the restored images. Also, with hologram technology, we brought student independence activist to the stage of the graduation ceremony, delivering an impressive graduation speech.

Korea was under colonial rule for 35 years, from August 29, 1910, to August 15, 1945.

During this time, many Korean citizens stood against oppression, fighting for their country's independence. Among them were 2,596 brave young students.

Student independence activists faced harsh consequences for their involvement in the national liberation movement, including imprisonment and expulsion from school. Binggrae, long-standing supporters of patriots' descendants since 2018, aimed to honor these students with the graduation ceremony they truly deserve. We decided to use technology to provide a greater emotional impact to the public and the descendants of the student independence activists.

Korea's Independence Day is a national holiday in South Korea commemorating the country's liberation from colonial rule on August 15, 1945. This day is celebrated by all South Koreans as a day to honor the sacrifice and dedication of independence activists. The citizens of South Korea hold deep gratitude towards these independence activists, who are considered national heroes. However, many people are unaware of the student independence activists and the fact that they were expelled from their schools for their involvement in the independence movement.

Also, in Korea, there is a culture where students spend almost a year preparing for how they will pose for their graduation album photos. Receiving a graduation album is such an important tradition at Korean graduation ceremonies that every student wants to have one.

An honorary graduation ceremony that restored the appearances of student independence activists from over 100 years ago using AI technology. We utilized technology to make their graduation ceremony even more meaningful. Using AI deep learning and de-aging technologies, we restored their school days appearance which couldn’t be found . The rejuvenated images, together with their notable records, were thoughtfully assembled into a yearbook, which was then presented to the activists' descendants at the ceremony. And then, we restored a representative of student independence activists as a hologram for a special and touching graduation speech. 

[Restoration of Independence Activists' Portraits]

· ~2023.01.10 Acquisition of photos from the lifetimes of student independence activists

· ~2023.02.25 Gathering detailed information for the restoration through interviews with descendants

· 2023.03.01~ AI deep learning & de-aging process to recreate the youthful appearances of the student independence activists.

· 2023.06.15 Completion of restoring the school-day images of the student independence activists

· 2023.07.10 Completion of the most belated graduation album’s production

[Restoration of Hologram for the Graduation Representative]

· 2023.02.25 Selection of the graduation representative for hologram restoration

· 2023.03.01~ AI deep learning & de-aging process to recreate the youthful appearances of the student independence activists

· 2023.06.15 Testing hologram implementation based on the restored faces & Preparing graduation speech based on the autobiography of the student independence activist representative

· 2023.06.30 Testing the graduation speech

· 2023.07.07 Completion of the graduation representative's hologram restoration

We contacted descendants of student independence activists spread across all regions of South Korea, one by one. And we prepared an honorary graduation ceremony for them. The ceremony was held at the Independence Hall of Korea to enhance its significance, and key national figures responsible for veterans' affairs also attended. At the event, the descendants of the independence activists received diplomas and graduation albums they had not been able to receive during their lifetimes. Restored school days appearance of the student independence activists, created using AI deep learning and de-aging technology, were unveiled for the first time at the graduation ceremony. Furthermore, we keep secret the attendance of special guest and the special student independence activist restored as a hologram made a surprise appearance at the ceremony. The graduation speech, based on the activist's autobiography, was delivered and many descendants were moved to tears by the emotional moment.

-The citizens of South Korea highly praised "Heroes' Belated Graduation" as the best example of utilizing AI technology in CSR and creativity. And above all, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs' initiative has enabled our heroes to graduate after a century and receive a diploma in the name of the country, shedding their label as 'expelled' students.

-A lot of citizens of South Korea said “Heroes’ Belated Graduation is the direction where innovation should go forward”.

-13.7M+ VIEWS and 54.6M+ IMPRESSIONS Just In A Week
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-Extensive Media Coverage (Without Media Coverage Request)

- Naturally spread across YouTube influencers, online communities, and social media (Without Any Media Spend)

-With the support of positive consumer responses, Binggrae recorded an 'A' grade in the Korean ESG Standards Institute's ESG evaluation for five consecutive years.