Will blood-boiling music lose to AI?

Breaking: Korean Composer-Director Joins US Drama as Music Authority for ponies

Seoul-based maestro Jeong Jae-il, 44, is set to headline the music for Ponies, a high-profile US-produced drama hitting the Peacock streaming service. This marks the first time a Korean music director has led the score for a US-originating series, signaling a notable cross-border milestone in television scoring.

What’s at stake

The appointment places Jeong Jae-il at the center of a project described as a spy-buddy-comedy fusion, a tonal departure for the composer known for diverse genres including folk, punk, pop, electronica, film adn drama music, traditional Korean music, and classical works. The commissioning comes as Ponies gears up for its premiere, with Emilia Clarke returning to television after seven years.

A career shaped by range and resilience

over three decades, jeong has built a reputation as a “super multi-player,” translating a wide spectrum of sounds into cohesive scores. His journey spans folk,punk,pop,electronic music,movie and drama scores,and a deep dive into Korean traditional music,paired with classical forms.

Recent milestones and orchestral forays

Last year, Jeong made a notable classical debut, propelled by strong support from Jaap van Zweden, the music director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. After a performance at Lotte Concert Hall in September, the Seoul Philharmonic presented his work Inferno at Carnegie Hall in October, inspired by Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities.

Global projects and landmark collaborations

Jeong’s influence extends to internationally acclaimed projects like Parasite (2019) and Squid Game (2021,2024,2025),where he served as music director and performed parts of the score on stage abroad.In live settings, he has showcased Korean traditional music through pieces that blend daegeum and samulnori, drawing standing ovations from global audiences.

Behind Ponies: how the US collaboration unfolded

In an interview conducted in late December, Jeong said he accepted the Ponies possibility about two years ago after traveling to the United States to meet with officials. He cited the chance to explore a genre he hadn’t worked in before—a blend of espionage,camaraderie,and comedy—as decisive. While financial compensation matters, he emphasized a preference for projects that satisfy artistic ambitions.

Collaboration for Ponies unfolded largely via Zoom,with recording and directing conducted remotely. The process spanned roughly five months, requiring early-morning meetings to accommodate time differences. To inform the score, he listened to 1970s Russian pop as a tonal reference to evoke the era’s character and mood.

Creative beliefs and future goals

Jeong stresses the importance of music that remains distinctly human in an age of AI.He has already experimented with SUNO, an AI composition program, acknowledging its potential while underscoring the need for hard work to stay ahead artistically. His ongoing aim is to strengthen live performance chops while continuing to push for scores that resonate with audiences on multiple continents.

Key facts at a glance

Fact	Details
Name	Jeong Jae-il
Age	44
Role	Music Director
Project	ponies (US-produced drama) on Peacock
Milestone	First Korean MD for a US-produced drama
Notable works	Parasite, Squid Game
classical Debut	Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra; Inferno at Carnegie Hall
Collaboration method	Remote work via Zoom; about five months
Inspiration	1960s-70s Russian pop

What this means for viewers and the industry

The Ponies assignment underscores a broader trend: Korean composers and conductors are increasingly enriching US television with their distinctive sensibilities. Jeong’s fusion of traditional Korean textures with contemporary scoring aesthetics offers a template for future cross-border collaborations, where cultural specificity meets global storytelling.

Two questions for readers

How do you think cross-cultural collaborations like this will shape the future of TV scoring and global audiences? Which elements of Korean traditional music should be featured more in international productions?

as the Ponies premiere approaches, the music director’s journey—rooted in a broad spectrum of genres and sustained by a commitment to human-centered artistry—promises to add a unique sonic layer to the series. Fans and industry watchers alike will be listening closely to how Jeong Jae-il translates a distinctly Korean musical voice into a US-stage drama soundtrack.

Share your reactions and insights in the comments below.

What Is “Blood‑Boiling” Music?

• Definition – High‑intensity, aggressive sound that triggers adrenaline, frequently enough found in metal, hardcore, industrial, and certain EDM sub‑genres.
• Key Characteristics
1. Fast tempos (150 – 240 BPM)
2. Distorted guitars / heavy synths
3. Aggressive vocal styles (growls, screams)
4. Complex rhythmic structures (odd‑time signatures, polyrhythms)
5. Cultural Role – Serves as catharsis, a rallying cry for subcultural identity, and a tool for live‑performance energy spikes.

How AI/passively Generates Music Today

AI Platform	Core Technology	Notable Output for Heavy Music
OpenAI Jukebox	VQ‑VAE + Transformer	“metal‑style” tracks with realistic vocals but limited lyrical aggression.
AIVA	Deep Reinforcement Learning	Orchestral‑hardcore hybrids used in video‑game scores.
MuseNet (Google)	Multi‑instrument Transformer	Generates heavy‑rock riffs, though lyrical content is generic.
Boomy Raja (2024)	GAN‑based loop synthesis	Produces aggressive EDM drops; lacks nuanced song structure.

– AI excels at pattern replication,style imitation,and large‑scale data synthesis.

• Current bottlenecks: emotional nuance, authentic lyrical aggression, and live‑performance dynamics.

Why Human Emotion Still Beats Algorithms in Aggressive Genres

1. Neuro‑physiological feedback – Real‑time crowd energy shapes improvisation; AI cannot sense audience adrenaline spikes.
2. Subcultural symbolism – Tattoos, stage personas, and community lore embed meaning beyond sound waves.
3. Lyrical authenticity – Personal struggles and socio‑political commentary drive visceral impact; AI’s text generators lack lived experience.

Billboard’s “Music & AI 2024” report shows that 68 % of metal fans consider “authentic human experience” the top factor for track preference.

Real‑World Examples of AI in Extreme Music

• “Metal Machine” (2023) – A collaborative track where a Swedish death‑metal band used OpenAI Juk клет to generate background atmospheres, then recorded live drums and vocals over the AI base. Critics praised the “organic‑AI hybrid” but noted the “lack of raw vocal fury.”
• “Synthetic Rage” (2024) – An industrial‑techno EP released by the label Future noise; AI composed harsh synth lines, while a human producer added live percussion and manually tweaked distortion parameters. Streaming stats placed the EP in the top 10 for “hardcore electronic” playlists.

These cases illustrate augmentation, not replacement.

Benefits of Integrating AI with Blood‑Boiling Music

• FER Fast Ideation – AI can generate thousands of riff variations in seconds, giving musicians a larger creative pool.
• Cost‑Effective Production – Small‑budget acts can access high‑quality virtual instruments and mastering tools without hiring full‑time engineers.
• Data‑driven Insight – AI analytics reveal which tempo or frequency ranges generate the highest listener heart‑rate spikes (measured via wearable data in recent Spotify experiments).

Practical Tips for Musicians Wanting to Keep the Edge

1. Use AI for Drafts, Not Final Cuts
• Run a riff‑generation prompt, select 2‑3 promising loops, then re‑record with live guitars for natural dynamics.
• Overlay Human‑Recorded Vocals
• AI‑generated background drones can provide atmosphere; keep the primary vocal track raw and unprocessed.
• Leverage AI Mixing Tools
• Platforms like iZotope Ozone AI automatically balance low‑end aggression without crushing the punch of live drums.
• maintain Narrative Control
• Wriet lyrics first, then feed them to a language model for “theme‑compatible” melodic suggestions, ensuring the message remains personal.
• Test Live Interaction
• Run a rehearsal where AI‑generated loops feed into a MIDI‑controlled monitor; adjust in real time based on audience reaction.

Future Scenarios: Co‑Creation vs.Replacement

Scenario	Likelihood (2026‑2030)	Impact on artists	Key Drivers
AI‑only Aggressive Tracks	Low	Potential niche market for AI‑generated playlists	Limited emotional depth, licensing concerns
Hybrid Albums (AI + Human)	high	New creative workflow; expanded sonic palette	Improved prompt engineering, affordable compute
AI as Live‑Performance Companion	Medium	Real‑time improvisation tools, visual sync	Low‑latency generative models, edge‑computing
Full artist Replacement	Very Low	Industry backlash, fan loyalty to human authenticity	cultural resistance, legal frameworks

##Publisher & Legal Considerations

• Copyright – AI‑generated riffs may inherit training data rights; artists should verify source‑clearance before commercial release.
• Royalty Allocation – Platforms such as Audius now allow “split‑rights” contracts that assign a percentage of streaming revenue to the AI model provider.
• Transparency – Tagging tracks as “AI‑assisted” builds trust with fans who value authenticity in extreme music scenes.

Measuring Success: Metrics That Matter

• Engagement Rate – Likes, comments, and shares per 1,000 plays on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
• physiological Response – Wearable data (HRV, GSR) collected during live shows; higher spikes correlate with perceived “blood‑boiling” impact.
• Retention Curve – Average listen duration for AI‑augmented tracks vs. pure human‑only tracks (benchmark: 78 % vs. 92 %).

Rapid Checklist for “Will Blood‑Boiling Music Lose to AI?”

• Define the core emotional intent mollifying aggression.
• Generate AI drafts for instrumental layers.
• Record live vocals and guitars to preserve authenticity.
• Use AI mixing/mastering for consistent loudness.
• Test audience physiological response during rehearsals.
• Document licensing and royalty splits before publishing.

By reformasching AI as a creative partner rather than a competitor, the intense, visceral core of blood‑boiling music can evolve without losing its human‑driven fury.