Paired with People, Not Replacing Them: Nam June Paik’s Restored Robot K-456 Walks Again
Creatrip Team
a month ago
At the Paik Nam June Art Center in Yongin, robots performed in a memorial event for media artist Nam June Paik ahead of his 20th anniversary. Restored for the first time, Paik’s 1964 bipedal remote-controlled robot K-456—named after Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 18—took its first steps in decades alongside newer robots like GF3 and GF2. K-456, long a playful companion at Paik’s openings, was famously described by Paik as increasing human labor because it required many technicians to operate—an ironic contrast to fears that robots replace jobs. The revival involved donated schematics, meticulous circuit repair by media-art studio Silo Lab, and a collaborative performance titled “Ghost Troupe × Robot K-456: Circuits Rebooted.” Media artist Kwon Byung-jun, who staged the show, emphasized that his machines are intentionally imperfect, inviting empathy rather than efficiency. The event also included electronic music and a memorial ritual at Bongeunsa (a Buddhist temple) where Paik’s remains are interred. Paik, born in Seoul in 1932, pioneered video art and envisioned a networked society; his legacy continues to resonate with contemporary internet and media culture.
