Victor Perez, co-founder and CEO of Korea, shares his journey of building an $83 million AI creative suite that empowers both professional and hobbyist creatives with intuitive AI tools for image and video generation, enhancement, and customization. Despite a chaotic startup path, Korea has grown by making advanced AI accessible and practical, enabling users to fine-tune models for personalized creative workflows while aiming to enhance human creativity sustainably.
Victor Perez, co-founder and CEO of Korea, an $83 million-backed AI creative suite, shares his journey from a creative background in music and visual systems engineering to building a platform that empowers creatives through AI. Korea offers intuitive tools such as image generation, video generation, enhancers, and real-time tools that help users across various creative fields including photography, videography, architecture, and product design. Victor emphasizes that Korea aims to bring the latest AI research to creatives, making complex AI technology accessible and useful for both professional and hobbyist users.
Victor’s path to founding Korea was serendipitous rather than planned. Initially exploring AI as a side project, he noticed a gap in tools designed specifically for artists who lacked programming skills. His co-founder, Diego, played a pivotal role by pitching Victor’s project to investors during an interview, which led to early funding and the official start of Korea in 2022. This story highlights the chaotic and unpredictable nature of startup journeys, especially in emerging fields like AI-driven creativity.
The platform serves two main user groups: professional creatives who use Korea to increase efficiency and non-professionals who are enabled to express themselves creatively through AI. Professionals use Korea for tasks like creating mood boards, enhancing architectural renders, and designing products with realistic visuals. Hobbyists enjoy the platform for fun and experimentation, discovering new ways to visualize their ideas. Victor notes that AI has evolved rapidly since 2022, shifting from a novelty to a practical tool that expands creative possibilities rather than replacing human creativity.
A key feature that surprised the Korea team was the demand for AI model training capabilities, allowing users to fine-tune AI with their own datasets to reflect specific styles or aesthetics. This feature has become popular among both individual creatives and enterprise clients like Perplexity and Shopify, who use it to create highly customized and brand-consistent AI-generated content. Victor stresses that AI creativity involves an iterative process similar to traditional creative workflows, requiring multiple drafts and refinements to achieve production-quality results.
Looking ahead, Victor is optimistic about the future of AI in creative industries. He envisions AI as a medium that enhances human creativity rather than replacing it, requiring new skills and workflows. Korea plans to continue developing more controllable and aesthetically aware AI models, improving the interaction between artists and AI. While acknowledging concerns about sustainability and the environmental impact of AI, Victor believes the potential benefits in fields like medicine and sustainable materials justify the investment. Ultimately, Korea aims to be a research-driven platform that pushes the boundaries of AI creativity while making these advancements accessible to the creative community.