In 2080, researchers at the CSAL (Computer Simulated After-Life) Institute commercialise the “Mind Upload” memory system. Detective Park uses it to investigate a cold murder case, delving into the memories of a brain-dead boy from 2009 who was the sole witness. However, the boy’s memories are distorted by Ripley’s Syndrome, blurring the line between truth and lies. Apartment: In the Realm of Ripley is an AI interactive thriller designed for audiences to enter a virtual world reconstructed from the boy’s memories, find the culprit, and choose the truth. Guided by an on-screen AI actor, the audience watches a 2D film and makes choices via voice interaction that influence the story’s outcome. A selected audience member engages in the VR experience, while the collective choices of the audience during the film impact the VR user’s journey. At the end of the experience, the audience interacts directly with the AI actor, realising that the 2D film and VR experiences were interconnected as they followed the AI actor’s guidance and influenced the story. All viewers will reinterpret the cinematic experience, breaking free from its traditional frame. By the end, they will question the boundaries of truth and reality they have chosen.
