Music contains in its essence a glitch, a conceptual puzzlement, a great riddle. The arrangement of notes on a piano is considered a crime against God, nature, and science by some and musical perfection by others. But who determines what a good sound is, what perfection is? Who has the correct answer to this musical puzzle? This is a history of science and music tale of music’s dirty little secret.​

What is music? Ghost in the Machine offers an intriguing hypothesis: music holds a great mystery that has been concealed for generations by those seeking artistic perfection. This group includes figures from Pythagoras and Plato to Da Vinci and modern mathematicians. Using the familiar piano as a focal point, the film unfolds a bold argument. Its exploration can sometimes feel complex and challenging. Yet, the combination of intuitive images and sounds provides a consistently fresh experience. In the end, the film questions many assumptions we take for granted, extending the inquiry beyond music itself. (Lee Yoochae)