Hello TWOC readers!
Despite retiring from acting over two decades ago, Joey Wang, the award-winning actress famed for her breakout role in the 1987 film A Chinese Ghost Story, licensed her digital likeness from her 20s and 30s to NetEase Games this July. The following month, seasoned actress Qi Wei also licensed her image for an AI-animated drama.
While the amounts they were paid have not been disclosed, their decisions still sent shock waves through the industry, as AI is already squeezing actors out of jobs, particularly lesser-known micro-drama performers. Many are now contemplating licensing their likenesses for as little as a few hundred yuan.
The vast imbalance in perceived value for different faces in show business reflects a market caught between two major forces. China’s micro-dramas have become a huge part of the country’s entertainment business in recent years, but now AI-generated versions are flooding the market, undercutting their live-action competition. At the same time, the growing dominance of streaming platform Hongguo is pressuring producers to create shows on ever-cheaper budgets.
Read on to find out more:
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As AI Takes Over Micro-Dramas, Will Actors Have to Sell Their Likenesses to Stay in Work?
From struggling extras to retired stars, more performers are considering selling their likenesses as cheap AI-generated content increasingly squeezes real actors out of the market. Read More
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Can GLP-1s Fix China’s Obesity Problem?
Weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro have become increasingly popular as the country looks to slim down, but questions linger around their accessibility, effectiveness, and use. Read more
Mount Putuo: The Many Faces of Guanyin’s Island
On this Buddhist holy ground, monks, merchants, pilgrims, and tourists blur the boundaries between devotion and daily life. Read more
What We’re Watching
Not All Wishes Come True: Why an Animated Box-Office Hit Still Drew Controversy
While the summer’s animation hit All Wishes Come True! has been praised for its high production value, critics argue that its formulaic treatment of Chinese mythology does a disservice to the traditions it draws from. Read more
Chinese You Need
体: The Character That Shapes Us All
How one character embodies a world, from the people below to the stars above. Read more
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