The popular AI-generated short drama "Peach Blossom Hairpin," which had drawn significant attention for unauthorized use of private individuals' likenesses, has now been removed from the Hongguo short video platform. On April 3, the official Hongguo Short Drama account announced that after receiving complaints about the series, the platform conducted a thorough review and determined that the production company had violated content compliance regulations. The platform stated that during a 72-hour comprehensive audit period, the production company failed to provide sufficient evidence proving lawful use of the materials. As a result, the drama has been fully removed, and the production company has been suspended from uploading any series for 15 days.
"Peach Blossom Hairpin" is a trending AI-generated short drama that utilizes artificial intelligence tools for character and scene generation, dubbing, music scoring, and video synthesis, significantly reducing production costs and timelines. The series gained notoriety after several individuals accused it of "face theft." One complainant, hanfu stylist "Baicai," claimed on March 30 that the drama had used his personal photos without permission to generate an AI character, which was portrayed negatively, potentially violating his portrait rights.
On April 1, a media investigation highlighted that after infringement accusations surfaced, Baidu promptly removed "Peach Blossom Hairpin," while Hongguo and Douyin continued streaming the series after replacing the controversial character's face. When questioned about whether production companies could modify content after publication, a Hongguo representative explained that any changes to registered content would require a full re-review process with standards identical to initial submissions.
Legal expert Deng Yile from Beijing Xingquan Law Firm noted that post-production face replacement constitutes merely a remedial measure and does not negate prior infringement. Chinese judicial practice has established that any AI-generated image recognizable as a specific individual constitutes portrait rights violation, regardless of exact replication.
On April 2, the China Radio and Television Association Performers Committee issued a statement condemning frequent violations including AI face-swapping, voice cloning, unauthorized modification of影视materials, and unauthorized use of performer data for AI training. The committee urged platforms to strengthen content review mechanisms, conduct comprehensive checks for existing infringing works, and maintain detailed records for evidence preservation.
When contacted about platforms handling infringement cases inconsistently, the committee stated it would investigate further. Upon learning about the drama's removal from Hongguo and Douyin, complainant "Baicai" expressed relief, describing the experience as challenging.