Fan Bingbing says AI microdramas are poor nutrition for young Chinese viewers
Chinese actress Fan Bingbing has taken a swipe at the boom in AI-generated microdramas, suggesting they are failing the country's youth. Per Variety, Fan made the comments at a press conference for the Busan International Film Festival, where she was presenting Wayne Wang's "Diary of a Mad Old Man."
The star stated she occasionally watches the AI-powered short dramas but questioned their value. "I feel that young people in China aren't being fed very well," she said, referring to the content they consume. She pointed to human performances, like those in Lee Chang-dong's "Possible Love," as containing emotions AI cannot replicate.
Fan also participated in a special talk about Park Chan-wook's "The Handmaiden," her selection for the festival's Carte Blanche program. She spoke of her lasting fascination with the film's dangerous and free female leads, noting she had to go out of her way to see it a decade ago as it was never released in China.
Reflecting on her career, Fan described her belief in "yuanfen," a Chinese concept of fate-driven connection. She said an actor cannot force a connection with a role or director, but must continually accumulate experience to extend their life as a performer.
The actress has worked primarily outside China in recent years, following a 2018 tax evasion case. She joked she was "forced" to adapt to new languages and screen images, but expressed gratitude for the unexpected roles that resulted.
