Joey Wong's AI Comeback Sparks Debate Online After 22 Years Out of the Spotlight

Twenty-two years after stepping away from the spotlight, Hong Kong actress Joey Wong is making a comeback of sorts, not in person, but through artificial intelligence. Chinese game developer NetEase has launched an AI-generated advertisement for its mobile game "Tian Xia," recreating Wong's classic "Little倩" and "White Snake" characters.

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Let the timeless spirit meet youth again.

The ad, which features scenes from "A Chinese Ghost Story" and "Green Snake," aims to "let the timeless spirit meet youth again." However, the AI portrayal has divided netizens. Some commenters expressed support, appreciating that Wong is preserving her youthful image and respecting her decision to participate.

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I am lucky to have accompanied many people's youth, and have been remembered by everyone all along. So this time, meeting Tian Xia is like saying hello again to many good friends.

Others voiced disappointment, finding the AI version lacking the "human touch" and the "spirit" of Wong's original performances. "The AI looks unnatural, and her eyes aren't as round," one user commented, while another lamented that the AI lacked the "liveliness" of the original characters.

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I will come to Da Huang in a very special way, hoping that Tian Xia can frame and keep those beautiful moments and everyone's best selves together.

Wong, who previously served as a brand ambassador for the game's IP, has reportedly authorized the use of her likeness. She stated that she was "lucky to have accompanied many people's youth" and wanted to "say hello again" to fans through a "special way," which turned out to be AI technology. She expressed a desire to "frame and keep those beautiful moments and everyone's best selves together."

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It's okay if she's willing. Respect and understanding. She's just getting older.