Summary
A Hangzhou court has heard a personality-rights lawsuit over the 72-episode AI short drama Peach Blossom Hairpin. The plaintiff says a villain shown for about ten minutes copied identifiable details from photographs she posted in 2024, harming her portrait and reputation rights. The producer, operator and platform dispute responsibility; the platform says it removed the drama after the rights holder failed to provide adequate authorization evidence. No judgment was issued. A second person whose likeness allegedly appeared in the drama settled before trial and received a public apology.
Hana’s perspective
This case shows why provenance must be a production requirement, not a complaint process after release. A producer that accepts an AI-generated character should be able to document the source assets and model workflow before delivery. Platforms also need escalation paths for ordinary people, whose enforcement costs can exceed likely damages. The pending judgment may clarify responsibility across makers, rights owners and distributors.
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