In this age of technology, it’s not uncommon to come across at least one AI-generated video every time you scroll through social media.
But recently, one particular short video has taken the internet by storm: a snowy mountain, a man chopping wood, a stewed duck, and a mysterious woman in white.
The question “Did you save the fox on the snowy mountain?” became popular with the release of an AI-generated micro-drama in China. It’s made to look like a historical drama from the 1970s, and it’s about a traveler who makes an offering of stewed duck to a dying fox on a snowy mountain.
As he returns home from cutting wood, he is interrupted by a mysterious and beautiful woman who boldly asks him if he saved the fox on the snowy mountain. Hopeful, he assumes she is a fox spirit, but she angrily reveals herself to be “that stewed duck” he sacrificed and shoots him in revenge.
@moyouyuwen Are you rescued on a snowy mountain? Is it a fox? Watch the complete story. ♬ Original music – 蚂蚁啃大州
According to a Chinese media report published on March 31st, the micro-drama was produced by the media team of Guizhou Heshun Qianbu River Duck Stew Company for the sole purpose of promoting their products, and was released on February 27th.
It reportedly took the four-person team, led by a 32-year-old operations manager named Ai and the remaining members in their 20s, just five hours to produce the first episode of the viral microdrama, from brainstorming to release.
Their original idea started very simply. Earlier this year, they noticed a surge in AI-generated videos following stories of snowy mountain foxes returning the favor.
Although the content was “new”, I felt that the plot was all conventional and predictable. “Since the purpose is to return the favor, why not do the opposite?” Ai said.
They then embarked on a story of revenge rather than kindness, replacing the wild prey used to save the fox with their own product.
They spent about 40 yuan (S$7), most of it on trial-and-error attempts to generate AI videos, with each video costing about 6 yuan.
Interchangeable formats and extensible plots
Their efforts paid off handsomely. Ai told reporters that since the creation of the microdrama, sales of stewed duck have increased by 70 percent month-on-month and are still growing.
“After watching our first micro-drama, many netizens came to our store to buy our products and try and taste our stewed duck,” Ai shared. When customers order, they like to ask if the stewed duck is the same as the snowy mountain duck that appears in the drama.
Driven by further demand, the media team provided even more content centered around braised duck.
The microdrama has won the hearts of netizens with its interchangeable format and ever-expandable plot, spawning countless spin-offs on social media platforms such as TikTok, Douyin, and YouTube.
Some users have even completely replaced the original characters, such as one featuring characters from the Japanese web manga Chikawa.
There is also a multilingual spin-off, where the traveler and the mysterious woman converse in different languages.
@bingleng8888888 #Chiikawa #chiikawa #Kichiiwa ♬ Original voice – Ice cold
In Douyin, the microdrama is freed from the original plot and the stewed duck becomes a sentient character who leads the story in various videos. Other companies have also changed their storylines to promote their products.
@mediacube_n_wellness How do you save the snowy mountain? The best on the line, urgent! I’m looking forward to seeing you at the “golden cage” effect, and the fox’s fate is good😻 #mediacubenwellness #easyway #thegoldenseed #organicsachainchi #Healthcare @Anthony Productions @MediaCube Anthony Wong @Kisorai @Rogan @Nicoe @Grace Tan @NEO_EASYWAY CMO @cynthialem @ARon_Easyway ♬ Short Drama Ancient Comedy – Wangang
Even celebrities are jumping on the bandwagon, such as Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, who used TikTok to promote her Pleasure world tour.
In the reel, which was posted on March 22 and has since racked up more than 1.5 million views, the 45-year-old instantly became furious when one of her staff asked if she had saved a fox on a snowy mountain, asking: “Did you say fox or stew duck?”
@jolin_cai Baby It’s part of the board duck #Snow Mountain Rescue Fox #Sweet Honey #pleasure world tour concert #changsha #jolinpleasureworldtour ♬ 原聲 – Jolin Cai Yilin
Jolin retorted, “That’s not true! I’m Jolin Tsai, a singer, and I’m waiting to eat duck stew in the dressing room of a concert in Changsha.”
The reel shows Jolin sitting expressionlessly at a table, banging her cutlery as she waits for the stew of duck piled up haphazardly on a glass lid.
Netizens welcomed this, with one user commenting, “AI is really amazing.” Another joked: “Even the Queen of Pop is aiming for abstract art.”
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kristy.chua@asiaone.com
