A screenshot of the opening sequences of the live-action version and the AI version of Chinese drama Overdo Photo: Sina Weibo

The production team of high-budget Chinese drama Overdo, starring hit actor Zhang Linghe and actress Wang Churan, issued an official statement on Tuesday night, confirming it has replaced the drama's AI-generated opening sequence with live-action footage, following widespread viewer criticism of the "stiff, low-quality and insincere computer-produced visuals."

The romance and revenge drama debuting on July 19 depicts a tangled tale of fate and revenge. Despite strong pre-release hype generated by on-set leaked photos, the official premiere left numerous viewers disappointed, with criticism swiftly trending across major social media platforms.
 Audiences criticized the sequence for its unnatural visual details, rigid character outlines, disjointed lighting and flat backdrops, which combined to create an "artificial, plastic-like aesthetic." 

Many online users drew unfavorable comparisons, saying the visuals resembled basic "PowerPoint animation" and low-budget casual online games, arguing that the substandard AI footage felt unworthy of the series' high production profile.

Faced with growing dissatisfaction, the production team behind Overdo issued a public apology and update via its Sina Weibo account on Tuesday evening, confirming it had fully replaced the controversial opening sequence with newly filmed live-action footage. 

"We originally wanted to use rapid montage to help the audience quickly grasp the emotional backstory and the teenage years of the lead couple, and we planted a few small clues about future plot twists," the statement said. 

"Our ideal for the sequence was well-intentioned, but the final result has triggered widespread discussion and disappointment, which we did not foresee." The producers offered a "deep apology" to fans and said they had worked overnight to remake the sequence immediately after the first wave of feedback. "After days of effort and coordination, the new opening is now online."

The backlash highlights a dilemma gripping China's rapidly evolving television industry. Over the past year, AI tools have flooded short-video platforms with increasingly polished short dramas. When a high-profile long-form series deployed the same technology as its public face, the gap between what audiences anticipated and what they saw quickly gave way to a sense of betrayal, the Beijing Daily said.

For an industry desperate to cut costs and accelerate schedules, the episode poses an uncomfortable question: how to ensure that technology supports craft rather than becoming an excuse for corner-cutting, and where the line lies between efficiency and artistic integrity, according to the report.

Global Times