AI-generated short-form videos featuring anthropomorphic fruits entangled in dramatic love affairs and betrayals have become a viral sensation in South Korea, drawing millions of views across social media platforms.
The unusual trend, which depicts fruit characters in exaggerated relationship storylines involving infidelity and emotional conflict, has rapidly gained popularity among users of short-video platforms. Many clips follow a recurring narrative where a partner discovers betrayal after the “birth” of a baby resembling another fruit, leading to dramatic fallout.
However, the trend has now sparked controversy after a major food brand attempted to replicate the format in an advertisement.
South Korean fried chicken chain Pelicana issued a public apology on May 9 after deleting an AI-generated promotional video that portrayed human characters with fried chicken heads in a storyline involving extramarital affairs.
The company said the video was removed due to concerns over its appropriateness and social perception.
“The video was posted without sufficient consideration regarding the appropriateness of its expressions and the social perception surrounding such content during production,” the company said in its apology statement.
The advertisement depicted a husband character represented by plain fried chicken discovering that his wife had an affair with spicy seasoned chicken, known locally as yangnyeom chicken. The storyline escalated further with the introduction of the brand’s mascot, a pelican doctor, who appeared during a childbirth scene.
The viral AI trend itself first emerged earlier this year through foreign-language videos before spreading widely in South Korea with local subtitles, quickly evolving into a recognisable online genre.
Its popularity has been fuelled by its surreal storytelling style and emotional melodrama, with many clips amassing millions of views. However, critics say the content often carries problematic undertones, including depictions of infidelity and gender stereotypes.
Experts have also raised concerns about accessibility, warning that the animated and comedic format may make such themes easier for younger audiences to consume.
According to data from the Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union, nearly half of upper primary school students use smartphones or tablets for more than two hours daily, increasing exposure to online content.
Psychology professor Lim Myung-ho warned that repeated exposure to sensationalised and unethical digital content could influence emotional and cognitive development in young users.
He stressed that parental guidance is necessary not only during early childhood development but also through adolescence, as brain development continues into the teenage years.
