BEIJING (SCMP): Chinese netizens have used the new artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot DeepSeek to mimic Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu’s style in farewell letters to mourn her passing.
On Feb 3, Hsu’s family confirmed she had died at 48 from pneumonia after contracting the flu while travelling in Japan.
Her younger sister wrote: “I am grateful to have been her sister in this lifetime, to have shared moments of love and companionship. I will always be thankful for her and miss her forever.”
In 1994, Hsu debuted alongside her sister Dee Hsu in the pop duo SOS under the stage name Big S.
She rose to fame in 2001 as the strong-willed yet impoverished Shan Cai in the Taiwanese TV drama Meteor Garden.
After an 11-year marriage to Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, Hsu spent nearly three years married to South Korean rapper Koo Jun-yup. She is survived by two children.
Hsu’s sudden passing shocked the internet, with related reports amassing more than three billion views on mainland social media.
The Post found many netizens using DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot similar to ChatGPT, to mourn her.
An online user called “Forgotten” prompted DeepSeek to generate a farewell letter in Hsu’s style.
DeepSeek analysed Hsu as a “sentimental yet humorous” person with a language style that was “sharp but gentle.”
It also noted her pet phrase, “Live beautifully”, and inferred that she would focus on “gratitude and love” rather than sorrow.
In the AI-generated letter, DeepSeek wrote: “Dear audience, hello, I am Barbie Hsu.
“Please do not be sad for me. Promise me, just as you remember my fearless and outspoken nature, remember my smile.”
The AI-generated letter then mentioned Hsu’s sister, Dee, known as Small S, humorously urging her to stay strong.
“Small S, do not dare cry and ruin your mascara. You know how much I do not like ugly goodbyes.”
DeepSeek, in Hsu’s tone, also left a message for her fans: “Eat well, love well, and watch a few more sunrises for me.”
“Goodbye, everyone. This time, it is your turn to live more beautifully than I did.”
One netizen said DeepSeek made it feel like the real Barbie Hsu was saying goodbye.
“It truly feels like something she would say. I can even picture her smiling with her signature cute Taiwanese accent,” the person wrote.
Another person said: “Thank you, DeepSeek, for easing the regret of fans who could not say goodbye. Goodbye, Big S.”
Netizens flooded the comment section with AI-generated farewell letters and memorial poems in Hsu’s honour.
One person wrote: “I will always remember the fearless and passionate Hsu. We will love you forever.”
“You were a woman of beauty, both in soul and appearance. I hope there is no pain in heaven,” said another. - South China Morning Post/ANN
