The phenomenon
A growing trend on South Korean social networks has young people using generative artificial intelligence to depict themselves or their friends as deceased, as a joke. The Korea Herald reports this; according to the newspaper, the practice has spread especially among teenagers and twenty-somethings as a prank among close friends.
The posts are concentrated on platforms such as Instagram and show black-and-white images in the style of funeral portraits, accompanied by commemorative messages such as "Rest in peace" and "You will always be remembered." Some posts add invented birth and death dates, as well as black ribbons and white chrysanthemums: a combination of elements that, according to the newspaper, makes these posts hard to distinguish from real death announcements.
Reactions and calls for rules
The novelty is not only aesthetic: the appearance of these posts has prompted calls for stricter rules for online platforms. In the comments, the source reports, reactions are divided. Those aware of the joke respond in the tone of the prank, going so far as to ask what to prepare for the funeral; those who do not know the images are fake express sincere condolences, observing that it is heartbreaking to see someone so young die.
On the statements front, Kim Si-deok, a professor in the Department of Funeral Services at Eulji University, told local media that funeral traditions and the meaning of death are increasingly taken lightly among younger generations, and urged platforms to intervene to prevent the spread of this content.
Meta, Instagram's parent company, responded to the controversy by saying it limits or removes content that violates its community standards, including AI-generated content. According to a local broadcaster, the company added that users can report images of private individuals, including minors, that have been manipulated and shared without consent, and that such content is removed quickly after verification, as part of a collaboration with outside organizations for a safe environment.
What remains open
The material does not quantify the spread of the phenomenon, does not indicate how many reports or removals have occurred, and does not specify whether the images predominantly involve adults or minors. It is also unclear which moderation tools are applied specifically to AI-generated images compared with other content.
The significance of the case lies in the point of friction it highlights: an accessible and easy-to-use creative feature produces content that imitates real death announcements, and the distinction between a joke and false information depends on the awareness of the viewer. The consequences indicated by the sources remain at the level of calls for stricter rules and the platform's stated commitment; the actual application of these measures and any regulatory impact remain to be verified.
