A series of AI-generated videos showing Singapore covered in “snow” and illuminated by stunning “auroras” has gone viral on TikTok, leaving netizens in awe and disbelief.
The creator, Yong Feng, used OpenAI’s Sora 2, an advanced AI video generation tool, to craft the surreal scenes, which have since captivated thousands online.
Despite many viewers recognising the use of AI, the realism of the footage tricked some into thinking the impossible was happening in Singapore.
Source: @yongfenggggggggg on TikTok
Yong Feng’s first video on Friday (10 Oct) showed him casually strolling through Marina Bay — only this time, it was “winter season”.
Around him, the ground appeared to be covered with a thick layer of snow.
In the video, “passers-by” wore winter attire, and snowflakes could be seen delicately settled on Yong Feng’s clothes and hair, making the scene even more realistic.
Source: @yongfenggggggggg on TikTok
On Sunday (12 Oct), he took things a step further by posting another video, this time of himself “skiing” in the snowy Marina Bay.
Source: @yongfenggggggggg on TikTok
As he glided across the snow-covered ground, he cheerfully joked: “People keep saying I make video fake one, but you see behind me, Marina Bay Sands all white already.”
Source: @yongfenggggggggg on TikTok
But Yong Feng didn’t stop there — on Tuesday (14 Oct), he posted a clip of green “auroras” filling the Marina Bay skyline.
Source: @yongfenggggggggg on TikTok
The AI-generated videos quickly gained massive traction, with his second “snowing” video garnering over a million views and over 1,200 comments.
Many netizens did not fall for the videos and instead expressed their desire for snow in Singapore.
Source: TikTok
Other users also hopped onto the joke, with some referencing the iconic “drop like grapes” meme that emerged after one of Singapore’s rare hailstorms in 2014.
Source: TikTok
A few viewers were taken in by the realism, with one asking when the snow had actually fallen in Marina Bay, only to be met with a sarcastic reply from another commenter.
Source: TikTok
Speaking to MS News, Yong Feng, a healthcare worker, revealed that he used Sora 2 to create the videos, a tool he stumbled upon after seeing others experiment with it.
Describing the process as “very simple,” he explained that he began by recording his own “cameo” – a short video and audio sample that serves as a reference for generating likenesses.
After that, he simply input a prompt, and within one to two minutes, the AI generated the video.
Each video is limited to just 10 seconds, but the effect was enough to leave viewers in awe.
“Honestly, it’s both fun and scary,” the 26-year-old confessed, adding that the tool was nonetheless useful in creating complex 3D animation that would have taken hours to create.
He also shared that he hadn’t really expected that his “fun experiment” would blow up.
“I saw there are many AI-generated videos that look really realistic and not everything we see online is real anymore,” he said.
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Featured image adapted from @yongfenggggggggg on TikTok, TikTok, and TikTok.