A new “ugly-friendly” AI-powered filter has taken China’s social media by storm, transforming portraits into “ugly-cute” clay sculpture images reminiscent of characters from stop-motion animation films such as Wallace and Gromit or Shaun the Sheep.
This filter, introduced by the photo editor app Remini, has surged in popularity, capturing the attention and creativity of millions across the country.
The impact of this filter on social media
Remini’s clay filter became such a sensation, that the trend has led the app to top China’s free app rankings with approximately 400,000 daily downloads from 30 April to 6 May, coinciding with the country’s five-day Labour Day holiday, reported South China Morning Post (SCMP).
The filter’s usage in travel vlogs contributed significantly to its momentum, with one clay-style vlog garnering around 13,400 likes on Xiaohongshu, China’s Instagram.
The app’s success lies in its ability to transform ordinary photos into quirky, “ugly-cute” clay-style images. According to the mainland media outlet Dushikuaibao, the clay filter’s charm is in its mix of being both ugly and cute.
Facial features are preserved but made more colourful and exaggerated, resulting in images that provide amusement and entertainment. A user on Xiaohongshu shared, “These filters have saved my useless shots,” while another commented, “Using this filter is like opening a blind box.”
During the peak travel season of the May Day holiday, many used the filter to post their trip photos, attracting more attention and likes due to its unique style. Each topic related to clay filters on Xiaohongshu enjoys over 10 million views, with over 30,000 posts under the hashtag #Remini.
Appreciating ‘ugliness’?
The filter’s popularity reflects a broader cultural shift towards appreciating the aesthetics of ugliness. Stephen Bayley, in his book “Ugly: The Aesthetics of Everything,” argues that ugliness, which provides more variety and surprise, is far more interesting than beauty, which tends to be predictable.
According to SCMP, this sentiment resonates with many users on mainland social media who embrace the notion of ugliness by using humorous filters that enlarge some features and shrink others.
Dou Donghui, associate professor of psychology at Beijing’s Central University of Finance and Economics, told SCMP, “After seeing enough of similar influencers’ faces generated by over-beautified filters, people now prefer a flawed version of reality over the perfect facade.”
This preference for a more genuine, albeit exaggerated, version of reality is a driving force behind the filter’s success.
The filter also has a therapeutic effect. Public opinion towards the clay filter shows “happiness” at 42 per cent and “like” at 19 per cent, according to AI search analysis on Weibo.
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An online observer remarked, “It’s ugly, but it makes me happy.”
Explaining this, Psychotherapist Wang Huiqiu spoke to SCMP: “The colours of the clay filter give a feeling of reverting to simplicity, aligning with modern society’s reflection on fast-paced living and the longing for a slower life.”
Not everyone is a fan
Some users find the effect unattractive and displeasing, preferring the more recently launched “jade” filter, which generates portraits in the style of traditional Chinese jade sculptures.
This filter produces smaller, more refined faces with bigger eyes and smaller mouths. Others have shared tips on converting photos to a cartoon style before applying the clay filter to avoid the perceived ugliness.
Moreover, alternatives offered by other Chinese photo editing apps, such as Meitu, have been praised for better suiting Asian faces with smoother, paler complexions and more appropriate expressions, reported SCMP. Meitu Xiuxiu and Miaoya have introduced their own clay filters for free, and even Xiaohongshu has launched a free clay filter function.
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Remini’s availability has been limited to iOS in China, leading to a market for paid customisation services on platforms like Xianyu, with prices ranging from ￥1 ($0.14) to over ￥10 ($1.40) per photo. This limited supply has sparked even more curiosity and accelerated the spread of the clay filter.
Despite the filter’s initial free week of service, the app charges ￥68 ($9.40) per week afterward, prompting many users to sign up for the free trial out of curiosity and then quickly cancel their subscriptions.
With inputs from agencies
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