[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] As the virtual human market is rapidly growing both domestically and internationally, there have been a series of 'appearance evaluations' surrounding them. This has led to criticism that virtual humans are ultimately subjected to 'specific standards of beauty.'
Recently, criticisms about the appearance of the Chinese virtual human 'Anji' have started to increase. Developed by Jess Zhang, director of a Chinese CGI animation company, Anji was unveiled last year and has gained popularity with over 280,000 SNS followers.
Anji has shared content on SNS showing her exercising in simple T-shirts and watching TV.
However, recent videos of Anji have attracted numerous comments evaluating her appearance. Comments such as "Your skin looks dry," "You should wear a mask on your face," "Your skin looks bumpy," and "You don't have a celebrity's face" have been posted.
Moreover, there were negative reactions to Anji's thick thighs, wrinkled makeup, and faint acne scars. Harsh criticism was also made regarding her not having double eyelids, saying she is not pretty.
In response, CNN evaluated, "Imperfect virtual humans are being challenged by aesthetic standards." CNN explained, "The criticism of Anji's appearance reflects the ongoing debate about beauty standards in China. Signs are emerging that attitudes toward beauty standards are gradually changing, but female celebrities still remain slim with clear skin."
Additionally, appearance evaluations have been made about the virtual influencer Rozy, who became a hot topic domestically. Rozy, produced by Sidus Studio X in August last year, is Korea's first virtual influencer and has appeared in various advertisements, making a mark.
Regarding Rozy's appearance, comments such as "She looks old-fashioned," "Not as pretty compared to other virtual humans," and "Her eyes are too far apart, so she lacks charm" have been made.
Recently, a plastic surgeon analyzed on his YouTube channel, "Rozy is not perfect, but she seems to be designed with a friendly look that could be found around us, with freckles and other facial features."
He added, "Rozy's face shape is round, which can give a friendly and soft impression. The middle of her forehead protrudes while the sides are recessed, highlighting the details of the forehead structure."
He further explained, "To emphasize individuality, she has monolids with eyeliner makeup to make her eyes appear larger. The seemingly wide distance between her eyes gives an East Asian impression. From the side, her nose bridge is high, but from the front, it is slightly flat, and the 'T-zone' from between the eyebrows down the nose bridge is thick, making the nose look natural."
Earlier, Baek Seung-yeop, CEO of Sidus Studio X and the creator and planner of Rozy, appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the 10th to discuss Rozy's appearance.
CEO Baek explained, "We designed and styled her overall concept with features that the MZ generation would like. It took about six months just to conceive a friendly and unique face, including facial contours, hair, wrinkles, and expressions."
Meanwhile, young female virtual humans such as LG Electronics' 'Kim Rae-a,' Smilegate's 'Han Yu-a,' Onmind's 'Sua,' and Lotte Home Shopping's 'Lucy' are continuously being developed.
Along with this, concerns about AI ethics are also being raised. As appearance comparisons and evaluations of virtual humans are expected to become more active, there is a risk of side effects such as harassment of female virtual humans, similar to the earlier AI chatbot 'Iruda' case.
An industry insider said, "As the virtual human market grows, demands for AI ethics will also expand."
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