Using technology to design
Using technology to design
SNOW | Design | Lee Geun-sil
The profile photos that looked like they were taken in a fancy studio, with a 90s American graduation photo theme, took social media by storm in 2023. This trend was driven by SNOW’s AI camera app, which could recreate one’s appearance in a “hip” way with just around ten photos. Designer Lee Geun-sil, who has been responsible for camera services since joining the company 11 years ago, has captivated global users with filter camera apps like Foodie and B612, as well as AI services such as AI Profile and Yearbook.
Recently, her computer screen has been filled with prompts, almost as if the computer belonged to a developer. Creating images through prompts requires a completely different approach from previous design processes. Still, she says that while she may not draw by hand, creating visual results remains the same, marking an expansion of the design field. Her challenge, which felt like "Starting from scratch," is now rewarded with the popularity of SNOW’s camera services, which has become a sensation. Geun-sil continues to capture new moments of success, bridging the gap between design and technology.
You mentioned that you've been responsible for camera service designs since you joined the company.
I’m Lee Geun-sil, a designer with 11 years of experience overseeing SNOW’s AI services. I joined NAVER back in 2013 and have grown alongside the history of camera services.
My journey began with UI design for LINE Camera. At that time, designing filters meant capturing each setting in Photoshop and sending them to developers, who would then implement each one individually. Adding even a single filter was a challenge back then. As the camera app market grew and technologies advanced, we were able to create more diverse services. Particularly, as social media shifted to focus more on images, the demand for different types of photos increased. In response, we developed services like B612 and Foodie, which specialize in features that make users look better in photos or make food look more appetizing.
What are you currently working on?
Currently, I’m creating recipes for SNOW’s AI services like AI Avatar, AI Profile, and Yearbook to offer new experiences to users. For example, when you upload a photo for an AI Profile, I design guides on what mood to set to show the profile, what poses to include, and how closely it should resemble the user. This field is somewhat new to me, distinct from traditional design work. While design usually brings to mind drawing by hand, our team is guiding AI to create images through prompts (commands) rather than drawing them directly. The name of our team, “Prompt Design,” essentially describes our team’s role.
What does it mean to be good at your job?
Being good at your job involves having the courage to discard something you've invested a lot of effort into. For instance, we might test a single recipe for weeks, and even if I’ve put in a lot of work and crafted it carefully, if a colleague's approach turns out to be better, it’s important to have the bravery to let mine go.
As AI technologies are evolving rapidly, today’s advancements can become obsolete tomorrow. If we insist only on today’s technology, we might fall behind competitors who are using tomorrow's technology. Therefore, it’s crucial to be open-minded, listen to colleagues, and be willing to boldly abandon your own idea at times. Since my colleagues already embody this mindset, I am continuously working hard to adopt it myself.
What meaning would you like for the products you create to convey?
I think that taking a selfie means that you love yourself. Facing your image, experimenting with different ways to alter it, and finding joy in this process reflects a form of self-affection. I hope that our app users can grow to love themselves more through their experience with our product.
Recently, when I shared my AI images with friends to see which recipe resembled me the most, the rankings varied widely. Interestingly, the stronger the attachment there was in the relationship, the more they chose an image where I looked the best.
At this moment, I realized that images can look different depending on the perspective in the process of recognizing your own or other’s faces. Having this in mind, when I created the AI Profile, I wanted to create a service that shows that I am more beautiful than I might think. I want our future products to be services that better capture the love for oneself.
