A TikToker has gone viral for using Google Earth to rate different places as either “ugly” or “not ugly.”
In one video, Natasha Gupta viewers on a quick virtual tour of France, showing off a maze, a sunset, a cathedral, and a mosaiced building, all of which she calls “not ugly.”
However, when she spots a bland Holiday Inn by the road, she quickly labels it “ugly” and ends the video.
Natasha’s viral video doesn’t show her walking through France; instead, it features a virtual tour using Google Earth. She drops random pins, giving quick, unfiltered opinions on each location.
The video mostly focuses on the Google Earth images, with Natasha appearing in the corner, silently clicking through scenes.
Her reactions are simple, either “ugly” or “not ugly,” with her facial expressions revealing her feelings.
Though the concept is basic, it has struck a chord with viewers. Natasha’s virtual tour has racked up 6.5 million TikTok views.
Popularity and series concept
Natasha’s most popular videos go beyond France. Her virtual tour of the Philippines has reached 13.4 million views, while her exploration of Japan has hit over 18 million.
These videos are part of her TikTok series, where she humorously aims to “explore every country until it’s ugly.”
Identifying as half Singaporean and half Indian, Natasha moved to the U.K. as a child and has always been passionate about travel.
However, as a young Londoner in her early 20s, she can’t afford to travel the world. Instead, she uses Google Earth, a free tool, to explore.
Her goal is to showcase the beauty in every country and challenge stereotypes about different places, according to CNN.
This past summer, Natasha started her “Exploring Every Country Until It’s ugly” series on TikTok and Instagram, where she goes by @natooooooosh.
Realization of fame and inspiration to innovate
Her videos quickly gained popularity, racking up likes, views, and comments. People from the featured countries shared their opinions, while others suggested new places for her to explore.
Getting that much attention and feedback at first was overwhelming, but she was happy to earn “a little money” from her content.
After her video about England went viral, she rode a packed London Underground train. She realized that many people around her might have seen her video.
“I realized that when I was on the tube, there was a good likelihood someone else on the tube would have watched that video,” she says.
Despite the sudden fame, Natasha felt thrilled that her simple idea resonated with many viewers.
Exploring the world using Google Earth or Google Street View for art or online content isn’t new, nor is the concept of browsing virtual scenes until they look “ugly.”
Before starting her project, Natasha noticed a few “faceless accounts” using this approach.
However, discussing with her boyfriend, Jay Fujiwara McCaughrean, who creates popular English teaching videos, inspired Natasha to think differently.
She realized that adding her reactions and facial expressions could give her content a unique touch.
Content style and evolving perspective
Natasha believed viewers would connect more with the “exploring the world until it’s ugly” theme if they could see her emotional responses.
This personal element would make the experience more engaging and immersive for her audience.
So, one evening in early summer, Natasha decided to turn her idea into reality.
“I set up Google Earth on my laptop screen, recorded that and filmed myself too,” she recalls. “I decided on just keeping it really simple.”
TikTok videos generally fall into two categories. The first is fast-paced and heavily edited, featuring music and flashy effects.
The second is more relaxed and straightforward, often showing creators in pajamas or lounging at home.
Natasha’s content fits into this casual style. She aimed for a laid-back feel, describing it as “just a girl in her room, having a bit of boredom and fun.” She recalls filming her videos late at night in her pajamas and editing them at 3 a.m.
This simple and genuine approach has really resonated with her viewers. Although she has since switched to colorful tops and white shirts in her newer videos, she has maintained the relaxed vibe that continues to connect with her audience.
Natasha aimed to create videos with a relaxed vibe, and early reactions suggest she achieved that goal.
Engaging content and anonymous presence
Many viewers find her content calming and soothing, with some claiming it unintentionally triggers ASMR, which brings about a peaceful feeling. In response, she has begun adding the ASMR hashtag to her videos.
Interestingly, Natasha does not introduce herself in her clips. This means that viewers who find her TikToks or Instagram Reels might know little about her since she doesn’t disclose her full name, location, or past job managing a corporate social media account.
Instead, her videos feature a person in front of a laptop, exploring the world through Google Earth and sharing her thoughts on different places.
By remaining anonymous, Natasha emphasizes her focus on the locations rather than herself.
As an active social media user, she understands that the best content is straightforward and engaging.
She aims to communicate that her videos involve exploring until a location is deemed “ugly,” inviting viewers to engage by agreeing or disagreeing with her opinions.
Natasha has created 28 TikToks centered around Google Earth, each following a similar format. She explains her concept, drops a pin, and begins her exploration.
Sometimes, she shares her thoughts on the locations, while other times, she simply labels them as “not ugly.”
Recently, she has ventured into countries like Australia and Italy, along with specific U.S. states such as New York and Ohio.
Personal preferences and destination choices
Although she often looks through the comments for suggestions, Natasha picks destinations based on her interests. She aims to highlight lesser-known countries like Bulgaria and Poland, which she believes resonate with her viewers.
Natasha emphasizes that every country has a unique beauty, often overshadowed by common stereotypes.
Natasha enjoys the surprises that come with her explorations. She explored Ohio after a viewer suggested it would make for the “quickest TikTok ever.” To her delight, she found several spots in Ohio that she genuinely liked.
While some viewers think she picks her Google Earth locations in advance, Natasha insists that she randomly drops her pin and records herself until she finds a place she thinks is “ugly.”
Content evolution and exploration
Her unedited videos can range from five to 20 minutes long, but the limits of TikTok and Instagram force her to cut them down.
She focuses on the most interesting spots that elicit strong reactions from her, and she’s considering posting longer, uncut videos on YouTube.
Natasha describes her “not ugly” versus “ugly” assessments as instinctive. She acknowledges that weather can affect her perception; a view on a cloudy day can look much more appealing when the sun is shining.
Despite this, she strives to keep her evaluations simple. Natashabases her judgments on her initial impression of the image, asking herself whether she would want to visit the place and how beautiful it is.
Natasha has started making videos combining her virtual explorations with real travel experiences.
Before her trip to Milan, Italy, she used Google Earth to find random locations to visit and evaluate their “not-ugliness.” After that, she shared a similar video about her home city of London.
Natasha considers this new approach the “next evolution” of her content. While she enjoys her virtual journeys, her Google Earth adventures have fueled her desire to travel in real life.
She has noticed a shift in her perspective, becoming more open to exploring new places.
Natasha emphasizes that it’s not just about a specific destination; she believes every location has beauty and is confident she will find something remarkable wherever she goes.
Here’s her viral video exploring Japan for “not ugly” places:
@natooooooosh In this video, I explore Japan until it’s ugly. #googlemaps #explore #travel #geoguessr #japan
Discover more from My Positive Outlooks
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.