The Opposite of Trendy
“Cheugy” (pronounced choo-gee) is a slang term that gained widespread popularity on TikTok in 2021. It is used to describe a particular aesthetic that is slightly outdated, out of sync with current trends, and often associated with the tastes of millennials from the late 2000s and early 2010s. Something that is cheugy isn’t necessarily bad, but it is no longer fashionable and often demonstrates a person is ‘trying too hard.’
Common examples cited as the epitome of cheugy include rustic home decor with phrases like “Live, Laugh, Love,” Minions memes, calling oneself a “girlboss” unironically, and basing one’s entire personality on a Harry Potter house as an adult.
In the context of film, the term can be applied in several ways:
- Cheugy Aesthetics: A film from the early 2010s might be retrospectively viewed as having a cheugy visual style or sense of humor that feels dated by today’s standards.
- Character Design: A character in a contemporary film might be deliberately costumed or given certain interests to signify that they are cheugy and slightly out of touch. For example, a character who still has a Facebook account full of old photo albums with kitschy filters.
- Fan Culture: Younger fans might view certain older fan traditions, merchandise, or phrases as being cheugy compared to the current trends on Fan TikTok.