[NEWS IN FOCUS] ‘Dumb phones’ and wired headsets are back in style in Korea

Tech

Published: 19 Dec. 2023, 06:00 Updated: 19 Dec. 2023, 17:53

[NEWS IN FOCUS] ‘Dumb phones’ and wired headsets are back in style in Korea

Han So-hee seen using Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Folder 2 which suspended sales in 2021. [HAN SO-HEE INSTAGRAM]

Technology, by its nature, progresses forward.

Defying such a disposition, technology from the past is back in the spotlight in Korea.

Feature phones are gaining traction and wired earphones are back in the game.

Feature phones, often referred to as “dumb phones” in the United States, are the antithesis of smartphones. They have been stripped of many advanced functionalities, retaining only the basics such as calling, messaging and setting alarms.

Retro adds style

The popularity of feature phones in Korea was largely sparked by actress Han So-hee who was frequently seen using the phone either in paparazzi photos or during livestreams on her SNS account. Girl group NewJeans members holding up the retro-styled phones in many of their videos also added to the fad.

"I finally bought a 'folder phone'," actress Han said during one livestream in August. "I so wanted to do this," she said as she snap-shut the Galaxy Folder 2 and clicked on its button-style keypad made by Samsung Electronics.

Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Folder 2 [LG U+]

Galaxy Folder 2 is technically not a dumb phone as it supports Messenger and SNS apps among others. They were first launched in 2017 to cater to older generations with the simplest functions of a smartphone but sales were suspended in 2021 due to low demand.

Nonetheless, phones from the past have been selling like hotcakes ever since.

"In the latter half of the year, Galaxy Folder 2, as well as similar looking feature phones, were sold three to four times more compared to the first half," said Choi Yong-jin, who runs an online secondhand phone market, Ewhamobile.

"Their prices have jumped, accordingly from 100,000 won per device to 240,000 won for the same one. Supply can't meet the demand now. People have to wait. Most of the buyers are teens or are in their 20s whereas in the past only grandmas or grandpas came looking for it."

Minji of NewJeans seen holding up a feature phone in YouTube video [YOUTUBE SCREEN CAPTURE]

First uptick in registered feature phones

Choi's words are backed by statistics.

Feature phones have 7,751 new users in September alone this year, according to the Science Ministry. The number of registered users for feature phones increased in April, May and September this year which was a first for the figure to see an uptick since the ministry started aggregating related data in 2014.

The younger generation's attempt to detox on technology is another reason behind the hype. Those who were born when YouTube videos and TikTok reels were on default are now trying to unplug themselves from the noise of the world.

Actress Han said during the livestream that the internet on her Galaxy Folder 2 is so slow that she "doesn't take a look at the phone as often, which is a nice thing."

Those who want to stay away from the addictive features of smartphones due to studying purposes are also turning to feature phones. A second name for feature phones in Korea is "suneung phone" referring to Korea's college scholastic ability test.

Wireless to wired

Another tech realm that has been recently invaded by retro style is earphones.

Wireless earphones represented by Apple's AirPods and Samsung's Galaxy Buds were hailed when they were first introduced in 2016 and 2019 as they took away the inconvenience of tangled wires.

But that convenience came with a price: charging time and jeopardized sound quality.

"I bought AirPods several years ago but came back to wired earphones because of charging issue," said Choi Ji-young, a 22-year-old student in Seoul. "Charging my smartphone is enough. I didn't want to put up with any more charging issues with other gadgets. And celebrities recently appearing with wired earphones thankfully made the appearance all the more trendy."

Jennie of Black Pink seen with a wired earphones at an airport. [NEWS1]

Celebrities are now frequently spotted using the wired earphones.

Jennie and Rosé of girl group Blackpink are known users of wired earphones. V of BTS was also seen wearing white wired earphones at an airport where celebrities tout their most stylish demeanor.

In theory, sound quality also gets jeopardized in wireless earphones, compared to wired ones. There is also a frequent lagging issue when connecting smartphones to wireless earphones that are not manufactured by the same brand.

Sales of C-type wired earphones at retail franchise Daiso jumped by 10 percent during the first nine months of this year compared to the year before, the retailer said.

The future prospects for retro technology is dividing opinion.

While some forecast the fad will remain for good, others are skeptical of the trend.

"We are living in a world where technology evolves at a rapid pace with new features and gadgets ready to wow consumers on a daily basis. Such hype for retro, or technology of the past, is hardly likely to take the main stage but is considered rather a one-time thing," said one industry insider who wished to remain anonymous.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]