The 'Korean photography' trend is resurrected

Two 17-year-old female students in Hoang Mai District, Hanoi enjoy taking photos at photobooths. Bao Ngoc said taking photos with smartphones has its advantages, but taking photos at photobooths is still attractive because you can take photos to hang on the wall or store in an album. These establishments also prepare many accessories such as glasses, headwear, and costumes for customers to cosplay.

"What I like most is that the camera has built-in editing effects, so you don't need makeup but the photos are still beautiful," said Bao Ngoc. This female student also said that the price for taking photos ranges from 70,000 to 100,000 VND, including accessories, costumes and 4-6 photos, suitable for students.

While Bao Anh evaluates that each photobooth facility has a different style and photo color.

Ha Linh from Hoan Kiem district and her boyfriend went to a photobooth on Trich Sai street, Tay Ho district. The 20-year-old girl used to think that instant photography was only suitable for the older generation, but after trying it once, she is now "addicted".

Linh said that the photos taken at photobooths are of high quality and do not cost as much as those taken at professional studios. Even if she has to wait in line for an hour, she still accepts.

"The shop has four photo booths but they are always packed with people waiting," Linh said. She thinks showing off photos taken on a phone is outdated, "party people" have to show off their photobooth photos.

Photobooth photography is said to have originated from the sticker photography culture in Japan since the 2000s. In 2008-2009, this type of photography became a trend among Vietnamese youth with the name "Korean photography" but also faded quite quickly due to the development of smartphones and photography applications.

Since early 2024, photobooths have suddenly "revived" in Hanoi. Instead of just having a simple photo booth that depends on effects like before, now the facilities are equipped with many shooting accessories, provide hairdressing machines, makeup and improve image quality.

On the afternoon of November 9, at famous photobooth locations on Nha Chung Street (Hoan Kiem District), Trich Sai Street, Nhat Chieu (Tay Ho District), many young people lined up to take photos.

A representative of a shop on Trich Sai Street said that there are about 100 customers every day, but that number increases 2-5 times on weekends. Many times, customers have to wait nearly two hours, even though 4-5 photo studios are operating at the same time.

The manager of a photobooth shop on Nha Chung Street, Hoan Kiem District, said that the service will start in June 2023. In addition to the facilities in Hoan Kiem, Tay Ho and Long Bien districts, the unit also opened two new facilities in Ho Chi Minh City this year due to increasing customer demand. In the past three months, each facility has had a few hundred customers per day, double the number in the first months of the year. More than 70% of customers are in the 10-25 age group. The rest are people over 40 years old, most of whom like to reminisce about the past with the "Korean photo shoot" service before 2010. On weekends and holidays alone, there are more than 500 customers per day, many of whom have to wait at least 30 minutes for their turn.

"To attract customers, we focus on Korean-standard photo colors, constantly changing trendy accessories to keep up with trends. We also install cameras to take photos from above, creating unique angles," this manager shared.

Master Le Anh Tu, lecturer of the Faculty of Public Relations - Communication, Van Lang University (Ho Chi Minh City), said that the return of the photobooth trend is normal, as long as it suits the needs, it will be of interest.

According to experts, the fact that many young people are responding shows that the need for entertainment of each individual is growing. In particular, this photography trend is very positive, especially in a stressful life, preserving memorable moments of life is the right thing to do.

"However, if you have to wait many hours to get 4-6 photos, it is not advisable because it seems like a waste of time," said Mr. Tu.