022: The Self-Photo Studios of Seoul

I recently returned from a trip to Korea. Honestly, for anyone in retail in 2024, Seoul is the ultimate place to go. The retail scene is the best in the world. The consideration for product and how it's merchandised is next level. Fashionably dressed people are everywhere you look. Walking through the Seongsu area on a Saturday must be the 2024 equivalent of walking through the Tuileries Gardens in the reign of Louis XIV.

One retail phenomenon that I witnessed is the new wave of self-photo studios. Not dissimilar from the purikura phenomenon before in the '90s (there's an element of Kawaii Japan nostalgia) – but crucially these aren't really booths, they're a bit more like sets. And they are EVERYWHERE in certain parts of Seoul.

"In 2022, sales of instant photo booth franchises nationwide sharply rose by 271 percent from the previous year, while the number of new photo machines shops saw a 54 percent year-on-year increase, according to KB Kookmin’s analysis of debit card sales." – Korea Herald

Each brand of studio has its unique aesthetic. The hot one of the moment is DONT LXXK UP, which specialises in high angles with a slight fisheye barrel distortion thing going on. Themes are important. Keeping up-to-date with themes shows your ability to maintain relevance. Imagine a Shona Heath take on this. Or Gary Card. Or Wes Anderson. Or Mike Nelson. Or the guys who made the Sault live experience.

The aesthetics go from the sublime to the ridiculous.
AR video message, graffiti toilet, New York mass transit, extreme low angle, extreme high angle, monochromatic, plushie accessories, elevators, crawlspaces, outrageous sunglasses, high school yearbooks, airplane bathrooms
If you can dream it, it probably exists.

There's low-hanging fruit here for Western retailers to incorporate this concept into stores. The Hallyu Wave, means there's interest in K-everything. Self-photo studios would be a perfect place to merchandise sunglasses or other small accessories. The social media reach alone would probably make the exercise worthwhile.

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