Young-Tro Trend: Why Gen Z is Embracing Old iPhones and Digital Cameras

Park Soo-yeon, a 22-year-old university student in South Korea, carries two iPhones: the latest iPhone 16 and a decade-old iPhone 5s. While she relies on the new model for daily tasks, she prefers the older one for photography. Capturing images with an old iPhone feels like using a vintage film camera, giving modern moments a nostalgic touch that makes them feel new again.

Many young consumers are following this trend, driven by the rise of “young-tro,” a fusion of youth and retro aesthetics. Instead of sleek, modern smartphones, they seek out older models with physical buttons and a distinctive faded photo quality. The iPhone SE (1st generation), released in 2016, has surged in demand, giving rise to what is now known as the “iPhone SE phenomenon.”

Kim Min-jung, a 21-year-old student, finds the design of older iPhones from the Steve Jobs era more aesthetically pleasing than newer models. The compact size and home button of previous designs add to their appeal. Similarly, Lee Ji-soo, 23, has revived her iPhone 6 as a secondary phone, noting that among her peers, old iPhones are often more desirable than the latest releases. The colors in photos taken with older iPhones have a unique charm that newer devices lack.

As demand increases, so do prices. The iPhone SE (1st generation) is now selling for over 200,000 won (US$140) on second-hand platforms, while the iPhone 6s, released nearly a decade ago, is fetching around 100,000 won. Listings for the iPhone 6s on Korean resale platform Bungaejangter surged by 519 percent in 2023, with transactions increasing by 28 percent.

Beyond smartphones, the young-tro trend has extended to digital cameras. Interest in these devices skyrocketed after K-pop group NJZ filmed parts of their “Ditto” music video using a vintage digital camcorder, reigniting enthusiasm for retro photography. Han Nam-kyung, 24, recently visited Sewoon Arcade in Seoul to buy a digital camera but found that soaring demand had made it difficult to find the model he wanted. Vendors confirm that once-overlooked cameras, previously sold for as little as 50,000 won, now command prices up to 150,000 won.

Consumer studies expert Lee Eun-hee attributes this shift to a new way of perceiving old technology. Instead of seeing it as outdated, young people are blending past and present, embracing vintage devices to create unique, nostalgic experiences.

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