Actor Han So-hee poses with an iPhone SE (1st generation), released in 2016. Captured from Han So-hee's Instagram

Park Soo-yeon, a 22-year-old university student, carries two iPhones: the latest iPhone 16 and a 10-year-old iPhone 5S. While she mainly uses the latest model for everyday communication, she prefers the older one for taking photos.

"Shooting with an old iPhone feels like using a vintage film camera," Park said. "Even though I'm taking pictures in the present, they have a nostalgic feel, which makes them feel new again."

Like Park, many young consumers are now actively seeking out older phones, a trend driven by "young-tro" — a combination of young and retro, referring to the new wave of nostalgia among Gen Z.

Instead of sleek, modern smartphones, they gravitate toward older models with physical buttons. The faded, vintage-like photo quality is another appeal.

Older iPhones, in particular, are experiencing a surge in popularity. The demand for the iPhone SE (1st generation), first released in 2016, has even led to the term "iPhone SE phenomenon."

"I find the design of old iPhones from the Steve Jobs era more vintage and aesthetically pleasing than the latest models," said Kim Min-jung, 21, a university student. "I also miss the compact size and home button of the older designs."

Another student, Lee Ji-soo, 23, has started using her old iPhone 6 as a secondary phone. "Among my peers, older iPhones are actually more popular than the latest ones," she said. "The colors in photos taken with an old iPhone are more unique than those from newer models."

As demand rises, so do prices. The iPhone SE (1st generation) is now being sold for over 200,000 won ($150) on secondhand marketplaces. Even the iPhone 6S, a model released a decade ago, is fetching around 100,000 won.

According to secondhand platform Bungaejangter, listings for the iPhone 6S in 2023 surged by 519 percent compared to the previous year, with actual transactions increasing by 28 percent.

Young people line up in front of a secondhand camera shop at Sewoon Arcade in Jongno District, Seoul, cFeb. 4. Korea Times photo by Kim Min-ji

Digital cameras make comeback

The young-tro craze isn't limited to phones — old digital cameras are also experiencing a resurgence, a trend that has continued for several years.

Interest skyrocketed in December 2023 when K-pop group NewJeans filmed parts of their "Ditto" music video with a vintage digital camcorder, sparking renewed enthusiasm for retro photography.

Han Nam-kyung, 24, visited Sewoon Arcade in central Seoul on Feb. 4 to purchase a digital camera. "Demand for digital cameras has grown so much that it's hard to find the model I want," Han said. "Prices have also risen significantly compared to a year ago."

Camera vendors have noticed the shift as well. Kim Min-ho, 70, who has run a secondhand camera shop in Sewoon Arcade for over 40 years, said, "A few years ago, some cameras sold for just 50,000 won, but now they go for up to 150,000 won. There were cameras people used to give away for free, but now I have to pay a premium to get them."

Professor Lee Eun-hee, a consumer studies expert, attributes the trend to a shift in how younger generations perceive old items.

"Rather than dismissing old things as outdated, young people are blending them with modern technology to create something unique," Lee said. "They are also drawn to the fresh experience of immersing themselves in an era they never lived through."

Girl group Le Sserafim members Kim Chae-won, left, and Sakura take photos with digital cameras. Captured from Instagram

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.