A new trend has swept Korea as teenagers crowd around the newest phase. 인생네컷 (Life’s four cuts, https://life4cut.modoo.at) is a new photo booth machine that has attracted thousands of customers. Located all across the city of Seoul and its suburbs, 인생네컷 has reinvigorated the old sticker booth trend. People who are lucky enough to find one of these machines must wait in long crowded lines in order to get 4 nicely filtered photos pasted together in one long strip.

 The 인생네컷 trend seems to be a continuation of South Korea’s old sticker booth phase. Unlike the photo booths in more western countries such as Canada and the US, Korean sticker booths have the added effect of filters and stickers that can alter a photo to look more interesting. Though the original trend of sticker booths started in Japan, South Korea has developed its own sticker booth cultures with several stores that are dedicated to a variety of booths. Sticker booths can also be found in arcades and shopping malls.
 
인생네컷, unlike the other sticker booths, can be located in street corners. However, it still attracts long lines are people hop on the latest trends. After waiting in the line, people can enter the photo booth, preferably with groups of three or less due to the restricted size, and pay 4,000 won to start the machine. After choosing between two options, color or black-and-white, the sticker booth begins to take a photo every 10 seconds. After four photos an option to reshoot the four photos appears. This option will only appear once so it’s important not to mess up twice. There are multiple filters you can add to the photos. Filters include black, bright yellow, dark black pink, foggy dark and so on.

 

“I was looking through Facebook and saw a lot of friends posting pictures related to that … photo booth. I thought it was really pretty and it was a thing on SNS between my friends and everybody so I wanted to get a picture as well,” comment Song-Eugene, a Korean high school student who took a photo at the 인생네컷 sticker booth. “I think it was worth it because I like their design of how the photos come out. I want to go [back] with my mom because I’m trying to make more memories with my mom so if I had the chance I would come back with her.”
 
These sticker booths are places where people can record their friendships. Unlike its predecessors, 인생네컷 does not have flashy stickers or filters but rather takes clean photos that emulate the quality of those taken by Polaroid cameras. Its simplicity allows the photo booth to capture an image as is, making it a place that can be visited with both friends and family. With already 31,314 posts with 인생네컷 on Instagram alone, the scope of this trend is clear. Since it is unclear how long the trend will continue, teens in South Korea should hurry up and head to the nearest 인생네컷 to capture a memorable photo with their friends. 
 

 









Alexander Joonhwan Song 
Grade 12
Seoul International School