"Uncomfortable but Natural, Surprisingly Fresh"…MZ Generation Seeking Analog [Heo Midam's Youth Report]

Analog Gaining Attention in the Digital Age... Rising Popularity of LP Records and Film Cameras
Experts Say "Young Generation Finds Nostalgia Refreshing"

Photo by Pixabay.

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[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] # College student Kim Eunju (21, pseudonym) recently purchased a disposable film camera while planning a trip to Jeju Island with friends. She wanted to develop the photos herself and keep them for a long time. Kim said, "Although you can't do retouching with a film camera, I find it attractive that you can capture the natural appearance as it is," adding, "Also, after taking photos with a smartphone, I hardly look at them, but when you develop and keep the photos, the memories of that time come back vividly."

Recently, riding the wave of the 'Newtro (New+Retro)' trend, analog products such as film cameras and LP records are gaining popularity. While 'Retro' reproduced old things as they were, stimulating nostalgia among middle-aged and older generations, 'Newtro' is characterized by providing freshness and fun to young people who have never experienced the old things. As enthusiasm for Newtro grows, sales of related products are also on the rise.

On social networking services (SNS) like Instagram, it is not difficult to find photos taken with old film cameras tagged with 'Retro.' In fact, searching 'Retro' on Instagram yields 850,000 related posts, and 'film camera' yields 2.67 million posts. One netizen who took photos with a film camera said, "My hobby is taking pictures of family and acquaintances, developing them, and giving them as surprise gifts."

Young people's interest in analog products is increasing. According to a survey conducted last year by market research firm Trend Monitor on 1,000 adults nationwide, 49.4% of respondents said they are more interested in analog products. Among them, those in their 20s and 30s, corresponding to the MZ generation, showed high interest at 50.8% and 52.8%, respectively. In contrast, interest among people in their 40s and 50s remained in the 40% range. In other words, younger people who have not experienced various analog devices show more interest in analog products than middle-aged and older generations who have.

Photo by Pixabay.

Accordingly, sales of analog products are also rising, centered on young people. According to Yes24, the combined proportion of buyers in their 20s and 30s for LP products increased significantly from 27% in 2019 to 40.8% in 2021. LPs are analog-based music storage media widely used from the 1950s to the 1980s. After the spread of CDs and MP3s in the 1990s, LPs faced the threat of disappearance around the 2000s but have recently revived alongside the Newtro trend.

As the age group of customers seeking LPs lowers, the music industry is actively utilizing this in marketing. Popular singers such as BTS, IU, and BLACKPINK have also released LPs one after another.

Meanwhile, film cameras are also popular. Film cameras were steadily popular in the 1980s and 1990s but rapidly declined with the advent of digital cameras in the 2000s. In particular, Polaroid, a representative instant film camera brand, went through ups and downs, filing for bankruptcy protection twice in 2001 and 2008.

Film cameras have many inconveniences compared to digital cameras and smartphones. You cannot check the results immediately after shooting, nor can you do retouching. However, for the younger generation who have not experienced analog, this experience seems to be rather fresh. According to Gmarket, sales of film cameras increased by 158% last year compared to 2017.

Professor Lee Eunhee of Inha University's Department of Consumer Studies said, "The reason consumers are enthusiastic about Newtro can be seen differently depending on the generation. Old things stimulate nostalgia in middle-aged and older generations, while providing novelty to young generations who have never experienced them," adding, "Especially film cameras and LP records are imperfect. Film cameras have lower image quality compared to regular cameras, and LP records have characteristic 'crackling' noise. However, the MZ generation finds this imperfection rather refreshing."