When Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong took the stage at an Nvidia event in Seoul last month, his wry observation – “Why are there so many iPhones here?” – was met with knowing laughter from the assembled crowd.
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For a country that prides itself on the global success of home-grown brands like Samsung, South Korea is seeing an increasing number of its young people opt for American alternatives.
A July poll by Gallup Korea found more than 60 per cent of respondents in their twenties used an iPhone, while 86 per cent of those in their fifties and sixties reported having a Samsung Galaxy.
“I’ve rarely seen anyone my age use a Samsung phone,” said Choi Jin, a 26-year-old teacher living near Seoul. “So, when they see my Samsung Galaxy, everyone asks why I don’t use an iPhone.”
Indeed, during a recent visit by This Week in Asia to Seoul’s popular youth district of Hongdae, staff at Apple’s retail store were busy attending to consumers while the nearby Samsung showroom appeared half empty.
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