Rumors were swirling like a tornado and I was right in the middle of it. Like the weather in Seoul in the last week of July, my phone scorched with notifications from various group chats. Is it true? Several friends in Manila asked. Will he be there??? I received links to tweets and articles that all said the same thing: rapper Suga, a member of popular boy group BTS, was rumored to be a special guest at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event happening the next day.
Normally, a piece of news like this would not concern me. But Unpacked, an annual summer showcase of Samsung’s latest products, was the very event that I had traveled all the way to Seoul to attend. It’s funny that the news came from back home. No official releases about Unpacked’s guests were sent out, which meant that we had no way to confirm any of the circulating gossip.
‘ ‘2’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:8d6a92c9-be1c-4cd9-94f1-ab79b09da660’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘Rapper Suga of boy group BTS is known for taking concert selfies
The truth would reveal itself hours later as Suga’s solo single “Daechwita” clamored through the COEX Convention Hall. An introductory montage of evening drone shots of Seoul played, swooping scenes of ancient national landmarks like Gyeongbok Palace along with contemporary innovations such as Dongdaemun Design Plaza. The video ends with a few words floating in the sky, an invitation to “join the flip side.”
When the lights in the hall flood back in, it turns out there was more than one star in our midst. American actress Sydney Sweeney (“Euphoria”) was sitting right next to Wonyoung of the K-pop girl group IVE, who in turn sat next to Brazilian singer Anitta. The rest of the front row was packed: Jeongyeon of the girl group Twice was also there, along with boy group Stray Kids, who were in full attendance. Right across from where I sat was Suga himself, arguably one of the most ardent Samsung users out there. During his world tour, the rapper and Samsung ambassador would take selfies with fans, but politely refused to use any phone that wasn’t by the brand. He had a brief moment during the program where he smiled and waved behind his own S23 phone.
I regularly updated friends back home who were watching via live stream. They were shocked at how close I was. (My phone’s zoom-in capabilities came in clutch). Thousands of photos and videos of him and all the other celebrities at Unpacked would circulate all over the world, while I found myself in the surreal position of seeing it happen in real life.
‘ ‘6’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:b7be8149-ba88-413b-9268-f4ad300143fe’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘The Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event is an annual summer showcase
It takes a real behemoth to gather such cultural giants in one place. As one of the biggest electronics and tech companies in the world, Samsung has become a symbol of national pride. Their rise through the decades is part of Korea’s grander story of success, a once-struggling nation that transformed itself into one of the most industrialized countries in the world — all within one lifetime. Since 2009, Samsung has toured their annual Galaxy Unpacked event in major cities all over the world; 2023 is their first time to host it in the Korean capital. It’s a homecoming, almost, and it was clear that the intention was to present just how much more the country has to offer.
But once the spotlights dim and the stars retire for the night, one question remains: Samsung can undoubtedly make a good phone, but what about a cool one?
As far as higher end phones are concerned (the new Galaxy phones start at around ₱64,000 each), the cool factor is sometimes the make-or-break moment. If there’s anything Korea does well, however, it’s their sharp understanding of the power of visuals. Add “K” to any noun and the reference is clear — K-beauty, K-pop, and K-drama. Each industry is easily distinguishable from their non-Korean counterparts, simply from looks alone. As far as Samsung’s host of gadgets is concerned, they have long gained a reputation for their capabilities, personalization options, value for money, and long battery life. It was also seen as an “intellectual” phone brand, with memes referencing its superior features that professionals and tech geeks would appreciate. But the jokes also made it clear that earlier models weren’t exactly hospitable to the needs of your average Instagram baddie.
Improving on gadget design was a big part of the new Galaxy releases. Junho Park, head of the Galaxy ecosystem product planning team, shared that improvements on the Galaxy Watch6 involved tweaks on the bezel and screen display. “For 50% of users,” Park said, “design is their number one buying factor in a smart watch.”
‘ ’11’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:7f50de9a-26ab-43a7-8b37-e11c4d20e7fc’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 puts focus on sleep management as
At this year’s Galaxy Unpacked, the brand introduced design upgrades as well as software improvements. The Galaxy Z Fold5 has an improved hinge design and longer battery life to support serious multitaskers. The Galaxy Tab S9 is a durable tablet that is both dust and water resistant. The Galaxy Watch6 hones in on sleep management to holistic health improvement. All gadgets are made to seamlessly work together or on their own. And perhaps the most eye-catching in the new Galaxy release is the Z Flip5, a literal pocket rocket inspired by the flip phones of the early aughts.
Its foldability is where the Flip5 truly shines. A phone quite frankly doesn’t have to flip; it serves no functional purpose. But the ability to flip a phone adds drama and panache. It’s a new facet of one’s personality — it’s acting . That thought is what made me long for a hot pink flip phone at 14 years old, the ability to flick a phone open to answer a call, then emphatically closing it shut with a satisfying clap.
It’s perhaps why the Flip5 is so popular among millennials; its biggest selling point is nostalgia. A week after returning from Korea, I attended a friend’s birthday party where my phone turned out to be the most popular gal of the night: everyone kept asking to see it, take photos with it, and to fall in love with it in the end. “Oh no, I think I want one,” a friend said as they held the Flip5 in their hands. I have never been so upstaged by a gadget in my entire life.
‘ ’15’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:8ebc4d3d-1099-4820-804d-61049f085c5f’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘The Samsung Galaxy Fold5 and Flip5 offer colors that are exclusively
On looks alone, Flip5’s allure is undeniable. It’s the fifth iteration of Samsung’s foldable Z Flip series, much improved from its first version in 2020 by leaps and bounds. The Flip5 now folds more neatly than the earlier Flip4 (less chance for dust and dirt to scratch the folded screen), and the improved hinge also makes the overall look sleeker. (There is still a crease in the middle, but hardly noticeable once you start using it regularly). The first Samsung Flip had no screen at all, but the Flip5 has a 3.4-inch cover screen; where before it was mostly useful to flash notifications, it now has widgets that can be navigated through with ease. It’s almost like having two phones on you — one for quick access, and one that’s got everything in store.
The truth, though, is that the novelty of a flip phone runs out. What happens then? In my personal experience, the folding feature turned out to have a practical function. When using it for vlogging or even as a selfie camera, there’s no need for a tripod. It props up on its own, and when you shoot with it folded 90 degrees, it’s a much more discreet tool to shoot with than a regular smartphone. It may not have the same camera capabilities as Samsung’s top-tier S series, but the Flip5 shoots crisp images that need little editing and 4K videos that are suitable for any big screen. Because most women’s clothing feature smaller pockets, the Flip5’s square shape fits much better than other phones do.
Galaxy Unpacked was only the start of Samsung’s strategic focus on user experience. The brand set up Flipside Market activations in Seoul and Busan. The shops are designed in brutalist-looking cement buildings that contrast with the sleek phones and pops of mint blue, inviting visitors to take photos. On display are accessories featuring collaborations from brands like Five Guys and Toiletpaper, and K-pop groups like BTS and IVE.
‘ ’19’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:1a977f41-d7b5-4831-a58e-86e84b7f5644’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘Variety show host Lee Mujin attends the opening of the Flipside
The shops are situated in hip neighborhoods — in Seoul, there are three different Flipside Markets in Seongsu, an up-and-coming area likened to Brooklyn, with its small cafes and boutique stores. Down in Busan, there’s a two-storey Flipside Market facing Gwangalli beach. Samsung also developed accessories and cases that allow for more personalization. Most notable is the Flipsuit card, an NFC-based accessory that not only dresses the hardware, but also the wallpaper of the phone itself.
In an era where nostalgia is so popular, Samsung brought back another beloved relic. But it’s faster, smarter. It’s cool, too. It seems that the Galaxy series is Samsung’s way of bringing back the fun in having a phone — a sense of cool defined by their own terms. They’ve done so by harnessing the might of its tech capabilities to give the standard smartphone silhouette a bit of a refresh. At the same time, Samsung negotiates with the idea that nifty little features shouldn’t just be fun party tricks; they should also make daily use easier and more convenient. Technology is an answer to a problem, and Samsung has always responded to this through continuous innovation. But their new suite of products feels like their most revolutionary move yet. It underscores a deeper understanding of what it means to make machines that reflect back our humanity, our needs and desires that make us altogether complicated and shallow. After all, we look up at the stars not only to understand their sheer might, we also gaze at them to marvel at their beauty. And Samsung isn’t in the business of creating just one dazzling star. They’re building an entire galaxy.