"It's Even More Beautiful in Person": Visitors Flock to Samsung Gangnam, Many Making Purchases on First Day of Pre-orders [Report]

Three Telecom Carriers Kick Off Pre-Orders for Galaxy Z Fold8 and Flip8

"I came here to see the exclusive Samsung Gangnam colors for myself. I'm interested in the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra." "I liked how the Galaxy Z Flip fit perfectly in my pocket, so I used that one, and this time I came to check out the Flip8 as well."

On the 28th, visitors who had been waiting at Samsung Gangnam in Seocho-gu, Seoul, entered as soon as it opened and took a look at the Galaxy Z8 series. Photo by Gyojo Noh

On July 28, the day pre-orders for the 8th-generation Galaxy Z series began, people gradually gathered at Samsung Gangnam in Seocho-gu, Seoul, despite it being a weekday morning. Interest was spread across different models, but the new form factor of the Galaxy Z Fold8 was attracting even greater attention from visitors.

An employee at the store said, "There have been many visitors since the product was released, especially over the weekend. We expect a crowd from lunchtime today," adding, "The Fold8 is getting a lot of attention because it is newly launched." The employee also noted differences by age and gender: "For the Fold8 Ultra, people in their 40s and older show a strong response, while the Fold8 itself is more popular among those in their 20s. Flip8, on the other hand, is attracting relatively more female visitors." Among foreign customers, the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 is especially popular.

The popularity of the Galaxy Z8 series was already palpable even before official pre-orders started. Since last week, offline stores have been bustling with people wanting to see the devices in person. Many customers had already signed up for pre-order reservations matching the pre-order start date. Lee, a woman in her 30s living in Seoul, said, "I set up a reservation at a department store near my house last week so I could swap my husband's phone to the Fold8. Seeing it in person made me like it even more," adding, "On top of the free upgrade to double the storage, I also received a department store gift card, which was great."

"Free upgrade to 512GB"...Galaxy Z Fold & Flip8 Pre-order Sales Begin

Through the pre-order period, Samsung Electronics is offering a 'double storage' benefit: the 256-gigabyte (GB) model will be upgraded free of charge to 512GB. On top of that, the three major telecom companies are introducing benefits that reflect the features of the new products optimized for content consumption. Phone activation for customers who apply for pre-order will begin on August 4, and the official release date is August 7.

SK Telecom has launched a joint marketing campaign with Netflix. All customers who sign up for a Netflix plan by August 31 after activation will receive Naver Pay points worth 10,000 won. Additionally, a lottery will select 3,055 winners to receive benefits linked to Netflix content, invitations to popular running events, and limited-edition merchandise.

For running enthusiasts, 1,000 people will be selected by lottery to receive two invitations each to the "Infinite Challenge Run in Gyeongju" event taking place in Gyeongju on September 19. In addition, 1,000 people will be selected to receive new limited-edition foldable phone cases engraved with autographs from players on the T1 esports team.

KT has introduced the "Choice Double" plan, which allows subscribers to enjoy two benefits simultaneously. This includes "Choice Double YouTube Premium + Netflix," which offers YouTube Premium Lite and Netflix Ad-supported Standard together; "Choice Double YouTube Premium + Device," which provides YouTube Premium Lite and discounts on devices like the Galaxy Buds4 or Galaxy Watch; and "Choice Double Device," which offers discounts on second devices and home appliances such as TVs or vacuum cleaners.

Through its official online store, KT Direct Shop, KT will sell the Galaxy Z Fold8 1TB model to the first 600 customers at the price of the 512GB model, and the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra 1TB model to the first 400 customers also at the price of the 512GB model. An exclusive 7% plan discount will also apply, offering up to 218,000 won in savings over 24 months.

LG Uplus is collaborating with Google to introduce an artificial intelligence (AI) subscription benefit. It combines Google's AI and cloud services with a device compensation program called "New Galaxy AI Subscription Club with Compensation Pass," which provides up to 50% reimbursement of the standard value when exchanging devices after use. LG Uplus has also prepared the "Galaxy Simple Pass," a package specialized in content and lifestyle benefits.

At the official U+ Online Store, 500 customers who purchase the 512GB model will be randomly selected to receive a free upgrade to the 1TB model. Online pre-order customers will also receive discount coupons worth up to 100,000 won that can be used when activating their phones.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.