Four-cut Photo Click-and-Keep Alteration

“Now, it feels like a part of everyday life that would feel incomplete without it,” said PNU Student A (Dept. of Business Administration), regarding the four-cut photo culture that has gained popularity among young people. A “four-cut instant photo,” which became popular nationwide after the brand “Life4cuts” succeeded in Daegu in April 2017, continues to be a beloved form of entertainment among Generation Z (Gen Z). Instant photo booths and stations, once commonly found in major shopping districts or tourist spots, are now common around schools, and the trend is frequently mentioned as a part of the K-photo culture across the globe.

Clearly, its ongoing popularity arises from continuous adaptation to changes and leading in entertainment, even in their 8th year since its launch. From March 10th to 17th, “Channel PNU” visited major four-cut photo booths to explore the evolution of these photos and discuss why they maintain their unchanging popularity.

■”Four-Cut Photo Fever” Sweeping the Nation

Four-cut photo booths are unmanned, where consumers can take their own pictures using a kiosk. You enter a booth, follow the screen’s instructions, and then receive your photos. Consumers pose and change their expressions to capture the perfect one. The printed photo includes a QR code, which links to a time-lapse video of the photo-taking process. A user is not just a consumer but also a prosumer, staging photos and even capturing the process of taking them with friends. This level of autonomy has mesmerized young people who want to document themselves.

The craze started with the success of Life4cuts in 2017 and spread with different instant photo brands, such as Photoism, Harufilm, PhotoGray, and PhotoSignature. Even on Busandaehak-ro in front of Pusan National University (PNU)’s Busan Campus, which was once filled with mobile phone stores, instant photo booths have now gained dominance. Reporters found eight four-cut photo shops within just 200 meters from Exit 3 of Pusan National University Station: three Photoism booths, PhotoSignature, PhotoGray, Life4cuts, and pic dot on March 19th. According to the Korea Fair Trade Commission, as of October 2024, the number of franchises for these brands was as follows: Photoism (369), Life4cuts (374), PhotoSignature (206), and Harufilm (116), with other brands also contributing to the trend.

For university students, taking photos after hanging around with friends has become natural. Kim Jeong-Seo (Dept. of Political Science and Diplomacy, 24) said, “I take photos every time I meet up with friends. The price is affordable, so I can do it without feeling financially burdened.” Printed photos are often shared with others. Kim continued, “At booths, you can print photos only in even numbers, so when I have extra prints, I display them in the department student lounge. It’s nice to share memories when we see them filled up one side of the lounge.” Another PNU Student B, also said, “I enjoy getting physical photos. I put some of my best shots on my room wall.”

■The Secret Recipe for Long-lasting Success

Four-cut instant photo booths that have been around for almost a decade have been deeply embedded despite rapidly changing trends. The longevity of four-cut photos can be attributed to their ability to evolve with the times.

After their launch in 2017, the first generation of four-cut photos gained a competitive edge by diversifying photo frame designs. From the diversity of frame colors to collaborations with cute characters, various trends emerged. Frames with popular memes or ones that featured MBTI types were also popular. Consumers sought out brands that offered trendy frames. As a result, countless frame designs were created.

Starting in the 2020s, the second generation of four-cut photos featuring Augmented Reality (AR) photo functions enabled users to take photos that looked as if they were taken with celebrities, characters, and more. A representative example is Photoism’s collaboration with K-pop idols. It released limited-edition frames featuring not only idols but also actors and character available during specific periods. PNU Student B said, “I once used a frame with my favorite character. I think of it as a kind of goods.” 

These frames allowed users to enjoy the feeling of taking photos with their favorite stars, and many would insert the photos into diaries or keep them in the phone cases. A shift to fandom culture also served as a marketing strategy for them. For example, an idol pop-up store offered a photo booth ticket as a bonus for purchasing merchandise, using it as a marketing scheme.

While the first and second generations of four-cut photos focused on frame designs, the third generation has begun to innovate the photo-taking space itself. Photo booths started being designed to look like the interior of the subway, and some booths placed a camera inside a washing machine to show that photos were seemingly taken inside it. In 2023, the “Elevator shot” became popular. The position of the camera that was previously mounted in the front was adjusted to capture a CCTV scene inside an elevator. Kim said, “Before going on a trip, I took a four-cut photo at ‘Life4cuts’ in the airport, and the concept of the photo booth looking like being in an airplane was the most memorable.”

■Four-Cut Photos Becoming Creative Works

The evolution of four-cut photos took another step forward. Users can now design their own frames and concepts. The four-cut photo culture has shifted from being merely a consumption activity to one of creation or production. This shift is especially prevalent among university students. In 2023, during Chung-Ang University’s festival, a “President Four-Cut” booth was set up, allowing students to take photos with the president. Students could pose as if shaking hands or take photos with the president holding a paper with “A+” written on it, which became hugely popular.

At PNU, a frame featuring the school mascot, Sanjini, was created. During the 2022 PNU Daedong-Je Festival and Siwol-Je Festival, many students visited the photo booth to take four-cut photos with Sanjini in festival-only limited-edition frames as it is seen in Channel PNU’s report, dating November 11th, 2022. It is also being widely utilized or in various ways., such as Sanjini frames at PNU Mall during graduation season or four-cut photos of Sanjini in student welcome kits. 

Additionally, students now have easy access to custom frames through the “Life4cuts” application. In 2024, Ryu Na-Yeon (Dept. of Science Education, 23) at Chinju National University of Education created a custom frame for her department, saying, “I wanted to give my peers a special memory by creating a frame that symbolizes our department. They welcomed it as it included our department’s mascot.”

■Digital Age Paradox: Capturing "Us" on Paper!

Experts cite “The aesthetic of imperfection” as one reason for the enduring popularity of this trend. While advances in photo technology allow people to take high-quality photos without the constraint of time and space via phones, young people are still seeking out photo booths where they can print and keep physical photos. Kim Nan-Do (Prof. of Consumer Science, Seoul National University) said in “Trend Korea 2019,” “In highly civilized societies, people are drawn to the satisfaction of what is missing, which is called the aesthetic of imperfection. Generation Z finds freshness in the old and is drawn to analog experiences.”

Young people create memories with printed photos and then share them digitally. After taking warm four-cut photos, they download them and videos through a QR code and post them on social media. They engage in a culture that crosses boundaries between analog and digital methods. Lee Eun-Hee (Emeritus Prof. of Consumer Science, Inha University) explained, “Many people favor the idea of recording their daily lives. For them, photos can become a record of their daily lives, and when shared, they serve as a means of communication with others.”

Life4cuts charges a single fee for a photo session, and typically, two printed photos come out. However, instead of marking them as “two copies”, they are marketed as “1+1,” emphasizing that they can be shared with friends or  loved ones. Prof. Lee explained, “The key to this entertainment is not the act of taking a picture, but the act of choosing outfits and poses with friends, and then taking photos together. This process itself is a fun and interactive experience with friends.”

Reporter Ryu Hae-Joo

Translated by Thadar-Soe