South Korean actress Han So-hee has been seen using wired earphones on several occasions. Photos: www.charleskeith.com/tw
Whether it’s a retro trend or just the convenience of not having to charge them in advance, wired earphones are making a comeback.
On an episode of YouTube show Lee Seojin’s New York New York released in 2023, actor Jung You-mi was seen using wired headphones, prompting a curious inquiry from fellow actor Lee Seo-jin: “What is up with your earphones?”
She explained: “MZ generations use these.”
And she was right, a growing number of millennial and Generation Z Korean celebrities – roughly those born from the 1980s through the end of the century – have been seen with wired earphones lately.
On Feb 28, actor Han So-hee appeared at Incheon Airport with the familiar white wire dangling from one ear. Similarly, actor Moon Ga-young was spotted with such wires at the airport.
Blackpink members Jennie and Rose are also among those embracing the trend, frequently appearing at airports with wired earphones.
During her “Inside Blackpink Singer Rose’s YSL Bag” interview with Vogue France, Rose took out her wired earphones and said she has been using them because she is “not good at charging things”.
Apple swiftly responded to the emerging trend, launching new wired earphones in September 2023.
Although the tech giant has primarily concentrated on wireless earphones, the release of the iPhone 15 also featured wired EarPods.
The company asserted that the new wired earphones boast improved audio and microphone quality in comparison to their previously introduced wireless products. The Korea Herald/Asia News Network
