Live Broadcast Hits 9.5 Billion, Samsung.com Crashes... Galaxy Z Also Popular in 'Jageupje' Market

[Asia Economy Reporter Joselgina] "Please release more stock. It's sold out again."

Samsung Electronics' ambitiously launched 3rd generation foldable smartphones are reaping significant benefits from the 'unlocked' market right from the start. Thanks to the growing demand for unlocked phones?where consumers purchase smartphones directly and use affordable plans?over the past few years, the devices have virtually sold out through live broadcasts and major channels. On the first day of pre-orders, the live broadcast recorded nearly 10 billion KRW in transactions within just two hours.

According to industry sources on the 18th, 11st, an open market platform, held a live broadcast for two hours on the morning of the pre-order start day for the 'Galaxy Z Fold3' and 'Galaxy Z Flip', achieving its highest-ever transaction amount of 9.5 billion KRW. The number of real-time live broadcast viewers also surpassed 600,000.

The Z Fold3 Black model, launched for the first time in the Z Fold series at a price in the 1 million KRW range, sold out about 30 minutes after the broadcast began. A customer watching the live broadcast shared, "Compared to regular bar-type smartphones, the price was a bit high, so I hesitated for a moment, but it sold out rapidly." Benefiting greatly from the new foldable phone effect, 11st has also announced another live broadcast scheduled for 5 PM on the 19th.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On Samsung's official website, Samsung.com, the influx of pre-order customers the previous morning caused the site to crash for about three hours. Limited edition models such as the Z Flip Pink, White, and Gray are only available for purchase on Samsung.com. The Z Fold3, which folds and unfolds like a book, has shown a 'temporarily sold out' notice from the previous day through today. Some models are also experiencing shortages on platforms like Market Kurly and Coupang.

Unlocked phones are gaining popularity recently, especially among young consumers who prioritize practicality, as they are not bound by carrier contract periods and can be combined with affordable plans such as budget carriers.

On major online communities, there is active sharing of information comparing benefits across unlocked channels for purchasing the Z Fold3 and Z Flip3. When sold-out notices appear online, many posts express intentions to visit offline stores. An industry insider said, "The early success of pre-orders is being driven by the unlocked market."

The Z Fold3 and Z Flip3, which have enhanced durability and usability compared to their predecessors, will be sequentially released worldwide starting from Korea, the United States, and Europe on the 27th. Prices are 1,998,700 to 2,097,700 KRW and 1,254,000 KRW, respectively.

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