Go Youn-jung spotted with Galaxy Z Fold 8 as Samsung chips away at iPhone's grip on young women

Actor Go Youn-jung, known as an iPhone user, holds a Galaxy Z Fold 8 in a recent post. [Photo, Go Youn-jung's Instagram]

Go Youn-jung, long known as an iPhone user, has switched to Samsung.

The once-unshakeable dominance of Apple's iPhone among South Koreans in their 20s and 30s — particularly young women — is showing signs of cracking.

Samsung Electronics' Galaxy foldable lineup is attracting a younger crowd, with a growing number of customers switching from iPhone to Galaxy. Actor Go Youn-jung drew attention recently when the actor posted a photo on Instagram holding a Galaxy Z Fold 8, a device not previously associated with the actor.

Samsung is using its foldable phones to shed its reputation as a brand for older users.

According to Samsung Electronics, half of the customers who pre-ordered the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8 series on Samsung.com were in their teens to 30s. The number of female customers in that age group more than doubled compared with the previous model.

Survey data also show that Samsung Galaxy's share among consumers in their 20s — a demographic that had strongly favored the iPhone in South Korea — has risen sharply.

A Gallup Korea survey found that 81 percent of domestic smartphone users named Samsung Galaxy as their primary brand, compared with 19 percent for Apple's iPhone. Last year, the figures stood at 72 percent for Galaxy and 24 percent for iPhone. Galaxy's usage rate climbed roughly 10 percentage points in a single year, while iPhone's share fell.

Actor Go Youn-jung holds a Galaxy Z Fold 8 in a photo shared on the actor's Instagram account. [Photo, Go Youn-jung's Instagram]

The shift was particularly pronounced among consumers in their 20s. Last year, Galaxy and iPhone usage rates in that age group stood at 40 percent and 60 percent, respectively. This year, Galaxy climbed to 47 percent while iPhone slipped to 53 percent — a sign that even the generation most closely associated with Apple loyalty is beginning to move.

Change is also being felt in the United States, Apple's home turf. According to Samsung Electronics, 23 percent of Galaxy Z Fold 8 buyers in the US switched from a competing brand.

Women in their 20s and 30s are widely regarded as a key consumer segment for building long-term brand loyalty. The narrowing gap between Galaxy and iPhone in this demographic could prove a critical variable in reshaping the competitive landscape for both companies.

As Samsung draws younger consumers with its foldable lineup, Apple is moving to accelerate its own entry into the category. Apple plans to launch its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, in South Korea later this month, with a domestic starting price of 3.29 million won ($2,460). Whether the iPhone Duo can challenge Samsung's dominance in the foldable market remains to be seen.

park@heraldcorp.com