Cell Phones

Speaking of screens, cell phones may also stand out to foreigners. That's because of their size.
Everybody has a smart phone, and usually it's one big touch screen. I used to be amused when I watched K-dramas and saw actors hold up these big panels to their heads to make calls. Exchange students here have commented on that as well and laughed. These phones are huge. After about two weeks though, I was used to it. Now phones that I used to consider big, such as an iPhone, look small to me.
Since I take the subway a lot and since many people have their cell phones out (like in class), it's very easy to see what kind of phones other people have. While it's uncommon for me to be aware of or able to notice other people's cell phones in the U.S., I do think it's safe to say that not everyone has a smart phone (myself included) and that most phones are much smaller than the ones you see in South Korea. But here it's rare to see a cell phone that's not a smart phone. Also, the cases here are nice. You can put your phone in a giant rubber Hello Kitty case, or have a simple thin case with a nice design, or go for the booklet case, in which credit cards may also be stored. Mobile phones are a necessity, and they are becoming more and more like handheld computers.
Unfortunately, I can't just go and photograph random people's phones, but I do have photos of phones that are on sale.

some phone cases

my friend's Samsung Galaxy Note (this isn't the best photo though because it doesn't offer a comparison or contrast). I've only seen one person with a Galaxy Note in the U.S. (I don't think they've caught on), but they're a common sight in Seoul

another thing I noticed upon my arrival in Seoul is that some phones have antennas. I'd never seen this before. It's for watching TV

Also, I found out this weekend that you can go to a convenience store to get your phone battery charged. My friend and I were going to take a selca, but realized that the battery was too low. She wasn't carrying an extra phone battery at the time, so she took the battery out of her phone and gave it to the cashier at a convenience store. It cost just 1000 won to have the battery recharged, but you have to wait for a while.

You can see many people in the subway using their cell phones, usually to message friends, play games, or watch TV programs during their commute.