New Korean Photo Booth In Singapore: Only $10 For 2 Printed Sheets, Free Hanbok Usage & Special Filters
The Japanese have long been leading in the game of instant photo prints with the invention of purikura (aka neoprints), but the Koreans have been catching up on the trend lately. Veering away from kawaii frames and an overload of stickers, the latter comes with a minimalist approach, with either plain coloured backdrops or black and white. While these self photo studios are all the rage among couples and groups of friends alike, they admittedly don’t come cheap.
But here’s a new affordable alternative that you can go for again and again without hurting your pocket: Life4Cut, a Korean instant photo booth outlet with prints that cost from just $10 for 2 sheets. Best part is, you get to keep soft copies and a GIF, on top of free usage of props and costumes including hanboks!
P.S.: If you prefer neoprints with cutesy stickers and drawings, check out the ones by Dollop Print Club at only $10 for 2 prints!
Read on to find out more about Life4cut Korean photo booth in Singapore!
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Unlike some other photo booths or self studios in Singapore that are merely inspired by the ones in Korea, Life4cut actually hails from the land of K-Pop itself, with multiple outlets there. In fact, they’ve even expanded to places like the USA, Japan, and Vietnam.
The Singapore outlet is located at Level 2 of Suntec City’s East Wing, which is on the same side of the shopping complex as the cinema. If you’re coming via train, do alight at Promenade MRT station instead of Esplanade, else you’ll have to make a long walk from one end of the mall to the other.
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Because the photo prints are instant, it’s very much a “snap and go” experience, so no reservations are required. There was a steady stream of customers when we visited on a Saturday, but things were orderly thanks to a staff member present who helped facilitate the queue.
Even if someone else is occupying a particular booth you’re keen on, you probably won’t be waiting more than 5 minutes - assuming they’re only going for 1 round, and aren’t super fickle-minded such that they take ages just to decide on a single frame and layout.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Browse the arsenal of props and select your favourites while waiting for your turn! There are plenty of silly sunglasses, hats, animal ears, and giant bow headbands to go around. Our favorites were undoubtedly the hanbok sets, which come in both male and female versions. Time to let your Korean drama fantasies come to life with your oppa!
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Feel free to take a seat on one of the crochet beanbags, set against a leafy backdrop with a pink neon sign reading “Happy Together”. This serves as the perfect photo spot, so here’s where you can warm up a little by practising some poses before the actual photo session.
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Need to touch up your makeup? You don’t have to make a bolt for the washroom, for you can simply make use of the 2 illuminated vanity mirrors behind the main front wall.
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There are also stacks of sticky notes that you can scribble on and paste onto a big whiteboard on the wall. This can be anything from a love profession, to your declaration of loyalty to your number one bias.
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Pick from 3 rooms, painted pink, blue, and yellow respectively. We made a beeline for the pink one as we were instantly drawn to its sweet vibes befitting of a couple shoot. The room is comfortably spacious with a curtain for privacy, and even comes with a 4-tier ladder shelf where you can place your personal belongings.
Instructions and pricing plans are displayed on the wall - a classic 4-cut photo strip costs $10 for 2 sheets, while everything else costs $12 for 2. Do note that the 4-cut photos are only available in the blue and yellow rooms, while the other layouts are available in the pink room.
Payment can be done via cash (notes) or credit card, which makes things convenient for those who prefer to travel light by going cashless.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
The photo booth is super easy to use. You first begin by choosing your desired layout. We suggest going for the 4- or 6-frame ones so that you can maximise your cash by squeezing in more photos, all without having them appear too tiny.
Next, you get to select your frame colour. It’s best to go for a colour that contrasts with or complements your chosen background; Pink on pink would probably not bode well. We chose white to match our pink backdrop for a “strawberries and cream” sort of colour scheme.
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8 photos will be snapped in succession, with a timer counting down from 10 each time. Not only do you get to pick your favourite shots, you also get to choose the specific order in which they appear on your print-out. There won’t be a timer ticking down during this selection process, so you can heave a sigh of relief knowing you won’t have to rush through it.
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Contrary to Japanese neoprints, the Life4cut photo booth doesn’t come with that “instant plastic surgery” effect that gives you giant doll-like eyes or a sharper chin. There are, however, special filters, including a half black and white one. We opted for the bright filter as we wanted a softer and more romantic look.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Before the photos are printed out, you can opt for a QR code, which will allow you access to digital copies of the snaps, as well as GIFs of yourselves getting into pose. This QR code will be printed on a corner of your hard copies, and will be included at no extra cost.
Tip: Scan and save your soft copies as soon as you can - within the same day, if possible. We noticed that our QR links were broken after a couple of days, which makes sense since uploading and keeping everyone’s prints forever would take up quite a bit of space on their server.
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Given that the photo prints are so affordable - just $6 each when split among 2 - we weren’t really expecting much, but ended up pleasantly surprised by the solid quality of the final product. Dressing up and getting goofy with the props was a fun experience as well!
We’d very much recommend Life4cut to anyone looking to capture memories with their loved ones, especially those who enjoy pressure-free candid moments as opposed to formal portraits. It’s a great way to pass time while waiting for a movie to begin, or as a pre- or post-meal activity during a date!
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Life4Cut - Korean photo booth
Address: 3 Temasek Boulevard, #02-723 Suntec City East Wing, Singapore 038983
Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9am - 11pm | Saturday & Sunday: 9.30am - 11.30pm
Nearest MRT station: Promenade
Website
More photo booths and selfie studios in Singapore:
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Text by: GirlStyle SG
