I've been using my iPhone 13 mini for about 4 years now.

With its limited storage and RAM, I'm starting to feel like it's finally time for an upgrade.

Here's the history of my phone evolution:

I was actually obsessed with BlackBerry back in the day—started using those early "smartphones" since elementary school. Yeah,

I was an early adopter before it was cool lol. I even used the Porsche Design BlackBerry before eventually deciding to try out this new thing called the iPhone once it properly launched in Korea.,,,

I did use Android phones before that, but after rooting them and flashing all kinds of custom ROMs, they were... let's just say, in rough shape. My first iPhone? The 6s, I think—probably during high school.

That incredibly thin body and big screen? I treated that thing like royalty.

Since then, I've mostly bought used phones and just swapped SIM cards—XS, then 13 mini. Not exactly the mainstream choices, more like the underdogs of the lineup, but I was pretty happy with them.

The iPhone 17 Dilemma

Now I'm looking to switch to the regular iPhone 17, and I've been doing my research.

Normally, I buy unlocked phones and set up my own plan—it's what I'm used to from years of buying secondhand devices. It's convenient and cheaper.

But here's the thing: after years of used phones, buying a brand new one outright suddenly feels... expensive. Like, really expensive.

While questioning my life choices, I discovered these carrier stores (the legendary "holy grounds" as they're called) where you can apparently get the phone for just 300,000 won (~$220).

Of course, there's a catch.

You have to maintain a premium plan (100,000+ won/month) for 6 months AND subscribe to three useless paid add-on services.

Simple math says: just tough it out for 6 months, then switch to a cheaper plan. Profit, right?

But paying 100,000+ won per month just for phone service? Does that even make sense? Then again, paying 1,000,000+ won upfront for an unlocked phone doesn't feel great either...

The Spreadsheet of Truth

So I fired up Excel and calculated the costs at 1 month, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months.

The verdict? It's all the same.

There really is no free lunch. The world isn't going to give me a cheap, quality product out of the kindness of its heart.

But then... why was I so excited while researching all this?

The Genius of "조삼모사" Marketing

This whole thing is basically "조삼모사" (朝三暮四)—the classic tale of the monkey trainer who offered "3 nuts in the morning, 4 at night" then switched to "4 in the morning, 3 at night" and the monkeys were thrilled, even though the total was exactly the same.

Marketing tactics like "Buy Now, Pay Later" work the same way. They prey on human desire, greed, and that little spark of hope—while quietly taking all the profit. It's honestly kind of diabolical.

We all know this... and yet we still get sucked in.

(But hey, consumers these days are pretty smart—myself included. I'll probably just buy unlocked and stick with my cheap plan like always.)