What the iPhone 18 Pro launch at Apple Myeongdong revealed

Apple Myeongdong’s September 18 launch brought an overnight queue and an 8 a.m. welcome for iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max customers. It also exposed a less visible decision: whether to collect a new Pro phone now or wait for Apple’s first foldable, the iPhone Duo. 83

A busy opening, with a limit on what the queue shows

One customer arrived at 7 p.m. the previous evening and waited about 13 hours. Around 150 people queued outside the Myeongdong store early on launch day; staff greeted customers as the doors opened at 8 a.m. 810

The crowd showed interest, but it was not a walk-in sales rush. Apple restricted launch-day device collections to customers who had preordered. Reports also described hundreds of reserved-device pickups over the morning—a different measure from the number waiting outside before opening. 38 South Korea was among the first group of markets to receive the Pro models on September 18. 15

Nor did every Seoul store see the same scene: a separate report counted only four people outside Apple Hongdae at 7:30 a.m. That contrast makes the Myeongdong line a snapshot of one store, not a verdict on nationwide demand. 17

Buy the Pro now or wait for Duo?

The iPhone Duo was not on Myeongdong’s display tables, yet its approaching release was part of the launch-day conversation. Its book-style design offers a larger screen when unfolded, while the Pro appealed to shoppers who preferred a familiar format and performance expectations. Those preferences do not establish how the new phones will hold up over time. 8

Duo is scheduled for October 16 preorders and October 23 availability. Its titanium construction is part of the foldable’s appeal, but materials and manufacturer durability claims are not a substitute for evidence from prolonged everyday use. 58

What the Pro offered on launch day

For buyers interested in more camera control, the Pro models introduce a 48-megapixel main camera with variable aperture and manual controls. Adjusting the aperture changes how much light enters the camera and gives photographers more control over depth of field; the available reporting does not establish how many video professionals bought a phone for that feature. 14

In South Korea, starting prices were reported at 1.99 million won for the iPhone 18 Pro and 2.19 million won for the Pro Max. The available finishes were black, silver, glacier and burgundy. 1513 The launch-day choice was therefore not simply about queueing for the newest iPhone: shoppers could take home a preordered Pro, with its known design and new camera controls, or hold off to assess a substantially different foldable in October. 38