Walked into a laundromat in Astoria and noticed everyone watching the same Korean drama on their phones

I was dropping off my sheets at Spin Cycle on 30th Ave last Tuesday and I swear half the people there had the same show playing on their screens. One woman was on episode 12, another guy was on episode 8, but they all had those subtitles running and the same dramatic music blasting through budget earbuds. I asked the attendant what it was and she said it's called 'The Glory' and it's been taking over the place for weeks now. She told me people come in just to sit and watch it while their clothes spin, sometimes for two hours straight. It made me think about how streaming has turned everyday spaces into personal viewing rooms without anyone saying a word. Has anyone else noticed a whole crowd glued to the same series in some random spot like a waiting room or bus stop?

3 comments

3 Comments

faith_thomas2d ago

Honestly I used to roll my eyes at people watching stuff on their phones in public. Thought it was antisocial or whatever. But then I was stuck at the DMV for three hours last month and saw like five people watching different episodes of Suits on their phones. It hit me that it's not about being rude, it's about making a boring wait actually bearable. Now I'm the one with my earbuds in watching random kdramas while I'm at the laundromat too. It's kind of cool how a show can turn a whole room into a quiet little community without anyone talking.

nora1102d ago

@faith_thomas you're right, I used to judge it too but now I get it.

the_tessa2d ago

Wait, people really camp out at the laundromat for two full hours just to watch a show?