Korean university students are abandoning collective yearbooks for a personalized photo trend. Graduates are now hiring freelance photographers for photo shoots designed to be displayed on social media. The shift is driving a run on university mascot merchandise and hurting traditional campus photographers. A Hankook Ilbo review of three Seoul graduation ceremonies Monday and Tuesday revealed a sharp increase in these customized sessions. Graduates are bypassing classic portrait lines to strike choreographed poses with mascot dolls against flower beds and auditoriums. Campus grounds resemble outdoor photo studios. Students search social media and online campus forums months in advance to book freelancers who match their visual aesthetics. Friends and family frequently assist during these shoots to hold belongings and direct poses. "I thought, 'Do I really need a graduation album?' so I didn't apply," said Ahn Ho-hyun, 25, a University of Seoul graduate. "I chose a snap photo shoot to make memories with my girlfriend and family." Trinh, a 25-year-old Vietnamese international student, smil