'Let me restore your memories': Veteran technician keeps audio legacies for 46 years

[stutterflies.livejournal.com]

'Let me restore your memories'
Veteran technician keeps audio legacies for 46 years

By Nam Hyun-woo (August 6, 2015)

New high-fidelity (hi-fi) audio devices with cutting-edge technology are released constantly. But for many home-audio enthusiasts, new is not always better. Audiophiles who prefer analog systems value the warmer sound of older devices than the punchy sound modern equipment often produces.

Vintage audio aficionados love to spend time in front of ponderous old systems, rewinding the clock to 30 years ago. For those seeking pure analog sound, having a vintage device is a badge of honor. They give up the convenient, ubiquitous access to digitally produced music for the sound they love.

Hwang Ok-hyun, an expert in repairing old stereo systems, radios and other audio equipment, in his workshop "Hwanggeum Jeonja" (Golden electronics shop) in Hwanghak-dong Flea Market, Seoul, Wednesday.
/ Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

One downside of loving retro audio is that it is difficult to keep devices operational. Some of the parts were produced over 50 years ago and there are few repair technicians who know about the devices.

This makes Hwang Ok-hyun, 75, somewhat of a savior. He owns a small repair shop in Hwanghak-dong Flea Market, near Sindang Station on line no. 2 and 6 in Seoul, and is one of the few remaining first-generation audio repair technicians in Korea.

"It has been 46 years since I settled in this market," Hwang said, smiling. "During the old days, I made my living through repairing audio equipment, raising five children."

Hwang looks at the interior of a Pioneer radio at his shop, Wednesday. Hwang said he fixed problems within the device on Tuesday, but would leave it turned on for two days before returning it to the owner to make sure there are no other problems with it.

Hwang's reputation is evident. His three-square-meter workroom is a tight fit for two people and his corner shop is similar-sized, in the maze-like traditional market. Despite its size, it can be easily found because of its famous name "Hwanggeum Jeonja," or the golden electric shop.

That is another reason why I cannot leave this place," Hwang said. "Many of my loyal customers have been coming here for years, memorizing directions. And young people come here with the help of navigation, so I must keep my place here."

The tiny repair shop is filled with amps, speakers and other audio components. Except for a small table and stool for waiting customers, everywhere is filled with audio components, all aged but in good condition.

From 12 p.m. until he "gets sleepy," Hwang has been there every day, rain or shine, since 1969, surrounded by wires, fuses, transistors and speaker units. From McIntosh Laboratory products to nameless manufacturers' crude boom boxes, countless "sound-making boxes" have gained new life in Hwang's hands.

Hwang holds a vintage capacitor up to the light at his workroom, Wednesday. Many parts Hwang keeps in his workroom are discontinued and considered rare.

The know-how accumulated during his career is not the reason why vintage audio enthusiasts admire Hwang as a "master." Rare components for old audio devices such as discontinued phonograph arm pieces, taken from other devices and preserved for the future, are arranged in Hwang's chest of drawers.

All parts are within my reach," Hwang said. "I can find where they are with my eyes closed. I can fix almost everything, except for some helpless wrecks that are impossible to restore. So when I say ‘impossible,' it's the same as pronouncing the device dead."

According to the master repair technician, many customers visit his shop with malfunctioning old devices that are so damaged buying a new one would cost less. But they almost "beg" Hwang to restore the aged wrecks.

"I cannot fully explain why they do so," Hwang said. "But I can understand how they feel. Some of them must have had a fun time with those boom boxes in the old days, while for others the equipment may have been a cherished treasure that cost almost half their salary. Perhaps, what they want to restore is their memory."

The Korea Times took a boom box to Hwang, Wednesday, and asked him to repair it. The tape player was manufactured by Sweico, a small-sized domestic manufacturer, in the early 1980s. Hwang said even he had not seen "such a relic" in a long time, adding that he would contact us after repairing it.

Ironically, Hwang, who does not use the Internet or a computer, has benefited a lot from the web as his skills went viral online.

I guess many young customers have looked up the Internet to fix their equipment and discovered my shop here," he said. "That's fun for me because I don't use a computer or the Internet." For some foreign devices, where components cannot be found domestically, Hwang tells customers the name of the parts and asks them to use eBay, where "you can find everything."

Despite his nationwide reputation, Hwang says he is not interested in expanding his business or making more money.

"I am a technician, not a businessman," he said. "I'm happy when I'm surrounded by audio and tinkering with gear and I lose track of the time when I'm in the shop. That's my pleasure in life and that's why I'm a born technician."

Hwang looks into an integrated circuit of a Pioneer radio receiver in his workshop, Wednesday.

Life goes on with audio devices

"This is a replica of a Sony audio device produced in the 1960s and we called it ‘Sunny,'" Hwang says, pointing out an old boom box in the store. He has many stories and fond memories related to the audio devices in his workroom. It is more of a history of Korea's audio industry in fact, juxtaposed with Hwang's life.

"In my ‘saju' (Korea's traditional fortunetelling through reading the date and time of birth), there were two life paths that I was destined for -- becoming a judge or a technician," he said.

Circumstances forced him to take the latter path. Like most Koreans of Hwang's age, his family struggled to earn money in the ashes of the Korean War (1950-53) and Hwang had to quit school after middle school, unable to pay the tuition.

"I finished middle school in Jochiwon (now Sejong City), but could not get my diploma because I didn't attended my graduation ceremony. I was afraid that my teacher might force me to pay the overdue fees."

Instead of heading to high school, one of his family recommended he go to an "electronic academy," where apprentices learned to work with a variety of appliances. After finishing the academy, he traveled to Busan, where top-class technicians gathered back then. Spending months "peeping at their techniques over their shoulder," he moved to Seoul in 1957 at the age of 16.

In Seoul, he started working at the Asia Electronics Department Store (now Sewoon Electronics Arcade). "Though it was called a department store, it was more like a group of vendors selling old radios from the U.S.," Hwang said.

In 1969, he settled at Hwanghak market. At that time, the market was considered a place where "everything in the world gathers." From foreign food to used electronic appliances, literally everything could be found at the market.

"At that time, people bought audio devices through monthly installments. When you had this kind of stuff in your home, you were called rich," he said of a Kenwood radio receiver made in the '70s.

A cassette tape deck by Marantz also had a story. "This one was brought in by a Korean worker who worked in Saudi Arabia during the so-called ‘Saudi boom' in the ‘70s and ‘80s," Hwang said. "Frankly, this is not high-end, but back then it was a trend to return home with audio devices."

Hwang's plan is to keep his workplace and continue his repair work until he reaches the age of 85. "I don't know what will happen then, but since I have no apprentice who wants to learn from me, maybe I will have to clean up all of this stuff," he said. "It's a tough and unprofitable job for young people these days."

Article written by Nam Hyun-woo for The Korea Times
Photos taken by Shim Hyun-chul

What are your thoughts on analog vs. digital audio? Do you still use CDs or LPs? In a broader sense, do you keep any outdated items for the sake of nostalgia, or hesitate to part with old belongings?

Comments

[waves-of-light.livejournal.com]

i still have old cassette mix tapes from junior high/high school, from back when you taped songs off the radio lol. can't seem to part with them, just for memories sake. like, the only thing i ever stole from sam goody (DRS gangsta lean).

i buy my favs' cds/dvds, even if i have the digital copies. the kpop packaging tends to be really nice and imo worth the money, and i just plain like having the physical copies.

[madielou.livejournal.com]

i still keep cds from my childhood, like avril lavigne and mcr as well as weeaboo mixes i made (ugh)

if i really like the album/they're my favs then i might buy a physical copy of the album (which is always fun bc i like the stuff that comes with it lol)

[petecarl.livejournal.com]

I love owning a physical copy of an album. I only buy CDs b/c I don't own a record player, but when I can afford a good one, I'll probably start buying records, although I'll probably be more judicious in my record selection than my CD selection, since records cost a lot more money.

[9celcius.livejournal.com]

I have lots of CD's because I like having physical copies of things but I'd totally buy records/LP's for artwork. I like the idea of displaying my fav artists/albums on a wall for everyone to see. I admit I am a sucker for analog/old school things but I also see the convenience of modern technology. How often would I sit in a room and listen a record and get up and change it when I can just have my entire library on a computer playing on speakers?

[tsuyoi-hikari.livejournal.com]

I love having physical copies and display it on my hanging shelf. With all the limited edition of my KinKi Kids/Tsuyo/Ko-chan/Arashi/J-FRIENDS singles & albums collection, the value just keep appreciating with time. You're not gonna find all those limited edition stuffs now so if I auction it someday, I could get thousands of dollars from my CD/DVDs collection alone.

I still keep some of my cassette. Probably not gonna throw it away since the content is not available in CD form.

[imienazwisko.livejournal.com]

There's this seller on ebay who sells tons of arashi le stuff, auctions can be a bloodbath tbh. I bought some kinki and yamapi dvds/albums from there bc somehow less people bidded and the price is decent (like 2$+shipping for tsuyoshi concert dvds? deal).
Japanese cds are a totally different world than kpop albums overrall. I had no idea that having original plastic wrap on cd is that important :p

[tsuyoi-hikari.livejournal.com]

God Arashi LE stuffs are so insanely pricey. That is why when they announced any single release, I need to quickly pre-order or it will finished and you ended up having to buy it at eBay with twice or trice the original price -- keep in mind that the original price is already insanely expensive. :P

haha international fans do not know how to appreciate KinKi or Dots/Doko. If those things were auction in Japan, the price will be expensive but its another story when it was the international fans. I remember spending hundreds of dollars just to get KinKi's old concert goods and Tsuyo's concert goods are very expensive since its rare and limited. I took pride in my collection lol since its complete. :D My J-FRIENDS stuffs are extremely precious -- the packaging are so nice with colorful pop-up covers. :D

Tsuyo's concert DVDs for only USD2? No way!! T____T Can you tell me which seller are you talking about?

I agree on your last part. Japanese CD/DVDs are totally diff world than K-pop's. The price of the singles/albums appreciate with time but if I want to resell my K-pop CD collection, I might making a loss instead even if the CD are still in their plastic wrap.

[imienazwisko.livejournal.com]

Idk, sometimes I'm glad I don't like Arashi so much cause I keep on hearing how hard is, like getting into a concert seems like a mission impossible?

Whoa, I'm just the type to buy cds and dvds, but you go all out with concert goods! Impressive :)

I've sent you a message, I don't want to post my secret source up in public :p Seems like they won't be selling any Kinki stuff anytime soon, I guess the demand is too low plus seems like that person makes enough $ from Arashi alone so yeah. I bought Tsuyoshi's Live Rosso e Azzurro, Mune Uchū Endlicheri Endlicheri Documentary and Endlicheri Live DVD dvds from there (seriously they were all like for $2+$3 shipping each), recently I got Koichi's Mirror dvd ($5,5+$3, slightly more expensive :p). Yamapi seems more popular and I had to pay like 5$ for his albums and singles. I bought some other stuff, like Arashi Popcorn for $7+$3 with shipping because I find that whole album ridiculous (sp the art) and I feel good just having it on my shelf. Same goes for Kisumai pre-debut photobook, it's embarassing XD

It's hard to re-sell kpop albums, I'm trying to get rid of my BtoB photocards for months, they are just not really popular plus kpop is more accessible.
Recently I got lucky and someone in my country was getting rid of jpop cd collection and I bought Yamapi limited mini he released last year, it had only 30k copies all sold out within week.

[tsuyoi-hikari.livejournal.com]

Arashi is like my drug for happiness lol. My mouth ache whenever I watch their shows since I ended up laughing so much. But I think what I most love about them is their music -- it is just full of encouragement lyrics. Like Johnny's always produce groups with certain theme -- KinKi with love songs, Kanjani8 with crack type of songs, TOKIO with band music, KATTUN with rock music and they give Arashi with encouragement type of songs. They legit the only group where I can watch their MVs (fanmade karaoke MVs) over and over again and their songs' lyrics will never fail to deliver. Even if you dislike one song, you will end up loving it when you watch them performing it at concert. Its legit sorcery but they are really gifted performers. Whenever I watch their concert, I can't help but to sing along to the songs. Whereas when I watch KinKi's live tour, I always ended up just listening to their divine voices. :)

KinKi's concert goods are precious and so pretty! While Arashi concert goods looks like for teenagers, KinKi's ones cater to older audiences -- its like high end concert goods since it always high quality and made from metal. I tried to collect one concert good per tour lol and I managed to collect it as far as from their F concert which is like super rare to be found nowadays. I also managed to get their iD concert phone strap which look so pretty and not to mention their concert tour J phone strap which is legit the prettiest phone strap ever from any JE concert. :P Plus, the package for KinKi's live concert DVDs always so pretty (like K-pop's) whereas Arashi ones are just simple DVD cover -- it is so simple yet so expensive which make me kind of mad. >:(

Ahhh you are so lucky with Tsuyo's DVDs. Last time, when I try to buy them from Japan, it is so expensive. T___T Now you got it for USD2? ahaha.

Wait, do you mean Arashi's Popcorn LE album? My goodness I want to strangle whoever come out with the concept lol. Who thought it is a good idea to dress the most popular male group in Japan with popcorn suits? The whole album is ridiculously embarrassing. XD

Anyway, thank you sooooooooooo much for the link. T____T I was so happy that I nearly cry lol -- I managed to get Arashi Time's phone charm for only USD16.46! :D :D :D Usually, it will cost around USD55/59 if I buy it elsewhere. This morning alone, I bag two Arashi concert goods lol. Will plan to buy more!

I look around the store and the LE albums were pretty cheap -- like half the original price. I spent like USD60++ for 5x10 concert DVD and here, you can get it for USD20 plus shipping. Anyway, thank you again for the link. :D You indeed opened a hell door as far as Im concerned hehe.

[broadway-bound3.livejournal.com]

When I was growing up I always had a fascination for my mom's record player and started collecting my own records when I was in high school. My sweet 16 birthday present was a combo radio/cd player/cassette player/record player. I also collected VHS tapes and bought a nice VCR as a thrift store years ago. I was bummed when I had to put everything in storage before moving to Korea. If I could have taken it all with me I would have.

[bomsnose.livejournal.com]

My uncle also used to be an electro-technician, still repairs some of the stuff in thr family.

My dad has this small collection of radios and other audio equipment, oldest from the 30's... One of the first things I remember being taught was how to operate a record player -- my dad was afraid I might break it otherwise. I was so small I had to stand on a chair and use both hands to lift a single record.

Fast forward over 2 decades and now I live in a household where there are only digital players. This I intend on being a temporary phase, as I myself have built up a small vinyl collection already, and I like its smoother sound. I have a lot of tapes, mixtapes, CD's, too... Only keep some of the signed stuff with me.

I don't really like how they take up so much space, but only flac I'm okay with next to vinyl. Even the highest quality mp3/CD is bland in comparison.

Kpop I listen to I guess cause these days I'm on digital anyway, and kpop is engineered to sound good on low quality players, too.

[bomsnose.livejournal.com]

My uncle also used to be an electro-technician, still repairs some of the stuff in thr family.

My dad has this small collection of radios and other audio equipment, oldest from the 30's... One of the first things I remember being taught was how to operate a record player -- my dad was afraid I might break it otherwise. I was so small I had to stand on a chair and use both hands to lift a single record.

Fast forward over 2 decades and now I live in a household where there are only digital players. This I intend on being a temporary phase, as I myself have built up a small vinyl collection already, and I like its smoother sound. I have a lot of tapes, mixtapes, CD's, too... Only keep some of the signed stuff with me.

I don't really like how they take up so much space, but only flac I'm okay with next to vinyl. Even the highest quality mp3/CD is bland in comparison.

Kpop I listen to I guess cause these days I'm on digital anyway, and kpop is engineered to sound good on low quality players, too.

[extraenchanted.livejournal.com]

this sounds so familiar to me since my dad's an audiophile. he has a huge collection of stereos, electronics, and vintage vinyls. and he still has thousands of cds and cassette tapes. he's always tinkering with electronics, and always buys old stereos/other audio devices from junkshops, it drives my mom crazy.

and i swear our living room and my dad's spare bedroom looks exactly like that in the picture.

[tsubaki874.livejournal.com]

I still have my collection of 80's hair metal vinyls and listen to them on a daily basis

[mc1a.livejournal.com]

My parents bought an audio system back in the late 90s-early 2000s and I still use it now from time to time to listen to tapes and CDs. Most of the tapes are with bands and artists from my country and the CDs are mostly international. I didn't have money to buy physical copies with my favorite bands back then. Now that I have my own money, I buy CDs of bands and artists I really like. When I'm gonna have my own place, I'll invest more in music. And if my parents don't want the old tapes anymore, I'll gladly take them. I like having stuff like these around. It reminds me of how technology evolved and that I shouldn't take it for granted.