As home furnishing culture has recently spread, consumer interest in home appliances that can express personal taste and individuality is growing. In response, the home appliance industry is launching one 'retro' appliance after another—featuring unique colors and distinctive nostalgic designs—and these products are quickly making their way into the home. 'RETRO' is a shortened form of the English word 'Retrospect,' meaning reminiscence or looking back, and refers to the movement of longing for and emulating the styles and traditions of the past.
Retro appliances serve as interior focal points in their own right, and despite being relatively expensive, they are becoming 'it items' that people gradually add to their homes one by one. An industry official said, "As more consumers come to prefer home furnishing—decorating their homes to suit their personal tastes using a variety of household goods such as furniture, appliances, and interior accessories, and spending their leisure time this way—demand for retro appliances is expanding." Another industry official explained, "As the number of single-person households seeking nostalgic interiors and vintage accessories increases, more companies are applying retro designs, mainly to small appliances that can serve as focal points in the home."
Retro products are mainly being launched among small home appliances. This is because retro appliances are selling primarily among young people in one- and two-person households. Retro appliance design is characterized by rounded curves emphasized along the edges, a distinctive glossy finish, and bold, unconventional colors such as green, mint, pink, and light purple.
Currently, the most popular brands in the domestic retro appliance market are Smeg and Dongbu Daewoo Electronics. In particular, thanks to its focus on the retro product market, Smeg succeeded in boosting its domestic small-appliance sales by more than 50% compared to the previous year. Smeg's '1950s Retro Style' line was introduced to the domestic market in February 2013. A Smeg Korea official explained, "We thought design was the point that could differentiate us from domestic appliance makers, which already boast world-class technology," and "Our strategy is to target customers who have grown bored with white goods."
Dongbu Daewoo Electronics has introduced its retro-designed 'The Classic Series,' which is gaining popularity among young people. In particular, 'The Classic Refrigerator'—Korea's first 120L and 80L small interior refrigerator—completes its retro design with an exterior in colors such as cream white and mint green, along with rounded doors and frames. 'The Classic Microwave' likewise features a cream white color with a silver door handle, a jog dial, and a rounded display. In addition, Dongbu Daewoo Electronics' 32-inch interior TV 'Hug' is also drawing consumer attention.
Dayou Winia has recently incorporated trendy colors and designs not found in ordinary electric pressure cookers into its 'Dimchae Cook Retro.' The product features Korean-style curves reminiscent of a traditional earthenware jar and a design evoking a radio. Its colors—high-gloss enamel finishes such as 'Mint Green,' 'Cream White,' and 'Romantic Red'—further enhance the nostalgic mood.
Bodyfriend has unveiled its 'W Water Purifier Retro,' offering a special and diverse range of colors to capture the attention of young customers. Under the concept of 'pretty water,' the product brings change to the monotonous and uniform colors and designs of conventional water purifiers. Its retro design, which emphasizes a youthful sensibility, comes in distinctive colors such as 'Rose Gold,' 'Retro Green,' 'Cream White,' and 'White.' It is also designed to be small and slim, enhancing space efficiency.