Translation result [Herald Economy = Park Yeon-su] “We don’t have Jannabi. Hanro is sold out, too.”When I stepped into the underground arcade at Hoehyeon Station’s Exit 9 on the 13th, rows of LPs crowded into wooden cabinets caught my eye. Between vintage jazz and pop records, shoppers were leafing through recently released indie and domestic LPs.Lee Seok-hyun, 58, who has run this shop for 30 years, said he never expected people in their 20s and 30s to become regular customers. “Now they’re our main buyers,” he said. “Popular LPs by acts like The Black Skirts, IU and Jannabi are hard to find these days.”A nearby store put the latest K-pop releases front and center. LPs by Cortis and BTS were displayed prominently. Owner Kim, 41, said, “We keep K-pop albums handy because so many customers ask for them. BTS albums sell particularly well to foreign tourists.”Even in an era dominated by smartphones and streaming, a renewed appetite for analog experiences has reinvigorated the LP market. Young buyers are treating records as collectibles and expressions of personal taste, not just a way to listen to music. The broader retro trend has helped, too. As demand for LPs has risen, release strategies have changed. Where artists once focused on digital platforms and CDs, more now press vinyl alongside other formats. Idol group Cortis released GREENGREEN on LP this month.Popular records often sell out during preorders or trade at substantial premiums on secondary markets. On the 14th, the marketplace Bungaejangter listed Jannabi’s second album “Legend” yellow LP for ₩640,000 (about $480). On Cream, the same record traded for ₩700,000 (about $525) — more than ten times its original ₩55,000 release price (about $41). The Black Skirts’ third studio album has climbed to ₩440,000 (about $330), underscoring the demand.The LP surge has also boosted sales of audio gear. Retailer 29CM reported that, from the 1st through the 12th of the month, transaction value in the turntable category rose 96% year over year. On e-commerce site 11st, turntable sales climbed 32% and speaker sales rose 25% between April 13 and May 12 compared with the prior period. Listening spaces have multiplied as well. Where LP bars once paired drinks with music, vinyl cafes that serve coffee and desserts have become hot spots. Vinyl Seongsu in Seongsu-dong, Haebangeum in Mullae-dong and Reverb Jeju on Jeju Island are drawing crowds; during rush hour and on weekends, lines sometimes form.In March, the owner known only as A opened an LP café called Track Record Room in Mapo-gu. “On weekends a lot of couples in their 20s and 30s come for dates,” A said. “We’ve been open only about a month, but we’re often full.”The LP revival is visible on social media as well. Instagram posts tagged #LP have surpassed 10 million, with users sharing shop recommendations and videos of records spinning on turntables.“Retro offers an experience young people haven’t had before,” said Eun-hee Lee, a professor of consumer studies at Inha University. “As emotional value becomes more important, analog formats like LPs are likely to remain popular.”
[Herald Economy = Park Yeon-su] “We don’t have Jannabi. Hanro is sold out, too.”When I stepped into the underground arcade at Hoehyeon Station’s Exit 9 on the 13th, rows of LPs crowded into wooden cabinets caught my eye. Between vintage jazz and pop records, shoppers were leafing through recently released indie and domestic LPs.Lee Seok-hyun, 58, who has run this shop for 30 years, said he never expected people in their 20s and 30s to become regular customers. “Now they’re our main buyers,” he said. “Popular LPs by acts like The Black Skirts, IU and Jannabi are hard to find these days.”A nearby store put the latest K-pop releases front and center. LPs by Cortis and BTS were displayed prominently. Owner Kim, 41, said, “We keep K-pop albums handy because so many customers ask for them. BTS albums sell particularly well to foreign tourists.”Even in an era dominated by smartphones and streaming, a renewed appetite for analog experiences has reinvigorated the LP market. Young buyers are treating records as collectibles and expressions of personal taste, not just a way to listen to music. The broader retro trend has helped, too.
As demand for LPs has risen, release strategies have changed. Where artists once focused on digital platforms and CDs, more now press vinyl alongside other formats. Idol group Cortis released GREENGREEN on LP this month.Popular records often sell out during preorders or trade at substantial premiums on secondary markets. On the 14th, the marketplace Bungaejangter listed Jannabi’s second album “Legend” yellow LP for ₩640,000 (about $480). On Cream, the same record traded for ₩700,000 (about $525) — more than ten times its original ₩55,000 release price (about $41). The Black Skirts’ third studio album has climbed to ₩440,000 (about $330), underscoring the demand.The LP surge has also boosted sales of audio gear. Retailer 29CM reported that, from the 1st through the 12th of the month, transaction value in the turntable category rose 96% year over year. On e-commerce site 11st, turntable sales climbed 32% and speaker sales rose 25% between April 13 and May 12 compared with the prior period.
Listening spaces have multiplied as well. Where LP bars once paired drinks with music, vinyl cafes that serve coffee and desserts have become hot spots. Vinyl Seongsu in Seongsu-dong, Haebangeum in Mullae-dong and Reverb Jeju on Jeju Island are drawing crowds; during rush hour and on weekends, lines sometimes form.In March, the owner known only as A opened an LP café called Track Record Room in Mapo-gu. “On weekends a lot of couples in their 20s and 30s come for dates,” A said. “We’ve been open only about a month, but we’re often full.”The LP revival is visible on social media as well. Instagram posts tagged #LP have surpassed 10 million, with users sharing shop recommendations and videos of records spinning on turntables.“Retro offers an experience young people haven’t had before,” said Eun-hee Lee, a professor of consumer studies at Inha University. “As emotional value becomes more important, analog formats like LPs are likely to remain popular.”
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