[Instagram Walk] Rehol Music Gallery - Luxury Enjoyed with 100,000 LPs and Vacuum Tube Speakers

The Rehol Music Gallery, equipped with 100,000 LPs and an audio system worth over 1 billion won, is popular among music enthusiasts as a specialized listening space where they can enjoy the "happiness of 10,000 won." Photo by Ma Yena PD

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] In an era where streaming has become the mainstream way to enjoy music, LPs have made a spectacular comeback. Last year, the American music magazine Rolling Stone published an article predicting that LP sales would soon surpass CD sales. South Korea also recorded LP sales of 600,000 units last year, more than double the 280,000 units sold in 2016. Along with the retro craze, those who are enthusiastic about the vintage charm, the crisp and clear sound beyond digital audio, and the nostalgic crackling sound that resonates with old emotions might also long for a space where they can experience LPs even more profoundly. A place where nearly 100,000 LPs fully cover the walls and 1920s vacuum tube speakers overwhelm visitors. Rehole Music Gallery is a precious listening room where one can experience the power of music through all five senses.

On the right side of the building housing Nurungji Baeksuk, a well-known restaurant in Seongbuk-dong, an unexpected large Beatles poster catches the eye. Above it, vertical letters spell out "Rehole Music Gallery," and a sculpture of a man playing the violin overlooks the building. Drawn by the unfamiliar atmosphere, climbing the stairs leads to a spacious area filled with LPs and large speakers boasting their grandeur. The surprise at such an unexpected space is brief; the moment you face the music flowing through the speakers, you are left speechless for a moment by the impact. It is a strange experience that instantly reveals why it is called a music ‘gallery.’

After paying an entrance fee of 10,000 won, visitors receive a drink and a memo pad to write down song requests. The variety of requested songs matches the scale of the LPs covering the walls, but only classical, jazz, and pop songs can be requested; Korean songs cannot be played due to copyright issues. Before writing down a request, the speakers filling the front wall catch the eye. The speakers and system operated according to the requested songs spark curiosity.

The WE15a speaker by Western Electric, used in American theaters in the 1930s, is widely known as a masterpiece that cleanly handles not only symphonies but also the high ranges of divas. Photo by Heeyoon Kim

WE15a Speaker Used in 1930s American Theaters

The reputation of Western Electric, an American electric company known for its expensive products, has shone in both communication and audio equipment. Rehole Music Gallery owns two Western Electric speakers, which are said to be very difficult to obtain. Western Electric, which supplied speakers to theaters across the United States that welcomed the era of sound films starting with the 1927 movie "The Jazz Singer," developed speakers capable of delivering vivid sound in large theaters. Among them is the second-generation WE15a horn speaker, which is housed here.

The 15a horn speaker, used in an American theater in the 1930s, is known for its smooth yet grand sound optimized for scale. According to insiders, the true value of Rehole’s 15a horn speakers can be fully appreciated when listening to loud classical symphonies. A pop music enthusiast who frequently visits the gallery adds that the speaker’s performance peaks when playing songs by divas with powerful voices and high ranges such as Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, and Mariah Carey.

The sound created by the vacuum tube filament burning out together with the LP delivers a deeper and richer emotion, regardless of genre. Photo by Kim Heeyoon

The Emotional Impact of Rich Vacuum Tube Sound

The Western Electric 25a horn speaker in front also boasts an extraordinary presence. Unlike the wooden 15a, it is made of iron and produces wonderful sound when listening to piano pieces. Next to it, the Altec A2 speaker used in 1940s American theaters peeks out. Known for its tone that vividly brings out the sound created by multiple instruments, it excels in jazz and hard rock. Eagerly, a song request was written down. When the requested Eagles’ "Hotel California" began to play, the space instantly transformed into a concert hall. Don Henley’s husky voice flowed beneath the guitar melodies of Joe Walsh and Don Felder, while Glenn Frey and Randy Meisner’s backing vocals firmly supported the scene, vividly painted before the eyes. The emotional impact of the full sound naturally triggered a distortion of synesthesia, leaving a shiver-like thrill.

Who is the person who generously opened to the public an LP and audio system worth at least the price of a house or two? The founder of Rehole Music Gallery, CEO Ryu Usik, is the head of the mid-sized printing company Kyunglim Corporation. He dreamed of becoming a musician in his youth but devoted himself to printing after failing an audition, leading to his current position. From that time, he collected LPs one by one whenever he had spare time, amassing tens of thousands of records. After acquiring an audio system worth around one billion won, his desire to share the happiness music brings beyond just a personal hobby space led to the opening of Rehole Music Gallery.

Various music lovers who visit this place lavish praise, calling it the best space where one can enjoy happiness for 10,000 won, or even a luxury for 1,000 won. They also expressed a bittersweet wish that it would not become too famous, calling it a "space I want to keep to myself." In 2020, the diverse musical feast encountered through 1930s American and British speakers in Seoul offers visitors shocks and thrills like a sharp blue blade piercing through a drowsy daily life.

Instagram Introductions

@vn_ahyun Amazing space with amazing people??
@carrie.mhkim Wow... This is a new world! My ears had been ringing lately, but I enjoyed the music comfortably.
@jiyoon_k_claire An old antique LP listening room with as many as 100,000 LPs.
I really want to meet the owner.
@minchan1010 My ears were blessed. There is no luxury like this luxury. Wish fulfilled!
@cvb2ni I brought three LPs from home: Noel Gallagher, JMSN, La La Land OST. Listening through good speakers is a million times more moving?? Pure eargasm!