Songpa-gu, Video Tape Digitization Project Promotion

Expecting Intergenerational Communication and Enriched Daily Life Through Past Videos

Switching USB Recording of Videotape Footage

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] #Last June, a certain employee (50, female) at Songpa District Office transformed a faint memory into a vivid recollection. She transferred a wedding video from 25 years ago, which had only remained on a dusty tape, and a video of her child’s talent show?now a university student?onto a USB, reviving old memories. After watching the old videos together for the first time in a while, the family shared laughter and tears, spending a happy time and expressing how they once again felt the importance of family.

Songpa District (Mayor Seongsoo Park) is receiving positive feedback from residents by conducting a video tape (VHS) digitization project through the Songpa Cultural Center.

With ongoing technological innovations, many households are losing their video tape players. However, video tapes containing past daily life events such as weddings, first birthday celebrations (Doljanchi), 100-day celebrations (Baekil), and school entrance ceremonies are records of an era and cultural heritage, but the lack of playback devices has been a source of regret.

In response, Songpa District has implemented a service to convert and store video tape content onto USB drives to revive memories and expand communication between generations.

The service, which started on August 3, will continue until the end of this year. Any Songpa resident can apply at the Songpa Cultural Center’s first-floor office (44 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu). Production takes about one week, and the fee is 5,000 KRW per video tape. If needed, an additional 5,000 KRW is charged for purchasing a USB (16GB).

For inquiries, please contact the Songpa Cultural Center.

Jung Byung-gu, director of the Songpa Cultural Center, said, “I am very pleased that the Songpa Cultural Center, with about 30 years of history, can offer a small gift to the residents.”

Seongsoo Park, mayor of Songpa District, stated, “We hope that family records, which might otherwise be discarded, will be permanently preserved digitally, fostering communication between generations and enriching the daily lives of our residents.”