An LG air-conditioner model from more than 20 years ago has become a sought-after item in South Korea after a viral video revealed that its brand logo was made of pure gold.
Seoul-based jewelry shop owner and YouTuber Ringring Unni on Dec. 11 posted a short video showing her appraising the six-letter “Whisen” logo removed from an LG Electronics air-conditioner launched in 2005, according to The Korea Herald.
In the video, the customer who brought in the logo pieces said that the logo was attached to the front of the air-conditioner, and it was advertised at the time as being made of gold.
Screenshots from a video of Youtuber Ringring Unni showing gold pieces taken from an air-conditioner. Photos courtesy of Ringring Unni |
After testing the letters, the YouTuber confirmed that they were genuine gold and gave them an appraised value of 713,000 won (US$482).
The video quickly gained traction, amassing more than one million views. On Dec. 15, another customer visited the same jewelry shop with a separate Whisen logo, which was later featured in a follow-up video. In that clip, the gold logo was valued at 748,000 won.
LG Electronics said a limited batch of 10,000 Whisen air-conditioners fitted with gold logos was sold in 2005 to mark the company’s status as the world’s top-selling air-conditioner brand at the time.
The revelation has sparked widespread discussion online, with many social media users searching for old Whisen units.
“My grandmother’s air-conditioner is really old – I should check whether it’s Samsung or LG,” one user wrote on social media platform X.
“LG turned air-conditioners into a gold investment 20 years ago,” another user commented.
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