Samsung Electronics Dehumidifier and Lacquerware Master Park Manki's 32-Year Relationship

"The dehumidifier that helped me create the best works is practically a part of my life."

On the 11th, Samsung Electronics introduced through its newsroom the 32-year relationship with lacquerware artisan Park Manki (Holder of National Intangible Cultural Property No. 113, Master Lacquerware Craftsman) who uses Samsung dehumidifiers. Four Samsung Electronics dehumidifiers are operating in Park’s workshop, one of which was made 32 years ago.

Park’s connection with Samsung Electronics dehumidifiers dates back to 1991. Samsung Electronics described him as "a craftsman who has quietly carried out lacquerware work for over 50 years since the 1970s, and the dehumidifier has been a ‘companion’ with him for more than 32 years." Due to the drying method of lacquerware, humidity control in the workshop is crucial. Unlike ordinary paint, lacquer is not dried by applying heat but must be naturally dried with moisture in an environment with appropriate humidity. Park emphasized the importance of humidity, saying, “Lacquer can only be worked on in an environment optimized at about 60% humidity. In summer, when humidity exceeds 80%, the lacquer burns, and in the dry winter, it dries out, causing the lacquer not to dry properly. If the lacquer does not dry, it cannot give the product a gloss, making production difficult.”

Source: Samsung Electronics Newsroom

Park said that in the dry winter in his underground workshop, he could manually control humidity by spraying water, but in summer, when moisture had to be removed, it was difficult. Before knowing about dehumidifiers, he tried lighting a stove and running a heater in the underground workshop during midsummer but struggled to maintain the proper humidity. Park heard the news in 1991 that Samsung Electronics had released a dehumidifier and immediately purchased it with joy. The product he bought at that time is carefully stored by wiping it down after summer and repackaging it to its original state, and he has been using it for the long period of 32 years.

Satisfied with the performance of Samsung Electronics dehumidifiers, Park has consistently purchased Samsung dehumidifiers for about four years afterward to manage the humidity of the entire workshop. Currently, including the ‘ancestor’ dehumidifier purchased in 1991, four units are operating normally without any problems. He said, "The dehumidifier that has always helped me create the best works is now practically a part of my life,” adding, “My dream is to continue making products that look like they were made now even 10 years from now and 100 years from now, together with the ‘ancestor’ dehumidifier as long as I have the strength.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.