[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] A refrigerator made in the 1930s has become a topic of interest after it was reported to still be working.
According to local media outlets including the Daily Mail, a couple in their 80s living in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, in the United Kingdom bought the refrigerator for 49 pounds in 1949 and have used it ever since. The appliance was made in the 1930s by Swedish home appliance maker Electrolux, and its current value is estimated at about 2,200 pounds, or roughly 4.3 million won.
The compact refrigerator is only about 60 cm wide and 90 cm tall, and it still keeps its old-style design with a metal latch. Its interior space is so narrow that it is difficult to even stack two cola bottles on top of each other, but it still performs its cooling function properly.
The refrigerator recently drew attention after the couple's modern refrigerator broke down during a heat wave.
It was discovered when employees from a local appliance retailer visited the couple's home to repair the broken refrigerator.
One employee said, "It may not have the same cooling power or energy efficiency as today's products, but the fact that it has been used for nearly 80 years is astonishing."
He added, "It is hard to find a refrigerator this small these days," and said, "It is far too small to store a week's worth of groceries, but it seems to have survived thanks to its outstanding durability and build quality."
The elderly couple described the refrigerator as an "old worker," showing their deep affection for it.
They said, "It has quietly done its job for so long that it deserves a long-service medal," and added, "We will continue to take care of it as part of our family."
They also said they consider the refrigerator a "family heirloom" to be passed down to their children.
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
