In our journey across Asia, we’ve encountered Saab enthusiasts from Taiwan to Japan, but South Korea’s Saab community has remained largely under the radar. Contrary to popular belief, the Swedish brand has a passionate following in this part of the world. This was vividly showcased at the recent Saab exhibition in Seoul, held in a unique showroom called “HLUT.”
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HLUT: A Hub of Style and Saab Devotion
HLUT is not just a showroom; it’s a celebration of style, industrial design, and global design culture. This venue, in collaboration with the enthusiastic communities of HLUT x EREVO x SSOLDOT, hosted an exhibition titled “SAAB – From Extinction to Immortality.” The title itself is a paradox – new Saab cars are no longer produced, yet the brand is more alive than ever.
The Exhibition: A Testament to Saab’s Legacy
Described by the organizers as a homage to Saab, a brand that built cars with stubborn dedication, the exhibition was more than a car show. It was a journey through Saab’s history, philosophy, and its relentless pursuit of excellence, much like its aircraft manufacturing heritage.
Visitors could immerse themselves in a vintage setting at the foot of the beautiful Bukaksan Mountain, surrounded by Saab cars and furniture embodying the brand’s ethos. The exhibition also offered a range of Saab-themed memorabilia, from specially designed sweatshirts, badges, posters, and books to keychains and paintings.
A Community of Enthusiasts: Bringing Saab to Life
The videos linked below offer a closer look at South Korea’s Saab community, a testament to the brand’s enduring appeal:
The event, co-planned by the vintage furniture salon Hlut, the Erevo aviation club, and the cultural curatorial platform Ssoldat, was a heartfelt tribute to Saab. It was intriguing to see such reverence for the Saab automotive brand in South Korea, a country from which news seldom reaches us.
A New Chapter for Saab in Asia
This exhibition in Seoul marks the beginning of a new chapter for Saab enthusiasts in South Korea and beyond. Stay tuned as we delve deeper into the activities and stories of Saab enthusiasts from this intriguing part of the world. The Saab spirit, it seems, is far from extinct – it’s immortal.
Also From South Korea’s Saab Scene
The HLUT exhibition showed us a community. But sometimes, the Saab story in Korea comes down to a single person and a single car. Korean automotive journalist Jang Jin-taek – a former car designer with a sharp eye and no patience for mediocrity – spent three years driving a 2003 Saab 9-3 Convertible as his personal vehicle. In 2019, he made a video about it. What he said about Saab’s engineering philosophy, the GM years, and why Scandinavian cars deserve more respect than they get resonated with over 81,000 Korean viewers
