THE KOREA ECONOMIC DAILY, GLOBAL EDITION

For 37 years, a simple microwave made by Samsung Electronics Co. sat in the kitchen of Kim Kyu-won, providing much more than convenience.

It was there through the busiest days of his career as a world-renowned cancer researcher, a quiet but constant presence. Now, that very appliance has found a new home: the Samsung Innovation Museum.

An honorary professor at Seoul National University (SNU)’s College of Pharmacy, he recently donated his Samsung microwave to the museum. He purchased it in 1986 in the US during his time as a Harvard University researcher.

“It was 1986 and I had just started married life in the US,” he reminisced about the moment he bought the microwave. “Back then, most home appliances were either Japanese or American. When I spotted the Samsung logo in a department store, I felt a sense of pride and bought the microwave on the spot.”

That impulse purchase became an essential part of his and his wife’s daily life. “I was busy with my research, and my wife was often unwell. This microwave was a reliable helper that allowed us to heat our meals quickly,” he recalled.

The microwave, a classic MW5500 model with a wooden cabinet design, was built for export. Its button-operated controls and flatbed tray, allowing full use of the cooking area, made it a favored choice for American consumers at the time.

AUTHORITY ON CANCER RESEARCH

An SNU graduate, he received a master’s degree from the KAIST and obtained a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis before his career as a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Cancer Genetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School.

Kim is known for his groundbreaking research in cancer treatment.

In 2005 he received the Ho-Am Prize in the field of medicine, awarded by the Samsung Ho-Am Foundation in recognition of his feat: He was the first to unravel the secrets of angiogenesis, opening new avenues in the fight against cancer.

Even after being diagnosed with nasal cancer in 2006, he continued to study the interaction between microbes and cancer cells, culminating in his book “Microbes: The Masters of the Planet Connecting Everything,” written in Korean.

“It (the microwave) played a big part in allowing me to focus on my work, which eventually led to my receiving the Ho-Am Prize,” he said in an interview published on Samsung’s Newsroom website.

MICROWAVE THAT NEVER FAILED

As for the microwave, it never failed, he said.

“We used it for 37 years without a single malfunction,” he said. “We never even had to replace the light bulb. My wife and I used to say that this microwave was a true masterpiece of its time.”

The pristine condition of the microwave, even after decades of use, is a testament to both Samsung’s quality and the couple's meticulous care of it.

Samsung microwaves, first exported in 1979, have since gained a loyal global following, with market dominance in Korea and Europe and top customer satisfaction ratings in the US, according to the company.

Kim’s humble donation is now part of that legacy, a reminder that sometimes the most enduring stories are found in the simplest places – like a well-worn kitchen appliance that helped fuel a lifetime of groundbreaking research.

THE OBJECT KIM’S WIFE CHERISHED

His donation, however, came sooner than planned, prompted by a personal loss.

“My wife and I had always planned to use it for 40 years before donating it to Samsung. But when she died unexpectedly at the end of 2022, I decided to donate it earlier,” he said.

In memory of his wife and thanks to the couple for using the microwave for decades, Samsung engraved both his and his wife’s names on the donators’ nameplate.

“It was an object she cherished,” he added, his voice soft with emotion. “I think she would be happy to see our names together on a plaque in the museum. It feels like a way for her to be remembered.”

Write to Jeong-Soo Hwang at hjs@hankyung.com

In-Soo Nam edited this article.