Smart homes are made of these

MANILA, Philippines — Dwarfed by the tall buildings and modern residences in the meandering streets of Seoul’s old district, this hanok (a traditional Korean house) stands proud.

With its slate roof tiles, latticed doors, windows plastered with hanji paper, time-stained wooden flooring and underfloor heating, Moon Guest House takes guests back in time when life was simple, family members “eat first” than their mobile phones and human interaction was the norm.

In this nobleman’s mansion, time seems to slow down in every way. Or maybe it’s just the relaxing ambience of the place.

Clad in the traditional hanbok, we learned of Korean tea ceremony — as taught by a tea master — from the way the tea is prepared, served and sipped to the way the afternoon drags slowly.

LG’s premium Signature Kitchen Suite houses a wide range of LG built-in home appliances like refrigerators, microwaves, electronic ovens and stovetops from the Signature Kitchen Suite brand.

While Moon Guest House managed to preserve elements of the original home, it now provides modern conveniences to better serve guests — without losing its charm.

Here, every room is equipped with air-conditioning units (with both hot and cold air). And when renting the space for conferences, a 47-inch smart TV and Internet connection are provided.

Well, that’s how they roll in Seoul. Here, one can experience the past, the present and the future. And I’m not just referring to their culture, but the technology, too!

Making life good through innovation

The vibe was totally different when we arrived at LG’s premium Signature Kitchen Suite in Seoul. Here, everything looks modern, stylish, innovative, efficient and reliable. 

Excitement filled the air as the kitchen of my dreams came to life.

The five-story building — with an all-glass facade — houses a wide range of LG home appliances, including built-in refrigerators, microwaves, electronic ovens and stovetops from the Signature Kitchen Suite brand, which embraces the new generation of forward-thinking cooks who combine their passion for food with an appreciation for innovation.

The Moon Guest House takes guests back in time when life was simple, family members “eat first” than their mobile phones and human interaction was the norm.

LG is taking advantage of the growing interest among South Koreans in interior design that caters to personal preference.

I was part of the media group invited by Millet Liberato-Simeon of M360 PR+Activations Agency to attend the Home Appliance and Air Solution press tour in Seoul Korea hosted by LG.

My eyes were drawn to the Slim French-Door refrigerator. This black beauty may be sexier than the average fridge (at just 835-mm. across), but it doesn’t compromise storage space. Its space-saving insulation and a less bulky interior construction mean there’s more room for your food and drinks.

It saves energy, too, and provide the ultimate durability thanks to LG’s Inverter Linear Compressor and DoorCooling+ technologies that help cool the fridge faster.

LG’s latest front-loader washing machine cares for your clothes the way you do.

DoorCooling maintains an even temperature throughout the refrigerator and cools 19.7 percent faster than a conventional cooling system. DoorCooling, with air vents located on top of the fridge, directs airflow to the door area to see items stored in the door basket as part of the storage compartment and the interior of the door.

Another cool feature is the InstaView Door-in-Door. Now, you don’t have to open the door to see what’s inside. With a simple knock, the black screen on the fridge turns into a glass window, revealing the refreshments — fruit juices, soda or beer in cans and milk cartons — stored in the door compartment.

“We’re proud to showcase our stylish and functional slimmed-down refrigerators, which are perfect for condo dwellers,” said Song Dae-Hyun, president of LG Electronics Home Appliance and Air Solution Company. “With LG’s cutting-edge technologies, these new model reflect the consumers’ desire for longer-lasting food freshness and greater efficiency.”

LG’s Dual Inverter air conditioner cuts energy consumption without sacrificing cooling capabilities.

The future is here

Over at the Changwon Factory-LG Signature Suite in Busan, we had a peek into the future of smart home living and LG’s vision of a connected home.

In a tropical country like the Philippines, having an air-conditioning unit is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. Sadly, turning on the AC 24/7 can be harmful to the environment. Until manufacturers come up with a “green” solution, the next best option is to use energy-efficient units like the LG DualCool air conditioner.

The newest model utilities LG’s Dual Inverter Compressor, which cuts energy consumption without sacrificing cooling capabilities. This technology lowers electricity consumption by up to 70 percent and enables the AC to cool up to 40-percent faster than a typical non-inverter residential air conditioner.

Also included in the new lineup is the Wi-Fi-enabled smart window-type air conditioner that’s powered by the Dual Inverter Compressor.

Cheers!: LGEPH ref product manager Jillian Yap checks out the LG Slim French-Door refrigerator. Its InstaView Door-in-Door allows you to see your favorite and frequently used items by knocking on the glass panel without opening the door.

I was also impressed by LG’s latest front-loader washing machine that cares for your clothes the way you do. Powered by LG’s new Artificial Intelligence Direct Drive (AI DD) with deep learning, the machine detects the weight and softness of the fabric you load into the drum. It does this by drawing on a vast amount of data collected by LG during development.

The upgraded TurboWash 360 feature cleans and completes cycles in less time so you can save energy and time to do other things. The new front-loader also comes with Steam+, which neutralizes 99.9-percent of allergens through a special sterilizing cycle and removes 30-percent of creases via Wrinkle Care.

At the LG Signature Suite, each room in the “house” showcases smart appliances that not only stand out as individual pieces but also connect and communicate with each other. All it takes is to say the magic word — CLOi — and your wish is her command.

LG CLOi Home is a friendly robot that ist here for you when you need assistance using LG’s innovative AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology.

CLOi is a friendly robot that is there for you when you need assistance using LG’s innovative AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology.

With the LG CLOi Home, you can use your voice to manage your household. Simply state that you’re leaving the house in order to switch all appliances to energy-saving mode. You can also stream music with your voice, turn on the air-conditioning unit, even remotely check and lock doors or windows that may be unsecured (home security feature).

Well, at the rate things are going, I wouldn’t be surprised to meet CLOi at the Moon Guest House, fixing me a cup of tea when I go back for a visit maybe three months from now.