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'It doesn't stop even if it steps on gum'... Daewoo Tico employee hands over car keys to 25-year-old

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • A 25-year-old student, Choi Won-jun, purchased a 1993 Tico, a "national car" model discontinued before his birth, for 900,000 won.
  • The Tico, with 350,000 km mileage, is maintained with care, including special seat covers and an Instagram account dedicated to it.
  • The car's original owner, Kim Sung-taek, a retiring GM Korea employee who built Ticos, passed it on to Choi, sharing memories of driving it for decades.

Choi Won-jun, a 25-year-old student, now owns a piece of automotive history: a 1993 Daewoo Tico. This "national car" model, which sold over 411,000 units in Korea between 1991 and 2000, was discontinued the year before Choi was born. He acquired the Tico, which has accumulated 350,000 kilometers, for 900,000 won (approximately $650 USD).

I bought it for 900,000 won last September. It has a cumulative mileage of 350,000 km.

— Choi Won-junThe current owner of the 1993 Tico, detailing his purchase of the classic car.

Despite its age and condition, with visible rust and peeling paint, the Tico garners attention. Choi notes that people often recognize the car but sometimes express surprise that it's "still running," which he finds slightly amusing. Driving a manual transmission Tico presents challenges, particularly for his left knee during traffic jams. Sourcing repair parts is difficult, but Choi meticulously maintains the car, even outfitting the interior with 1990s-style bamboo seat covers. He also maintains an Instagram account, "gumstop-tico," a nod to a popular joke about the Tico stopping if it drove over gum.

The Tico stops if it steps on gum.

— Choi Won-junReferencing a popular joke about the Tico, which inspired his Instagram handle.

The Tico's original owner is Kim Sung-taek, a 60-year-old employee of GM Korea who is nearing his retirement. Kim began his career at the Daewoo National Motor Changwon factory in 1991 and even purchased a Tico that he personally helped produce. He drove the car for decades, despite his wife's concerns about its safety on highways. As retirement approaches, Kim felt he could no longer adequately care for the vehicle and decided to pass it on to Choi.

My wife didn't like it, saying 'Why are you driving so dangerously on the highway?' I drove on the highway all the time.

— Kim Sung-taekThe former owner of the Tico, recalling his decades of driving the car.

This handover was facilitated by the non-profit organization Daewoo Motor Preservation Institute, founded by enthusiasts dedicated to preserving and restoring Daewoo automobiles as industrial cultural heritage. The institute recently held a special exhibition of classic Daewoo cars, including models like the LeMans, Cielo, and Tico, many of which are still driven on Korean roads. The exhibition highlighted the legacy of Daewoo cars, which once stood alongside Hyundai and Kia, and the ongoing efforts to preserve this automotive history.

I thought I wouldn't be able to manage the Tico after retirement, so I decided to hand it over to this young man.

— Kim Sung-taekExplaining his decision to sell the Tico to Choi Won-jun.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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