Seoul, South Korea (CNN)A 20-year-old beat up Hyundai SUV isn't anyone's idea of a dream car.
But
used Hyundai Gallopers, priced between $2,000 to $3,000 at second-hand
car markets, are making a comeback -- reborn as upwards $80,000 luxury
vehicles at the hand of former furniture designer Henie Kim.
Kim -- now the CEO of Mohenic Garages, a car rebuilding company based in Paju -- has transformed the boxy classic into one of South Korea's most highly-desired cars.
"As a former designer, I wanted make everything perfect."
Design process
The
remade "Mohenic G", as they're known, take their design cues from the
1990s and come in a variety of custom colors from "mint racing green" to
"midnight cerulean blue".
Demand
for the "Mohenic G" has steadily risen, and the waitlist is long. Since
2013, only 43 cars have been rebuilt and 48 customers are on a waiting
list.
Production is slow -- though
since the company expanded, they're able to produce 30 cars a year, or
about 2 cars a month. A team of two dozen workers transform each car in a
meticulous process that includes prying the car cabin from its frame,
sanding, removing corrosive substances, polishing and painting.
Handcrafted interiors
South
Korean radio host Bae Chil-soo sold his Mercedes Benz G-class and
bought a rebuilt 1993 Hyundai from Mohenic Garages for $70,000.
"The
G-class was a great car. In fact, it was an awesome car," Bae told CNN.
"But, what I bought wasn't just a car. I bought into 90s nostalgia."
The
Hyundai retains its angular touches and boxy frame -- indicative of the
decade from when it was manufactured -- and compared to the smoother,
more rounded lines of more modern designs.
More exceptional than the
car's shell perhaps, is its interior -- handcrafted with wooden
dashboards and transmission sticks, as well as car gauges and buttons.
The combination is reminiscent of a classic airplane cockpit.
Bae appreciates the detailing: "You can actually hear the gauge needles ticking when I step on the accelerator."
Another
customer, South Korean factory operator Kim Jeong-hun says when he
bought one 4 years ago, the car seat felt like expensive furniture.
"The first time I got into my car, I could smell the scent of freshly cut wood. It felt like I had gone into a carpenter's shop.
"I thought I bought a time-machine that brought me back in time".
Outdoor inspiration
The
idea behind the "Mohenic G" came from a camping trip. Four years ago,
Kim was searching for a roomier vehicle to go camping in, but found
those on the market too dull.
So he decided to custom restore one.
"I
was looking for a car that could set me free. When I found an old
Hyundai Galloper, I remembered how much I loved the car as a college
student," he said.
The Hyundai Galloper was an SUV first produced in 1991, in cooperation with Japanese carmaker Mitsubishi.
Kim
researched for months, traveled across the country in search for parts,
jumped from one car repair shop to another and posted photo essays of
the process on his personal blog.
"I restored every nook and cranny in that car. It felt like I was liberated from being a slave of time," Kim said.
After 6 months of painstaking efforts, a fully restored, ivory Hyundai Galloper was revealed.
His
efforts didn't go unnoticed. Requests to restore Gallopers mounted and
in 2013, Kim decided to kick off the nation's first car rebuilding
company with the help of investment and crowd funding from social media
platforms.
As for the future, Kim is looking beyond the "Mohenic G."
"Perhaps one day I will be able to make an electric four-wheel vehicle."
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