[Edaily Reporter SOYEON KIM ] On the 21st, at Project Space Line in Samseong-dong, Seoul, a special exhibition was held offering a comprehensive look at the history of JBL—the flagship audio brand of Harman, a subsidiary of SamsungElectronics—and the British premium audio brand Bowers & Wilkins. Audio products spanning the ages, from radios with nearly 100 years of history to ultra-high-end speakers priced at over 100 million won, were gathered in one space.

SamsungElectronics will host the “Sound Legends—JBL 80th Anniversary and Bowers & Wilkins 60th Anniversary Exhibition” from the 24th to the 31st. David Gloveky, Communications Director for Harman’s Professional & Luxury Audio Group, explained, “This year marks the 10th anniversary of SamsungElectronics’ acquisition of Harman, as well as the 80th and 60th anniversaries of JBL and Bowers & Wilkins, respectively,” adding, “This exhibition is designed to commemorate these milestones.”

At the entrance on the first floor of the exhibition hall, the limited-edition “JBL L100 Classic 80” speaker—produced to commemorate JBL’s 80th anniversary—welcomed visitors. With only 800 sets (two units per set) produced worldwide, each comes with a commemorative plaque engraved with the signature of Chief Systems Engineer Chris Hagan and a unique serial number. As Bruno Mars’ hit song “24K Magic” played from the speakers, the exhibition hall was filled with lively drum beats and funky rhythms.

Upon ascending to the second floor, products showcasing JBL’s history were displayed chronologically. Visitors could trace the company’s evolution from James B. Lansing’s early speaker development in 1927, through the founding of JBL in 1946, to today’s audio technology. In particular, the “Jackson-Bell Radio,” manufactured in 1929—about 100 years ago—caught the eye. Equipped with a speaker from Lansing Manufacturing—founded by Lansing—this device served as the technical foundation for the birth of JBL. The “JBL Paragon,” a home stereo speaker released in 1957, was also on display.

The “JBL Summit K2,” the latest high-end home speaker unveiled for the first time in Korea, was also on display. Carrying on the technical legacy of “Project K2,” which has spanned over 40 years, this product incorporates the latest audio technologies, including the newly developed D2 compression driver. During the demonstration, a song by British pop star Adele played. The delicate resonance of her vocals was conveyed with clarity, allowing visitors to experience the vivid sound characteristic of high-end audio.

The Bowers & Wilkins exhibition, held on the third floor, followed. This space introduces the story of founder John Bowers and the brand’s “True Sound” philosophy, which prioritizes fidelity to the original sound. On display were Bowers & Wilkins’ first speaker, the “P2H,” as well as the “Nautilus,” inspired by the spiral structure of a nautilus shell. First introduced in 1993, this ultra-high-end speaker—priced at 150 million won per pair—captured attention with its unique appearance.

The latest flagship lineup, the “800 Series Diamond D5,” was also on display. The top-of-the-line “801 D5” model boasts reference-grade performance used in professional recording studios. The 800 Series has been used not only in the music production of world-renowned artists such as Adele, Oasis, Radiohead, and Lady Gaga, but also in the production of soundtracks for famous movies like Star Wars, Harry Potter, and The Avengers.

This exhibition was designed to allow visitors to experience the history and audio technology of both brands firsthand through docent-led tours and speaker demonstrations. SamsungElectronics is accepting advance reservations for the exhibition via Naver.

Son Young-kwon, Advisor at SamsungElectronics (Chairman of the Harman Board of Directors), stated, “This is an opportunity to experience both JBL’s 80-year history of sound and Bowers & Wilkins’ 60-year legacy in one place,” adding, “SamsungElectronics will continue to drive innovation in audio technology together with Harman.”