In 2012, South Korea ended analog broadcasting and switched to digital broadcasting. While digital is more efficient and has contributed to the development of the content industry with less information loss, it has also led to a gradual loss of analog sensibilities and unique experiences. While digitalization has become a part of everyday life, the value of analog is being rediscovered, with the Russian government using typewriters to combat hacking and the resurgence of vinyl records. It is time to think about how to keep the human touch and sensitivity in the midst of digital convenience.
On December 31, 2012, at 4 a.m., the Korean government shut down analog broadcasting services nationwide. As it became impossible to watch TV without a digital TV receiver or digital converter, the government amended the Digital Transition Special Act to support converters or digital TVs for economically vulnerable people. The switch from analog to digital broadcasting was not only to improve picture quality, but also to revitalize the content industry related to TV programs and encourage the growth of HDTV and 3DTV manufacturing. The switch marked South Korea’s entry into a full-fledged digital society, and it has brought about major changes not only in broadcasting but also in society as a whole. The transition to digital has also paved the way for increased efficiency and development in various public services, including education, healthcare, and transportation.
In the 21st century, we have digitally transformed most aspects of our lives, and as we continue to seek faster, more convenient technologies and advancements in science and technology, it’s worth asking whether we’re headed in the right direction. Behind the convenience of digitization are complex social, environmental, and emotional impacts, not least of which is the nostalgia for the emotional and physical medium of analog technology.
An analog or analog signal is something that varies continuously depending on external factors, like the scale on a car’s speedometer. Most information in nature, such as weather, sound, and light intensity, can be represented analogically, and we’ve been recording changes in nature this way for a long time. However, the main drawback of analog is that the process of recording and transmitting information introduces noise, or unwanted noise. As anyone who has ever listened to music on a vinyl record knows, there is often a subtle ‘crackle’ throughout the music as it plays. As signals are created, replicated, and transmitted, noise is inevitably added, and it’s impossible to completely eliminate it. This limitation of analog has led us to look for clearer ways to record information.
Digital, on the other hand, which stores information as a combination of zeros and ones, is noise-free. Digital is “all or nothing,” as the saying goes, and because all information is represented as binary numbers of 0s and 1s, there is very little loss or distortion of information when it is copied and transmitted. For example, in the past, analog broadcasting used to transmit video information as a continuous signal, with unnecessary noise mixed in. The switch to digital broadcasting eliminates this noise and provides a clearer picture. This is not just an improvement in picture quality, but also in the reliability of information delivery.
Another advantage of digital is that it is much easier and more efficient to store, reproduce, and deliver than analog. Analog photographs and vinyl records are subject to deterioration over time, and the duplication process also introduces distortion. On the other hand, information recorded on digital media such as CDs and USBs can be easily copied and retain the quality of the original, even when duplicated multiple times. Thanks to these characteristics, digital information can be delivered to many people simultaneously and quickly, and the proliferation of computers and smartphones has made digital information the center of our lives.
However, while digital has become the norm, there is a recent movement to rediscover the unique appeal of analog technology. As a result of digitalization, people are beginning to miss the unique emotions and in-depth experiences of analog. A few years ago, the Russian government purchased 20 old-fashioned typewriters to prevent hacking, and vinyl sales are on the rise as more people seek out “real music” that doesn’t lose sound. In fact, according to music magazine Rolling Stone, vinyl sales in the U.S. increased 52% in 2014 compared to the previous year.
The essence of analog technology is the accumulated experience and sensory know-how. Equipment such as speakers and camera lenses operate analogically, requiring technical skills honed over time. This delicacy of analog technology is a sensory element that digital technology can’t easily replicate. In the same way that a sandwich from a popular fast food restaurant feels different from a sandwich you make at home, science and technology will need to move in the direction of providing emotional satisfaction to users rather than simply pursuing efficiency and speed.
Technology has brought us many benefits as it has evolved, but digitization is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We need to continue to think about how technology can be human-friendly and how important analog sensibilities are.
