Some people think the melody is “unnecessary”
Most washing machines play a tune at the end of a cycle to let you know your laundry is finished. Certain brands, particularly Samsung and LG models, are notorious for playing an especially lengthy end-of-cycle melody that many people consider “unnecessary”.
Interestingly, this tradition originated in Asian countries, where most appliances, including rice cookers and ovens, have a song to signal when the food is ready. It is thought this was introduced to provide a pleasant and reassuring alert in the home, rather than an intrusive beep, and to transform household chores into a more positive and enjoyable experience.
On Quora, one user asked: “Why do some washing machines and clothes dryers play a digital instrumental music piece when it’s ready to unload? It goes on for a relatively long time and is unnecessary!”
One person explained: “Some people have a lot of noise going on in their lives and find that an audible dryer signal is helpful. Why? If you don’t get your clothing out in a timely manner, things get wrinkled.
“My favourite ‘notifier’ was from the Westinghouse slant front dryer we had when I was a child in the early 1950s. At the end of the cycle, what sounded like a xylophone-type tune plinked out the old drinking song, ‘How Dry I Am’.”
On Reddit, one user revealed that both “Samsung and LG are Korean companies, and this reflects Korean culture”. Korea embraces the concept of Aegyo, a deliberate and endearing display of cuteness to express affection, with cuteness being highly prized. “So it’s not terribly surprising their machines sing little songs!”, reports the Express.
Another contributor noted that it’s extremely common with appliances found in Korea and Japan. “Our rice cooker sings a little thing at the end. It’s kinda whimsical and nice.”
According to specialists at Apartment Therapy, it is possible to silence the end-of-cycle melody, with brands like Samsung offering a complete guide on how to disable it on your washing machine.
