Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
Demand for cooling devices soars as summer heat arrives early
A manager introduces the Bespoke AI WindFree Gallery air conditioner at Samsung Store Seocho, Sunday. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
By Baek Byung-yeul
Samsung, LG, Coway operate plants at full capacity
A 40-year-old man surnamed Park recently replaced his decades-old air conditioner with a new model. He opted for the latest energy-efficient model, anticipating increased use due to the early arrival of summer heat this year.
"The old air conditioner I had been using for too long wasn't cooling effectively anymore. With the heat arriving early and forecasts predicting hotter-than-usual temperatures this year, I decided to switch to the latest model after the salesperson explained it could cool every corner of the home while consuming less electricity," Park said.
He added that he's satisfied with the replacement, confirming the salesperson's guidance of cooler air output with lower power consumption.
Like Park, demand for cooling devices such as air conditioners and water purifiers with ice makers is surging, as record-breaking heat waves are expected this summer along with the early arrival of hot weather.
Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are capitalizing on this demand by offering products with expanded user convenience, such as artificial technology that helps set wind strength based on the user's environment and improves energy efficiency.
Samsung said the daily average sales of its AI-based home air conditioners from June 17 to 21 exceeded 10,000, selling more than seven units per minute over the five days.
Over 80 percent of the sold air conditioners support a wind-free feature, a trademarked cooling system that provides a comfortable indoor climate without direct air flow, the company added.
"Samsung air conditioners are gaining popularity among consumers with smart AI functions such as wind-free and energy saving," a Samsung spokesperson said.
Samsung added that not only floor-standing air conditioners but also ceiling-mounted system air conditioners are gaining popularity. They offer a service that can install up to six units within eight hours, allowing consumers to quickly set up new products.
Seen is LG Electronics’ Tower Stand air conditioner. Courtesy of LG Electronics
LG Electronics said that sales of its floor-standing air conditioners with AI features increased by over 30 percent from January to May compared to the same period last year.
The company recently launched the Whisen Objet Collection Edge, which can be installed on windows, completing a lineup that offers AI functionality across floor-standing, wall-mounted, portable and window-type units.
With AI functions, the cooling device automatically analyzes customer usage patterns and adjusts temperature accordingly. The company said the AI drying function also helps remove internal moisture that may remain after use, simplifying product maintenance.
To meet this growing demand for air conditioners, Samsung and LG are ramping up their production lines. Samsung has been operating its wind-free air conditioner production lines at full capacity since April, and LG said the average utilization rate of its air conditioner production lines was 133.7 percent in the first quarter, the highest level for the same quarter in three years.
Not only air conditioners but also ice-making water dispensers are seeing a surge in demand. Coway said that sales of water dispensers with ice makers in April and May increased by about 30 percent compared to the same period in 2023, and it is running its water purifier production plants at full capacity to meet the demand.
"We've been operating our water purifier production lines at full capacity since early April in preparation for the summer peak season, but we're struggling to keep up with the influx of orders for ice water purifiers," a Coway spokesperson said. "From this month, we plan to secure production volume by adding more ice water purifier production lines."
The Korea Meteorological Administration predicted in its June-to-August weather outlook released in May that this summer will be hotter and rainier than usual.
As the weather agency predicted Wednesday, many regions across the country recorded their highest June temperatures. The weather agency reported that the temperature in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, reached 37.7 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous record of 36.5 degrees Celsius set on the same day in 2017.