'Samsung Trio' leads global TV market

Choi Gee-sung

By Kim Yoo-chul

In 2003, Choi Gee-sung said Samsung planned to become the top TV maker by overtaking Japan’s Sony in the next three years.

Choi, the head of Samsung Corporate Strategy Office, the group control tower, then led Samsung Electronics’ digital media business.

The plan was seen by many as a declaration that the Korean company aimed to become a “new electronics titan,” ending the more than 30 years’ reign of Japanese companies led by Sony.

While the goal looked too lofty, Samsung became the world’s top TV maker in 2006 with a 14.2 percent share by sales and a 10.6 percent share by shipments.

Samsung Electronics said last week that the company was the world’s biggest TV seller last year, propelled by the strong performance of its flat-screen TV sets and those with its advanced quantum-dot technology.

Market research firm IHS said Samsung’s global sales share last year expanded to 27.5 percent, with the company recording a 21 percent global share in total shipments, helping the company maintain its leadership in the segment for the 10th straight year.

Its share last year was up 13.3 percentage points and 9.4 percentage points, respectively, from a decade ago. During the past decade, Samsung said over 427 million units were sold, globally.

“Samsung Electronics has continued developing new TV technologies to differentiate ourselves from others,” a company official said.

The corporate office under Choi laid the groundwork.

Samsung started its TV business in 1971 by selling products in Panama. Those were cheap and less specified.

Under Choi’s leadership, the company saw a steep rise in TV sales as consumers shifted to TVs with liquid crystal displays (LCD) and plasma display panels from bulky cathode-ray tube TVs.

To make its products appealing, Choi instigated a huge design overhaul, resulting in the “Bordeaux TV,” which was reminiscent of a red wine glass on the bottom bezel, in 2006.

Two years later, a “Crystal Rose TV” made its debut.

Yoon Boo-keum, who now manages Samsung’s Internet of Things (IoT) business strategies, took over Choi’s role. Yoon helped Samsung Electronics significantly expand its market lead over key international competitors. He developed Samsung’s first three-dimensional (3D) and Internet-connected TVs.

Kim Hyun-seok, who formerly handled product development strategies for the company, has been leading the firm’s TV business over the past few years.

His focus to improve viewing quality saw the company lead the premium TV market, helped by quantum-dot technology that Samsung dubbed “S-UHD TVs.”

Samsung said it plans to expand its premium TV market invasion with this year’s new S-UHD TV lineup, which the company says is eco-friendly and customized for a high dynamic range (HDR) experience for viewers.