Who Founded Samsung?

Imagine a massive empire with a footprint in everything from the world’s tallest building to the most advanced artificial intelligence in your pocket. Samsung, one of the first names that come to mind today when technology is mentioned, actually set out in 1938 as a humble shop selling only local fruits and dried fish. So, who was behind the vision that transformed this small commercial venture into a global technology giant, and how did this journey begin? Here is the striking story of Samsung, stretching from dried fish to silicon chips.

Samsung’s Emergence and the Meaning of Its Name

Samsung was founded in 1938 by a South Korean entrepreneur named Lee Byung-chul. At that time, the company was known as “Samsung Sanghoe” (삼성상회). As an interesting detail; Samsung, which is a combination of the Korean words “Sam” (three) and “Sung” (star), symbolizes being “big, powerful, and eternal.” Initially, the company sold food products, especially dried fish and local vegetables, and traded regularly with China and Japan.

Entry into the World of Electronics and the Quality Revolution

Contrary to the general misconception, Samsung’s step into electronics did not take place in the 1950s, but in 1969 with the establishment of “Samsung Electric Industries.” In the 1950s, the company focused more on industrial areas such as sugar refining and textiles. Producing its first black-and-white television in the early 1970s, Samsung became a global player over time by increasing efficiency in the production process.

The biggest turning point in the company’s history was the “New Management” declaration in 1993. Lee Kun-hee, the son of the founder, had thousands of low-quality products burned in a factory in front of the workers and gave his employees the instruction, “Change everything except your wife and children,” transforming Samsung from a cheap manufacturer into a quality-oriented technology giant.

Mobile Technology and Global Leadership

In the 1980s, Samsung began to take an interest in new technologies such as mobile phones and launched South Korea’s first domestic mobile phone, the SH-100, in 1988. Subsequently, Samsung became one of the largest smartphone manufacturers worldwide. Today, the brand is one of the world’s largest semiconductor (chip) manufacturers, in addition to mobile phones, televisions, laptops, and tablets.

Technological Innovations, Patents, and Concrete Data

Samsung is not just a manufacturer in the technology industry, but also a massive R&D center. The company allocates approximately 7% to 9% of its annual revenue to research and development.

The QLED technology developed by Samsung ensures televisions have higher color accuracy, while the semiconductor division supplies critical parts to many competitors, including Apple. This versatile structure ensures that Samsung is not just an electronics brand, but a global technology ecosystem.