- Samsung was founded in 1938 by Lee Byung-chul as a trading company that sold noodles and other produce.
- Samsung means “three stars” in Korean, which reflects Lee Byung-chul’s vision of a company that is everlasting and powerful.
- Samsung entered the electronics industry in 1969 and produced its first product, a 12-inch black and white TV, in 1970.
- Samsung is very focused on creating as much as possible in-house, and around 90% of Samsung equipment is made in Samsung factories.
- Samsung has 59 unlisted companies and 19 listed companies that span various industries such as construction, financial services, shipbuilding, and medical sectors.
- Samsung employs over 267,000 people as of 2020, across 80 different countries.
- Samsung’s construction division built the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai, the tallest building in the world at 2,722 feet.
- Samsung’s total resources make up about 20.3% of South Korea’s GDP as of 2021, and over 20% of its market value is based on various Samsung Group companies on the Korean Stock Exchange.
- Samsung’s first mobile device was a car phone in 1986, which was poorly received and sold terribly.
- Samsung’s logo has changed four times since its founding, and the current logo was introduced in 1993.
- Samsung’s chairman Lee Kun Hee once ordered his staff to create a pile of 150,000 phone and fax machines and destroy them in front of a crowd of 2,000 people to make a point about quality-driven products.
- Samsung created the first digital TV in 1998, the first watch phone and MP3 phone in 1999, the first 3D home theater in 2010, and the first curved smartphone display in 2013.
- Samsung shipped 306 million units worldwide in 2016, which was an increase of 283.1 million units compared to 2010.
- Samsung teamed up with Six Flags in 2016 to create North America’s first virtual reality rollercoasters using Samsung VR equipment.
- Samsung introduced its flagship AI system Bixby with the Galaxy S8 in 2017, which rivals other voice assistants like Siri or Cortana.
- Samsung has invested $10.8 billion in research and development in 2012, which was over 6% of its revenue and involved around a quarter of its employees or 60,000 staff.
- Samsung created South Korea’s first fighter jet, the KF-16, for its air force.
- Samsung received permission to test self-driving cars in South Korea in May 2017.
- All Samsung products since 2013 have received global standard environmental certifications, and between 2009 and 2013, the company invested $4.8 billion in reducing 85 million tonnes of greenhouse gases.
- Samsung has a human resources development center that has provided over 64 courses to more than 53,400 employees since 1993.
- Samsung has a theme park called Everland Resort near Seoul, which is the largest theme park in South Korea and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country.
- Samsung has a biotechnology division called Samsung Biologics that produces biosimilars or generic versions of biopharmaceutical drugs for various diseases such as cancer or arthritis.
- Samsung has a fashion division called Cheil Industries that produces clothing brands such as Bean Pole and Juun.J.
- Samsung has a petrochemical division called Samsung Total Petrochemicals that produces ethylene, propylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, and other chemical products for various industries such as plastics or textiles.
- Samsung has a renewable energy division called Samsung Renewable Energy that develops wind and solar power projects around the world.
- Samsung has a hospitality division called Shilla Hotels & Resorts that operates luxury hotels and duty-free shops in South Korea and abroad.
- Samsung has a social responsibility division called Samsung Hope for Children that supports education, health, and environmental programs for children and communities around the world.
- Samsung has a cultural division called Ho-Am Art Museum that displays traditional Korean art and culture as well as modern art from various countries.
- Samsung has a sports division called Cheil Worldwide Sports Marketing that sponsors various athletes and teams such as Lee Seung-yuop (baseball), Park Ji-sung (soccer), or Manchester United (soccer).
- Samsung has a music division called SM Entertainment that produces K-pop artists such as EXO, Girls’ Generation, Super Junior, or Red Velvet.
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