At the beginning of the list of global famous Korean brands, can't mention Samsung. The Samsung Group (or simply Samsung, stylized in the logo as SΛMSUNG) (Korean: 삼성 [samsʌŋ]) was founded as a trading company in 1938 by Lee Byungchul. Over the next 30 years, the group diversified into areas such as food processing, textiles, insurance, securities, and retail.

You've craved the phone, you've used the tablet, you own the television, but how well do you really know this company? Here is some information about Samsung that may surprise you.

In Korean, the word Samsung means "three stars". The name was chosen by Samsung founder Lee ByungChull, whose vision was for his company to become as powerful and enduring as the stars in the sky. Samsung is now a market leader in a variety of product categories, including 1/3 of the smartphones sold in the world are Samsung smartphones, 100 Samsung TVs are sold every minute, 70% of the world's smartphones use DRAM made by Samsung.

Detailed information:

Headquarters: 40th floor Samsung Electronics Building, 11, Seocho-aero 74-gil, Seocho District, Seoul, South Korea

Website: https://www.samsung.com/

Hyundai Motor Company, often abbreviated to Hyundai Motors or simply Hyundai (Korean: 현대자동차) was founded in 1967 and now is going beyond being an automobile manufacturer to a mobility solution provider. In Korea, the word Hyundai means “modernity” and was chosen in 1947 when the South Korean company, Hyundai Construction, was founded.

The dignity of Hyundai Motor Company is recognized worldwide. As the global awards show, enthusiasm lies in the hearts of people around the world. In 2022, Hyundai's Santa Fe and Palisade were named Best Family Car of 2022 by KBB.com. The 2022 Santa Fe won Best Two-Row SUV and the 2022 Palisade won Best Three-Row SUV from KBB.com. The best family cars of 2022 include SUVs that offer the passenger and cargo capacity that make them ideal choices for families.

Also, Hyundai has won three 2022 AutoGuide Awards, more than any other automotive brand. The 2022 Tucson was named Utility Vehicle of the Year, the IONIQ 5 2022 was named Green Vehicle of the Year and the 2022 Elantra N wowed the judges and secured Performance Car of the Year.

Currently, Hyundai is increasingly asserting its leading position in the Korean market and is one of the best-selling car manufacturers in the Asian market as well as in the world.

Detailed information:

Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea

Website: https://www.hyundai.com

SK Group (Korean: SK그룹, 에스케이그룹) - Established as a small textile manufacturing unit in Suwon 1953, SK has in no way stopped developing withinside the closing sixty-six years. It has made modern modifications in Korean people’s apparel habits, produced electricity that drove the Miracle at the Han River in the course of the industrialization era, and led Korea as an IT powerhouse withinside the Information era.

SK's company identification has been modified and developed with the times. Since its established order till the mid-’80s, ‘선경(鮮京)’ became used as a brand. From the mid-’80s, the ‘SUNKYONG’ brand became embodied in the picture of the rising sun to illustrate the corporation developing right into a worldwide leader. In Korean, the word "SUNKYUNG" means "A fairyland". The company brands, as soon as we're divided into Sunkyong, Yukong, and Korea Mobile Telecom, have been included in SK in 1997. In 2005, the SK brand’s identification system became described with ‘happiness’ as its core value. SK’s representative image, the ‘Wings of Happiness,’ became advanced and is used as a symbol of this value.

Nowadays, SK is a multi-industry corporation with operating scales such as telecommunications technology (SK Telecom), music and film production (currently cooperating with the 3 largest Korean entertainment companies SM, YG and JYP). Pharmaceutical preparation (SK is the largest drug distributor in Korea), oil and gas exploitation and transportation, real estate business, hotels and commercial center (Coex Mall is operated by SK).

Detailed information:

Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea

Website: https://eng.sk.com/companies

Kia Corporation, generally called Kia (Korean: 기아; Hanja: 起亞; RR: Gia; MR: Kia, IPA: [ki.a]; previously called Kyungsung Precision Industry and Kia Motors Corporation, and stylized as KIΛ), is a South Korean multinational car producer centered in Seoul, South Korea. KIA is the 2nd largest car manufacturer in Korea after Hyundai.

According to the company, the name "KIA" derives from the Sino-Korean characters 起 (KI - "to arise") and 亞 (A- "Asia"); roughly translated means "rising from Asia". In 2022, The Kia EV6 was named Car of the Year 2022 at the European Car of the Year (COTY) Awards, becoming the first Korean model to win this award.

The KIA brand is increasingly prominent in the Korean auto industry, as well as in Asia. With a fresh design, excellent performance, KIA will certainly as the name suggests - rise from Asia and assert the brand all over the world in the future.

Detailed information:

Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
Website: https://worldwide.kia.com/

Shinhan Financial Group's roots date back to 1982 when Shinhan Bank was the country's first bank established solely with private funds. Since then, they have paved the way for Korea's financial industry. Recently, Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd. (Korean: 주식회사 신한금융지주회사) is a financial holding company headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.

In Korea, “Shin-Han” – “New-Country”; this is the meaning behind each character their name - "Shinhan". It is filled with their strong volition to head towards new finance for Korea. And so, Shinhan has had succeeded in leading financial innovation, living up to its name.

At the height of the financial restructuring triggered by the 1997 currency crisis, Shinhan turned the crisis into an opportunity and established the country's first private financial holding company in 2001. That was their first step on the way to becoming an integrated financial services group. Subsequent success in expansion and diversification strengthened their position as Korea's leading financial group. With a presence in 20 countries around the world, including Asia, Shinhan is ready for new challenges.

Detailed information:
Headquarters: 20, Sejong-daero 9-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Website: http://www.shinhangroup.com/

Established in 1999 and presently NAVER Corp. is a worldwide ICT company, giving South Korea’s number one search portal "NAVER"-considered as the google of Korea and its subsidiary companies, including "LINE"- messenger and social app, SNOW - camera and photoshop app, NAVER WEBTOON - comic app, NAVER BAND - group social media platform, and ZEPETO - metaverse platform.

The supported investigation and improvement of AI, mechanical technology, portability, and other future innovation patterns are moving NAVER forward, in the interest of the change and development of innovation stages, whereas it moreover remains committed to a worldview of shared development, joining hands with clients from the worldwide community as well as an endless number of organizations. In 2018, NAVER was positioned as the 9th most imaginative company by Forbes and beat 6th Future 50 company by Fortune magazine.

The word Naver is made up of "navigate" (direction) and the suffix "-er". Unlike navigator (navigator), Naver refers to someone that specializes in helping others navigate. Basically, the brand name has symbolized the mission of this business is to help Internet users navigate through a vast sea of information.

Detailed information:

Headquarters: Green Factory, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, South Korea

Website: https://www.navercorp.com/

Lotte Corporation (or Lotte Group) is a multi-industry empire spanning from chemical manufacturing to retail, got its name from the novel "The Sorrow of Young Werther" written by German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The founder of Lotte corp - Shin Kyuk-ho read this novel while studying in Japan in the 1940s. Touched by the story, Mr. Shin named the company based on the heroine's name of the story: Lotte, shorthand for Charlotte.

Lotte started out as a business selling chewing gum, a product brought into West Asia by American soldiers after World War II, and has since become particularly popular with Japanese consumers. Soon the company expanded on chocolate and established Lotte Confectionary, a company specializing in the production and distribution of confectionery.

Nowadays, Lotte Group's major businesses are food, retail, chemical, construction, manufacturing, tourism, service, finance, etc.

Detailed information:

Headquarters: Songpa District, Seoul, South Korea
Website: https://www.lotte.co.kr/

LG Corporation (or LG Group) is one of the largest corporations in Korea (LG Group), its main products include electronics, phones and petroleum products. LG group has important subsidiaries such as LG Electronics and LG Chemical. Mr. Koo In Hwoi was founded LG in 1947 with the original name Lucky-Goldstar (Lucky golden star), then shortened to LG in 1995. LG is also the abbreviation of Lucky Geumseong (럭키금성) in Korea, which translates into English mean Lucky Golden star.

Each LG SIGNATURE piece is a powerhouse of cutting-edge technology that's functional yet stylish. LG SIGNATURE was founded on three pillars: craftsmanship, innovation and authenticity. These support the Art of Essence, the harmony of art and technology. With the changing needs of consumers, LG SIGNATURE products enhance daily lifestyle with outstanding functionality.

Detailed information:

Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea

Website: www.lgcorp.com

CJ Group (Hangul: CJ 그룹) is a South Korean corporation headquartered in Seoul. In Korea, the word "CJ - or Cheiljedang" (Hangul: 제일 제당) mean "first sugar manufacture", the industry where it originally started. Having started as the first sugar manufacturer in Korea, CJ Cheiljedang has continuously grown by expanding in various businesses. It operates in a wide range of industries: food and foodservice, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, entertainment and media, home shopping and logistics. CJ Group was originally a subsidiary of Samsung until its split in the 1990s.

Notable CJ subsidiaries include Mnet Media (music), CJ Entertainment (Korea's largest film distributor and producer), CJ CGV (the country's largest cinema chain), CJ CheilJedang Food division (food and food services), CJ CheilJedang's Bio division (biopharma), CJ Logistics (Logistic service), etc. CJ CheilJedang is becoming a world-leading food & bio company with a strong focus on global business.

Just as human civilization and steel have taken the same path of development, the path traversed by POSCO is inseparable from the history of Korea's economic growth. The dream of building a steel industry in Korea began to come true in the 1960s with the plan to build a general steel mill. Despite starting from scratch with no capital, technology, and experience, POSCO started the grand road to building an integrated steel mill with its establishment on April 1, 1968.

POSCO (formerly known as Pohang Iron and Steel Company meaning Pohang Iron and Steel Company) is a multinational steel manufacturing company headquartered in Pohang city, South Korea.

In 2010, POSCO was once the world's largest steel producer by market value. The company's output reached 39.1 million tons of crude steel in 2011, making POSCO the world's fourth-largest steel producer.

Currently, in addition to iron and steel production, POSCO is also present in construction design and construction, with a number of projects such as Diamond Plaza.

Detailed information:

Headquarters: Pohang, South Korea

Website: https://www.posco.co.kr/