Samsung's origins trace back to March 1938, when Lee Byung-chull founded a small trading company in Taegu, Korea, dealing in dried fish, noodles, and other goods for export. The name Samsung means "three stars" in Korean, reflecting Lee's vision for the company: to shine like stars in the sky — large, strong, and eternally bright. That founding ambition carried the business through decades of diversification, into textiles, insurance, and retail, before Samsung Electric Industries was established in Suwon, South Korea, on January 13, 1969, marking the company's entry into home appliances and consumer electronics.

From that foundation, Samsung Electronics grew rapidly into a genuinely global technology leader, becoming the world's largest manufacturer of smartphones and televisions, and a major force in semiconductors, displays, and home appliances. The Galaxy series, including the flagship S and Note lines, became a defining name in mobile technology, while Samsung's audio and TV divisions have continued pushing display and sound innovation forward.