Where Are LG TVs Made? 9 Things You Need To Know (2023)

They say curiosity killed the cat.

I disagree.

All curiosity did for me was make me feel hungry for answers…

Like, for example, where are LG TVs made?

And, if you’re curious too, stick around.

Keep reading to discover:

Where LG produced their first TV.
Why LG TV restructured its production line and moved to Indonesia.
9 important things you need to know about where LG TVs are made.
And so much more…

Where are LG TVs made?

LG TVs are primarily made in Changwon, South Korea. Starting there, they expanded their manufacturing to the USA. Now, they also have factories on all continents, except Antarctica. The most notable non-South Korea LG factories are located in Indonesia and New Jersey.

9 things you need to know about LG TVs

#1: LG started in South Korea

Let me tell you a story:

The year was 1958.

Koo In-Hwoi tries his hand at a cosmetics business suggested by his brother.

But this was far from his first business venture.

He’s tried selling merchandise and trading goods. He even started importing charcoal for the Korean military.

And they all failed.

However, the cosmetics business was different…

The company was then called Goldstar, but it wasn’t Goldstar for too long…

In fact, it wasn’t even a cosmetics company after a few years in the business.

For a couple of years, their focus was on selling:

Soap.
Make-up.
Detergents.
Toothbrush and toothpaste.

But they also began to sell:

Fans.
Telephones.
Air conditioners.

And in 1966, Koo spearheaded the release of the first locally produced TV in Korea.

By the 1990s, Goldstar was long gone. The company was called LG.

Fun fact: LG is also the first in many things in the TV business, like:

First 55-inch Full HD LCD TV in 2004.
First 71-inch Full HD PDP TV in 2004.
First 84-inch Ultra HD TV in 2011.
First HDR-capable 4K OLED TV in 2015.
First 98-inch 8K TV in 2016.

#2: The first LG overseas factory was in Hunstville, Alabama

Suddenly, it was the 1970s…

Watergate broke the news, the Cold War was afoot, and Elvis Presley passed away.

Meanwhile, LG (still called Goldstar) was producing more than a million TVs a year in Korea.

And growth is the next goal for the company.

That’s why—during the 70s—they started building their first overseas factory in Alabama.

After all, the USA is among the only superpowers in the world.

And it paid off.

In 1982, the factory was complete.

It took some time…

But in the 90s, LG established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the states.

By 1995, they had already absorbed a US-based TV company called Zenith. And in 1998, LG partnered with Philips to develop the world’s first 60-inch plasma TV.

And to think that all that was only possible because they took a gamble and expanded in the USA.

#3: The Englewood facilities

Let’s fast forward to the present.

Today, there are more LG factories and manufacturing plants to count.

And they’re not planning to stop anytime soon.

One of their plans is to erect a new headquarters in Englewood, New Jersey.

Now, I know you might be wondering:

“Why there? What’s in Englewood?”

You see, LG may be one of the biggest digital companies in the entire world…

But they’re still a South Korean entity.

That’s why they’re prioritizing Englewood:

Because they have one of the largest Korean-American populations in the whole USA.

You see, Englewood Cliffs Town is in Bergen County.

And Bergen County has the top 5 US towns with the largest Korean-American population. As of 2018, they also hold 11 out of the top 18.

#4: The LG Vizag Plant Gas Leak

Some people have the wrong idea about factories.

What do I mean by that?

Most people assume that a single factory creates an entire TV…

When they don’t.

For example, the largest LG factories you’ll see mostly do assembly and distribution.

However, a different site creates screens. Another makes the hardware parts…

One of these factories was located in Visakhapatnam, India.

Their specialty is manufacturing polymers that are useful in creating:

Toys.
Textiles.
Auto parts.
Plastic bags.

But for LG TVs, they produce the backlight. Which is responsible for the brightness of your TV.

However, the said plant started a national disaster in India.

The 2020 LG Vizag Plant Gas Leak killed 11 people. There were also a thousand more that were severely harmed.

It was a tragedy, but not without a silver lining…

After the gas leak, LG immediately launched an investigation into the incident.

As a result, they also started creating a safer way to make polymers.

#5: The Durban fire

Now, let’s go to a different part of the world to hear some more essential facts.

I kid, but I believe it’s essential to know these facts when talking about where LGs are made.

Especially ones that concern LG TV manufacturing.

For this, let’s turn our focus on Durban, South Africa.

LG invested a lot of time and effort in developing their factory there.

In fact, it’s a little bit misleading to call it a plant…

When it’s actually a full-scale park.

Created in 2020, the Cornubia Industrial Park was LG’s headquarters in South Africa. It was also home to more than a hundred employees at the time.

It was a little more than just a year when civil unrest shook the nation…

And the park was an unfortunate casualty of this.

The employees were stuck inside while protesters looted and burned down the factory.

Thankfully, no one was hurt…

But it did result in millions of profit loss for LG.

#6: The expansion of LG’s Guangzhou plant

Ready to hear some good news? Because I got plenty.

Starting with the expansion of their manufacturing facilities in Guangzhou, China.

First, let’s talk numbers.

Here’s what you have to know about their Guangzhou plant:

Largest LG screen and monitor factory.
Produces 30000 OLED panels monthly.
Manufactures between 7 and 8 million screens annually.

I know—big numbers.

And that’s because the LG plant in Guangzhou doesn’t just make TVs for LG…

They also manufacture the screens of other brands, like:

Sony.
Vizio.
Philips.
Panasonic.

And they’re planning on making more.

Indeed, plans are underway to expand the LG Guangzhou line in 2023.

For what reason?

The growing demand for OLED TVs.

Manufacturers sold more than 2 million OLED TVs in 2020. The next year, it was 3.54 million.

And in 2022, Omdia projects it to be more than 5 million TVs.

That’s why LG is going all-in on their Guangzhou plant.

You may also be interested in: Is Sony A Good TV Brand?

#7: The LG main headquarters

Since LG started as a Korean company before becoming multi-national…

It’s only fitting that their main headquarters is in Seoul, South Korea.

If you go to Seoul and see 2 buildings right next to each other…

That’s LG’s Twin Towers.

Now, you might say:

“I thought we were talking about where LG manufactures their TVs.”

Yes. We are.

But everything starts with an idea…

A spark that could change something or create something for the better.

And for LG?

This headquarters is where it all begins.

#8: The major move to Indonesia

During the pandemic, people ended up buying more and better TVs…

LG reported a 31.7% spike in 2020. Which was worth more than $250 million.

And, LG isn’t stopping anytime soon.

Now, they chose to restructure their entire TV production line. The reason was to limit their cost-to-profit ratio potentially.

How?

By moving two of the six factories in Gumi, South Korea to their Cibitung plant in Indonesia.

The reason?

Indonesia is a strategically placed country with a lot of ports.

With this move, LG can cut down on its distribution expenses.

Furthermore, this isn’t good news only for LG…

Because they’ll be creating more jobs in Indonesia with this move.

Overall, a win-win for everyone.

#9: The development of the Lighthouse Factory

The future is here.

How do I know?

Because I caught a glimpse of LG’s plans for their Lighthouse Factory in South Korea.

What’s their plan, you ask?

You see, there’s already an existing LG industrial park in Changwon…

But this isn’t enough for LG.

Instead, they want to make it the world’s largest cathode materials factory.

In doing so, other brands will flock to LG for the parts of their TVs.

Not only that, but LG wants to create the entire park as a smart park.

This will mean self-driving cars, robot employees, and automated building of every TV.

Imagine that.

Truthfully, apart from engineers, there’s no place for people in LG’s Lighthouse.

But it sure will be a sight to see.

If you want to see LG’s plans for the Lighthouse, check this video out:

Are LG TVs reliable?

LG TVs are reliable.

In fact, they’ve cultivated a reputation of being one of the best TV manufacturers in the world.

And, honestly, why wouldn’t they be?

They consistently have the best displays in the business. So much so that other brands use LG TV screens, you just don’t know it.

As for their software?

Their webOS is a personal favorite of mine for being a fast and smooth platform.

And aside from being a pioneer in TV production, they’re also known to have great customer service.