[On the Job] Backed by LG, a Young Ethiopian Embarks on a Promising Career in Tech

Libanos Tadiyos of LG Electronics Middle East posing for a photo with LG PuriCare next to her

In this installment of On the Job, we meet Libanos Tadiyos of LG Electronics Middle East (LGEME) to know how she is building her expertise in appliance repair as well as her continuing journey with LG.

“Based on my past and on-going experiences with LG, I live by the life motto of ‘one opportunity used wisely can change your life dramatically’.”

LG Electronics Middle East

Libanos Tadiyos is a native of Ethiopia and an intern at LG Electronics Middle East (LGEME), the regional service arm that provides training for product engineers covering the company’s nine main local offices. Remarkably, she is the first student to have completed her studies with the help of LG and went on to work at an overseas subsidiary of LG.

However, her journey to become an intern at LGEME spans three generations, beginning with her grandfather and his tie with Korea, the home of LG. Let’s take a look at how the company has been with Libanos every step of the way.

Going back more than six decades, when the Korean War broke out in 1950, Libanos’s grandfather, Negatu Anbaye, traveled from Ethiopia to the Korean peninsula along with 6,000 other Ethiopian soldiers to provide military aid to the South. Sadly, Libanos’s grandfather was killed in battle at the young age of 24.

Ethiopia was the sole African nation to send troops to Korea during the conflict, a fact that LG has never forgotten. The company continues to provide aid to families of Korean War veterans in Ethiopia through the Executive Social Contribution Fund, which was established in 2004 to help fund activities and initiatives beneficial to society. LG executives based in Korea and in overseas offices operate the fund, each contributing 0.5 percent of their salary to be put toward good causes in Africa and around the globe.

As a descendant of a Korean War veteran, Libanos was able to receive aid through LG’s Executive Social Contribution Fund, the existence of which she found out through a local hospital where her grandmother was receiving treatment. Throughout high school, Libanos received an educational scholarship and financial support. Not stopping here, she later attended classes at the IT department of the LG-KOICA Hope TVET College – a tuition-free school that offers an array of training programs designed to give young Ethiopians marketable skills with which to enter the workforce.

Based on the expertise she gained at the college, Libanos continued her career as an intern at LGEME. And, after five months, her thirst and aptitude for hands-on repair work led her down the path of becoming a qualified product engineer. She has been steadily building her expertise in appliance repair for more than two years now and plans to enter an engineer-level training course that will teach her how to repair all LG products, including TVs, washing machines and refrigerators. In June, Libanos will also start developing appliance diagnosis content, further broadening her base of knowledge and technical capabilities.

“This scholarship has helped me both academically and personally, and I am forever grateful for it,” said Libanos. “Attending the college helped me to improve in many areas, including time management, communication skills, teamwork, perseverance and self-belief. These important work and life skills helped me to achieve good results in class, and have enabled me to continue my journey with LG.”

Libanos, who applied to LGEME after encountering – and being amazed by – LG’s commercial signage displays, aspires to become a high-level engineer one day. Enthusiastic, skilled and able to absorb new technical knowledge, Libanos has her sights set on growing with the company as well as being part of a better future.

“By building on the invaluable experiences and opportunities LG has provided me with, I hope to someday help lead the digital transformation of Ethiopia and the entire African continent. If I’ve learned anything from my journey so far, it’s that, with hard work and the right support, you can achieve anything.”

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LG Continues Its Success at Red Dot Award, Once Again Earning Multiple Accolades

Company Takes Home 24 Awards for Product Design Excellence,
Including One “Best of the Best” Honor

SEOUL, April 3, 2023 — LG Electronics (LG) announces it has received a total of 24 awards at the 2023 edition of the prestigious Red Dot Award. Among its double-digit tally is a Best of the Best accolade for LG OLED Flex, an innovative, bendable TV designed to take gaming and viewing immersion to the next level.

Featuring the world’s first bendable 42-inch OLED screen, LG OLED Flex provides unprecedented screen customizability with twenty levels of curvature to choose from. The unique display delivers a personalized gaming and viewing experience and was designed based on extensive customer research. LG OLED Flex also comes with a wide range of game-specific features, including customizable rear lighting that helps extend the game environment into the user’s space, as well as an intuitive user interface that enhances convenience. LG OLED TVs have been recognized with the Red Dot Design Award every year without exception since its first release in 2013.

One of the many LG products honored at the Red Dot Award, the refrigerator with MoodUP™ boasts color-changing LED door panels and built-in speakers. Enabling users to enliven the kitchen with color and sound, the innovative product belongs to LG’s growing lineup of upgradeable home appliances.

Winners of the Red Dot Innovative Award include the next-generation shoe care solutions, the LG Styler™ ShoeCase and ShoeCare and the LG PuriCare Aero Furniture “table-type” air purifier. Showing LG’s commitment to putting customers first, each of these products was developed considering the needs and wants of real consumers, while the LG Styler ShoeCase and ShoeCare were tested by the company’s own customer advisory group, L.UP. With membership representing a diverse cross-section of society, L.UP consulted directly with LG’s designers, who incorporated their feedback into the final products.*

The Red Dot Award is one of the most respected competitions for product design, communication design and design concepts in the world. This year, approximately 20,000 products from 51 countries were submitted for the jury’s consideration.

“LG is deeply honored to have its innovations recognized by Red Dot, one of the world’s top design award programs,” said Hwang Sung-gul, executive head of LG Electronics’ Corporate Design Center. “These awards are especially meaningful to us because they validate our firm belief that customer value and F.U.N. experiences, which are first, unique and new, are created through products and services that reflect the voice of the customer.”

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* An advisory group L.UP has been operated within the Korean region.

A Vision for the Future Smart Home: LG ThinQ at the Connectivity Standards Alliance Conference

People are listening to presentation of LG ThinQ at the Connectivity Standards Alliance conference

Home should be comfortable. Home should be safe. Home should also be easy to manage and that’s exactly what the latest Internet of Things (IoT) and smart home technologies¹ are designed to help do. With its LG ThinQ smart home platform, LG enables users to enjoy optimal comfort and convenience throughout their living spaces and daily lives. The company recently shared its vision for the home of tomorrow at the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) conference in Seoul, South Korea.

A board member of CSA, the organization that developed the Matter open standard for smart home technology, LG is committed to offering seamless integration between LG ThinQ and other smart home platforms. The company also envisions a Zero Labor Home where LG ThinQ leverages AI and contextual understanding to predict users’ needs and provide tailored services that make everything easier. Based on the three core pillars of evolution, connectivity and openness, here’s how LG ThinQ opens up new possibilities and an unprecedented level of convenience at home.

Evolution for an Innovative Customer Experience

The constant evolution of LG ThinQ highlights LG’s determination to improve and innovate the customer experience. Utilizing AI technology, LG ThinQ (and the smart appliances and devices it connects with) can analyze usage data to learn users’ habits and preferences, creating a personalized experience that becomes better over time. For an even smarter, more customized home experience, ThinQ platform is planning to adopt AI-powered technologies into its services such as ChatGPT and AI-based voice ID. Available right now, the LG ThinQ UP lineup presents home appliances that can evolve to meet each user’s unique taste and lifestyle needs and can be continuously upgraded with downloadable features via the ThinQ app.

Expanded Smart Home Ecosystem With Enhanced Connectivity

To ensure users can enjoy the ever-expanding smart home ecosystem to the fullest, no matter where they are, LG ThinQ aims to further strengthen connectivity. The ThinQ app makes it possible to remotely control LG appliances from a smartphone or tablet, meaning users can adjust and monitor all their gadgets from practically any location. In addition, LG is working on connecting various IoT devices through Matter; creating a hub where users can effortlessly manage Matter-certified appliances and devices from LG and other companies through the ThinQ app. LG currently supports most types of Matter devices including lighting as well as sensors and will continue to expand the connectivity with more devices.

Openness for Integrated Experiences

LG actively pursues an open innovation strategy to improve the usability and convenience of ThinQ. Along with globally-popular AI platforms, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, ThinQ is compatible with Google Calendar, a multitude of third-party apps and connected car services; enabling it to provide users with a range of useful, oft-accessed information through a single app. LG is also working with diverse companies including content platform providers to enhance the ThinQ experience and is always open to new collaborations that add value to its smart home platform.

Zero Home Labor, the Future of Smart Home

Built around its three core pillars, LG ThinQ is delivering better user experiences that will ultimately lead to the realization of the Zero Labor Home, LG’s vision for the future of the smart home.

In the Zero Labor Home, LG ThinQ is the quiet, always-present household assistant that learns the patterns of one’s daily life, making suggestions and proactively managing chores as well as tasks so that it is easy to relax and enjoy spending time in an optimized living environment. Without the user having to do a thing, the ThinQ connected-air conditioner can turn itself on and operate at the ideal air volume and temperature while the air purifier and robot vacuum cleaner automatically swing into action to keep the air and floor inside the home clean. To keep household energy consumption in check, users can monitor how much power their devices are using – individually and collectively – in real time via the ThinQ app. Additionally, once a user has registered an LG appliance on ThinQ, each subsequent LG appliance they purchase will automatically be connected under their ThinQ profile, saving time and hassle.²

With evolution, connectivity and openness at its heart, LG ThinQ is making LG’s vision for a better life at home a reality, giving customers a smart, serene space that delivers convenience, freedom and comfort on a whole new level. To learn more about LG ThinQ, visit www.lg.com/global/lg-thinq.

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¹According to Plume IQ’s smart home market report, there were 17.1 connected devices on average per home worldwide as of June 2022, a 10 percent increase compared to the previous year.
²Availability of the services and features may vary depending on product model or region.

LG Becomes World’s First Auto Component Supplier to Meet Global Standard for Functional Safety and Cybersecurity

An engineer checks functional and cybersecurity aspects for electric vehicle components

LG Continues to Lead Future Vehicular Software Development
by Acquiring Both Functional Safety and Cybersecurity Certifications

SEOUL, March 30, 2023 — LG Electronics (LG) is the first player to meet international testing standards for functional safety and cybersecurity management for vehicles. LG annually updates required certifications for its hardware and software solutions for electric vehicle components through leading global testing organization, TÜV Rheinland.

A respected player in the rapidly growing EV components industry, LG has consistently complied with international regulations and participated in key certification programs. To lead the field of vehicle safety, LG is committed to securing the technical capabilities both at the employee and the organizational level.

Recently, LG research engineer Kim Min-kyu obtained the Automotive Functional Safety Expert qualification, becoming the second individual ever to do so since the qualification program was established in 2011. Also, LG acquired functional safety certification for its ADAS front camera in the ‘4M’ (Material, Method, Machine, Man) categories in 2022. The company’s vehicle components also comply with the Cyber Security Management System (CSMS) – the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s (UNECE) regulation No. 155 (UN R155).

“With the rising importance of vehicle security and safety regulations in the global auto industry, acquiring certification for our auto components and technologies is key to maintaining competitiveness,” said Eun Seok-hyun, President of LG Vehicle component Solutions (VS) Company. “LG will continue to comply with the latest standards and grow its capabilities in safety and security to provide our customers with even more reliable solutions.”

“We congratulate LG on producing Asia’s first Functional Safety Expert, an achievement that reflects the company’s outstanding, across-the-board performance in acquiring top industry certifications and qualifications,” said Frank Juettner, CEO and director of TÜV Rheinland Korea. “Obtaining the latest certifications, including ISO/SAE 21434, demonstrates LG’s commitment to providing its customers and partners with the highest level of product, system safety and security.”

LG has built stellar track records maintaining its innovation at the highest level of quality and reliability. Already in 2018, LG secured technical certification for Functional Safety Management (FSM) in infotainment development, and in 2021, its Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) front camera passed assessments for functional safety (product and processes) based on ISO 26262 – an international functional safety standard for the development of electrical and electronic systems for vehicles.

LG also plans to lead future trends in autonomous driving, where functional safety will be centered on the fast-growing area of Safety of The Intended Functionality (SOTIF). SOTIF is becoming increasingly important as the entire auto industry seeks to incorporate and expand the use of various advanced technologies in their vehicles, including artificial intelligence (AI), high-definition maps, sensor data interfaces and cybersecurity applications.

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LG Named 2023 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year

EPA and DOE Recognize LG Electronics for ‘Sustained Excellence’ in
Environmental Sustainability Efforts and Energy-Efficient Products

SEOUL, March 29, 2023 – LG Electronics has been named 2023 ENERGY STAR^® Partner of the Year-Sustained Excellence by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy. This prestigious honor recognizes the company’s exemplary commitment to protecting the environment and tackling climate change through leadership in ENERGY STAR certified products and promotions. This is the 10th time since 2012 that LG has been named Partner of the Year.

“LG is 100 percent committed to its partnership with ENERGY STAR and the EPA to inspire change, improve efficiency and help create a clean energy future,” said Thomas Yoon, president and CEO of LG Electronics North America. “Consistent with LG’s global ESG mission of a ‘Better Life for All,’ we are proud to help American consumers make a difference with products that deliver energy savings without sacrificing high performance and outstanding design.”

The EPA also recognized LG for its robust participation in various ENERGY STAR campaigns and promotions, helping to educate tens of millions of American consumers about greener living with LG and ENERGY STAR, driving more than 3 billion consumer impressions.

“As we accelerate historic efforts to address climate change, public-private partnerships will be essential to realizing the scale of our ambition,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan, who applauded LG and other ENERGY STAR award winners “for working with EPA to deliver a clean energy future that saves American consumers and businesses money and creates jobs.”

Each year, the ENERGY STAR program honors a select group of businesses and organizations that have made outstanding contributions in the transition to a clean energy economy. ENERGY STAR award winners lead their industries in the production, sale and adoption of energy-efficient products, homes, buildings, services and strategies. These efforts are essential to fighting the climate crisis, protecting public health and creating a clean energy future for everyone.

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LG’s First Digital Signage Projector Delivers Immersive Viewing Experiences

Designed for Diverse Environments, New LG ProBeam Can Produce Massive
300-Inch Images Boasting 4K Resolution and a Peak Brightness of 7,000 ANSI Lumens

SEOUL, March 29, 2023 — LG Electronics (LG) announces the launch of its first digital signage projector, the LG ProBeam 4K UHD (model BU70QGA). Suitable for various environments, including art galleries, exhibition spaces, corporate lobbies, retail stores, showrooms, conference halls and auditoriums, the new 4K digital signage projector provides sharp, impressively large images and has a peak brightness of 7,000 ANSI lumens – the highest of any LG projector to date.

LG ProBeam produces 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution pictures with a 3,000,000:1 contrast ratio at sizes ranging from 40 inches all the way up to 300 inches. Its 7,000 ANSI lumens peak brightness enables the BU70QGA to deliver clear images, even in bright daylight. Additionally, the projector features a reliable laser light source, lens shift, 1.6x optical zoom, built-in wireless connectivity and an integrated camera that aids in setup and positioning.

Edge blending technology enables the seamless connection of overlapping light from two or more projectors through luminance adjustment and color correction. Thanks to this advanced tech, up to nine BU70QGA can be used together to create truly panoramic images and an immersive viewing experience. Museums and art galleries, in particular, will find value in the projectors’ ability to provide large, eye-catching images.

Convenient and versatile, the LG ProBeam is a professional-quality video system suitable for various business environments. Using the BU70QGA’s Auto Screen Adjustment¹ feature, users can quickly calibrate the image to the projection screen and correct image distortion with just one click of a button on the included remote controller. When the projection angle does not align with the screen, LG’s AI sensing technology evaluates lens shift, zoom, focus as well as warp distortion and automatically adjusts the projected image for an optimized viewing experience.

Leveraging a high performance SoC (System-on-Chip), the projector can execute several tasks at once, provide smooth content playback and optimize user convenience with an intuitive UI and simple app development tools. The BU70QGA can also connect with LG ConnectedCare; LG’s cloud-based device management solution for LG digital signage and display devices.² Equipped with webOS 6.0, the new ProBeam allows third-party providers to add projection capabilities to their offering, expanding the diversity and value of LG’s extensive signage ecosystem.

“Our first 4K digital signage projector to feature the LG webOS 6.0 platform, the new LG ProBeam is a powerful and flexible display solution,” said Seo Young-jae, senior vice president and head of the IT business unit of LG Electronics Business Solutions Company. “Designed for the commercial sector, LG’s ProBeam projector lineups offer diverse, customized options that can help customers create professional-grade AV systems tailored to their specific needs.”

LG ProBeam model BU70QGA will launch globally this month, starting in the U.S. For more information, visit LG.com.

Key Specifications:

		LG ProBeam (BU70QGA)
Projection System		DLP
Resolution		4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160)
HDR		HDR 10
Light Source		Laser (LD + P/W)
Light Source Life Time (High Brightness)		20,000 hours
Brightness		7,000 ANSI lumens
Contrast Ratio		3,000,000:1
Noise (Energy Saving Med. Typ.)		33 dB
Projection Lens	Lens Shift	Horizontal ± 28%, Vertical +60%/ -33%
	Zoom	x 1.6 (auto)
	Screen Size	40-300 inches
	Throw Ratio	1.53 – 2.45
Speaker Output		10W (5W + 5W)
Net Size (W x D x H)		570 x 360 x 159 mm (22.4 x 14.2 x 6.3 inches) (Excluding Legs)
Weight		17.8 kg (39.2 lbs)
Keystone		4/9/15/25 Point Warping
Auto Screen Adjustment		Yes
Wireless		Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Platform		webOS 6.0
Signage Management		LG SuperSign CMS

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¹Auto screen adjustment feature may have limitations if the ambient light is too dim or if the edges of the screen are not clearly recognized.
²Subscription required for LG ConnectedCare.

LG Smart TVs Take Learning to the Next Level With MasterClass

A woman watching a gardening lesson from the MasterClass app on her wall-mounted LG Smart TV as she tends to her plants

Millions of LG Customers Can Now Connect With and Learn
From The World’s Best in the Comfort of their Home via webOS

SEOUL, March 28, 2023 — This month, LG Smart TV owners worldwide gain access to MasterClass, the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world’s best across a wide range of subjects, allowing customers to access the platform directly on the big screen at home. Available in LG’s Content Store on LG Smart TVs running webOS 4.0 (2018 TVs) up to the newly launched 2023 TVs, the MasterClass app can be easily accessed by voice command and is featured on Life’s Good Hub.

MasterClass subscribers will be able to get inspired by more than 180 instructors and classes across various categories, such as Arts & Entertainment, Business, Design & Style, Sports & Gaming and Writing, which means there is a class for almost every need and interest. Viewers can step into food truck “godfather” Roy Choi’s kitchen, design their career with Teen Vogue’s former editor in chief and multimedia icon Elaine Welteroth, discover their inner negotiator with former lead FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss, learn leadership from former CEO of PepsiCo Indra Nooyi and relational intelligence from renowned psychotherapist Esther Perel and much more of the world’s best, offering inspiring knowledge and stories for everyone.

New and existing MasterClass subscribers can learn and discover at a pace that best serves their lifestyle – in bite-size pieces or in a single binge, with each class featuring about 20 video lessons at an average of 10 minutes per lesson. Cinematic visuals and close-up demonstrations make viewers feel like they’re one-on-one with the instructors. For those looking to learn by doing, Sessions by MasterClass offers a structured curriculum where members can roll up their sleeves, get hands-on and learn meaningful skills through step-by-step guidance from world-class instructors and an active community of peers.

By introducing MasterClass to its Smart TVs, LG is demonstrating its commitment to offering more versatile home entertainment experiences that appeal to consumers’ unique preferences, needs and interests, with new educational services to be launched later this year.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2023, LG OLED TVs have pioneered and continue to lead the premium TV market, earning many accolades from journalists and industry experts. LG OLED TVs are synonymous with superb picture quality, vibrant, accurate colors and deep blacks for images that are remarkably lifelike. As such, LG OLED TVs have become the preferred TV for many creators and studios. The company is committed to exploring the broad possibilities presented by its self-lit technology as it starts a new decade of OLED leadership and innovation.

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LG Honored With GM’s ‘Supplier of the Year’ Award

The trophy of General Motors' Supplier of the Year Award

Recognized for LG’s Outstanding Contributions as a
Top Supplier in 2022 for Infotainment and Telematics Category

SEOUL, March 27, 2023 — LG Electronics (LG) has been recognized by General Motors (GM) as an excellent supplier for its achievements in the areas of infotainment and telematics at GM’s 31st Annual Supplier of the Year Award. This year’s ceremony, which took place this week in Texas, USA, centered on the theme of ‘Momentum’.

For nearly two decades, LG and GM have been teaming up to bring new innovations to the automotive industry. GM selected LG’s telematics control module for its OnStar service in 2006, and in 2016, based on an electric vehicle project carried out in partnership with LG. LG also provided the world’s first digital cockpit with P-OLED automotive displays for the groundbreaking 2021 New Cadillac Escalade, helping to raise the advanced in-vehicle experience and human-machine interface (HMI) design to new heights.

During the recent pandemic, LG continued to furnish GM with high-quality auto parts without any interruption, despite the difficulties caused by the ongoing global semiconductor shortage. Last year, LG also received the Supply Chain Guarantee Award from SAIC General Motors (SAIC-GM), the joint venture between GM and China’s largest automaker, SAIC Motor. Since 2014, GM has named LG a trustworthy supplier six times.

Through an extensive research and development program, and based on digitalization and the use of its advanced core technologies, LG is focusing on delivering new in-car experiences and greater value to its automaker partners. As part of this, LG is creating an innovative HMI for software-defined vehicles (SDV) that will integrate various vehicle components, collecting and analyzing real-time environmental data. The information displayed through the new HMI will support drivers to make better on-road decisions and help enhance the comfort and safety of all driving occupants.

“We are thrilled to recognize these outstanding suppliers after yet another challenging year in the automotive industry,” said Jeff Morrison, GM vice president of Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. “They overcame countless obstacles and exemplified what it means to be resilient, resourceful and determined. Beyond that, these suppliers demonstrated their commitment to sustainable innovation and to driving advanced solutions in collaboration with the GM team.”

“As our steady and solid partnership with GM suggests, LG has become a trusted and respected innovative partner to leading players in the automotive industry,” said Eun Seok-hyun, president of LG Vehicle component Solutions (VS) Company. “Moving forward, LG will continue to collaborate, create and contribute to the realization of the future mobility era.”

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A Water-Wise Home With LG: How Innovations Can Save and Protect Water

A human hand holding a ball shaped liked Earth with a faucet

Water is fundamental to our very existence – as central to our health as it is to the health of our planet and every other living thing on it. As such, the contamination of our oceans and water supply by microplastics, chemicals and other pollutants is a serious problem that must be confronted. So too is the need for individuals and society as a whole to change their water usage habits. Rising global awareness of these matters has led to increased demand for innovative solutions that can save and protect water, both at home and in nature.

Home is where people typically consume the most water, using it for all sorts of purposes – from showering to washing the dishes – every single day. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average American family consumes approximately 300 gallons of water at home per day, with the household washing machine accounting for a huge chunk of that. The average washer not only uses around 14 to 20 gallons of water per cycle,¹ but also causes microplastics to separate from synthetic fabrics.

Washing dishes by hand is another major culprit when it comes to water use, consuming up to 27 gallons² each time, which is far more than a dishwasher uses to clean a load. Handwashing dishes is not very economical where detergent is concerned either.

Between our appliances and activities at home, it is all too easy to end up using large amounts of water each and every day. With World Water Day (March 22) having just passed, now is a good time to consider the importance of water as well as think of some actions we can take at home to help save and protect it.

A company that has proven its commitment to sustainability time and again, LG provides a range of home appliances that can help people safeguard and conserve the life-giving resource that is water. Two excellent examples are the QuadWash™ dishwasher with TrueSteam™ and a ‘microplastic care’ course for LG ThinQ UP washers.

LG Dishwasher: Efficiently Clean Dishes While Conserving Water

In addition to relieving us of the burden of having to wash dishes by hand, dishwashers can help us save water at home.

LG’s QuadWash dishwasher is extremely efficient with water and extremely effective at getting dishes clean. Thanks to the company’s exclusive TrueSteam technology, the dishwasher leaves plates, glasses and utensils sparkling clean and with fewer water spots.³ It also employs LG’s QuadWash technology, which uses four Multi-Motion spray arms that rotate back and forth, to separate stains and oil from dishes.

While minimizing water intake, LG’s dishwasher maximizes user convenience with the EasyRack™ Plus system. Each rack can be quickly and easily adjusted to accommodate any kind of dishware. What’s more, users can remotely monitor and control the sophisticated dishwasher via the LG ThinQ™ app.

Generating Fewer Microplastics With the Microplastic Care Course

Our clothes need to be washed to keep them looking and smelling their best. However, each time we wash clothes made from synthetic fabrics, they shed minute microplastic fibers into the water. This water then leaves our washers and is discharged into the sea or treated and returned to the water supply. Almost 35 percent⁴ of the microplastics found in the world’s oceans today, come from the washing of synthetic textiles. To help prevent the creation of microplastics from washing laundry at home, LG is introducing its advanced microplastic care course.⁵

The microplastic care course uses LG’s 6 Motion (Tumble, Swing, Rolling, Stepping, Scrubbing and Filtration) technology to decrease friction on fabrics, helping to prevent microplastics from forming and also minimizing energy usage.⁶ ThinQ UP washer users can download the new course from the ThinQ app Upgrade Center.

Water is the Earth’s most precious natural resource, and for a better future for all, we must take action to save and protect it now. With its advanced dishwasher and innovative laundry features, LG is helping people do their part to conserve water and keep microplastics out of our oceans.

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¹ www.energystar.gov/products/clothes_washers
² Washing dishes by hand can use up to 27 gallons of water per load. www.nrdc.org/stories/9-tricks-save-tons-water#:~:text=It%20may%20feel%20more%20virtuous,dish%20before%20you%20load%20it
³ Tested by LG internal lab according to LG internal test methods, cleaning a clear glass on Normal Cycle in LG non-Steam model (DFB415) and LG Steam model (DFB325).
⁴According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), almost 35 percent of microplastics in the oceans come from laundry. portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2017-002-En.pdf
⁵ Availability of the features may vary depending on product model or region.
⁶ Tested by Intertek. Washing 3kg load (comprising a training jacket made of 100 percent polyester) on microplastic care course. Microplastics of over 20㎛ (micrometers) generated during washing were reduced by 70 percent compared to washing the same load using standard washing course. Microplastic care course also reduces water temperature by 75 percent compared to the standard course, lowering energy consumption by 30 percent.

[On the Job] LG SIGNATURE: A Legacy of Customer-Centric Design

View of LG SIGNATURE InstaView Door-in-Door Refrigerator through a door frame.

In this installment of On the Job, we look into the design history of LG SIGNATURE to learn how LG’s luxury brand provides unparalleled customer experiences.

What role does design play in shaping the home appliance user experience? Let us consider the thoughtful innovation that enables users to knock twice on their LG InstaView™ refrigerator to see inside without even having to open the door – or the smart screen applied to LG’s latest washers which streamlines control by replacing the more traditional dials and switches with an intuitive touch-based interface.

(From left to right) Chung Sangin, Kim Jayoen, Hwang Inyoung and Bae Mimi at Home Appliance & Air Solution
LG SIGNATURE UX Design Team

In both of these cases, LG has cleverly evolved key elements of what is called ‘user experience design’ to boost usability and create new convenience that expands and improves the overall customer experience. Armed with a deep understanding of users and their everyday needs, user experience designers at the LG SIGNATURE UX Design Team have played a pivotal role in shaping the unparalleled quality and easy-to-use features that the brand is synonymous with.

Reimagining the Customer Experience

Experience design is not, however, limited to matters of function and user-device interaction. “Taking a look at the term experience from a wider view, we find that experience design actually encompasses aspects of branding – referred to as brand experience – as well as the impact products have on the user’s living environment and day-to-day lifestyle – referred to as customer experience,” explained Kim Jayoen, design professional at LG SIGNATURE UX Design Team.

Designed for those seeking a more luxurious way of living, LG SIGNATURE products bring together the best of aesthetic and functional design to add a touch of sophistication to all areas of the customer experience. The seamless marriage of form and function, LG SIGNATURE’s premium appliances boast a timeless quality that transcends any particular interior decorating trend or style and has struck a chord with discerning consumers worldwide.

Consistent Design Makes a Timeless Brand

The ability to produce a single, coherent aesthetic or design language is crucial when building a consistent, recognizable brand image – and to fostering a lasting brand legacy. “Through design, we’re letting the brand speak to our customers,” said Hwang Inyoung, design professional at LG SIGNATURE UX Design Team. “Part of our job is making it easier for consumers to recognize the unique brand philosophy governing our products, by adhering to a specific visual tone and manner across all appliances.”

From its inception in 2016, LG SIGNATURE has cultivated a product aesthetic that consistently delivers, and clearly conveys, a focus on providing customers with ultra-premium experiences. These experiences are then fully realized by the uniting of elements that are just as integral to the brand’s identity as its distinctive style – namely, impressive performance, user-centric features and high-quality materials.

The first-generation LG SIGNATURE lineup

In 2014, the LG SIGNATURE design committee was formed with the aim of fostering design-centric innovation. Introducing a “design-first, develop-second” product approach which was groundbreaking at the time, the first-generation LG SIGNATURE lineup was revealed to the world at CES 2016. LG’s exclusive brand has remained true to its heritage and is still considered a trailblazer in the luxury home appliance market.

The very essence of style and functionality, LG SIGNATURE’s first-generation products paired clean, sophisticated design with cutting-edge technologies. Completely devoid of knobs and buttons, the first-generation LG SIGNATURE Washer showcased the elegant, minimalist look that has continued to be a hallmark of the brand’s peerless appliances.

Evolving Features, Unchanging Philosophy

While LG SIGNATURE’s commitment to timeless design remains unchanged, its interpretation of next-level luxury – and accordingly, its product offerings – are continuously evolving. Unveiled at this year’s CES under the theme of ‘Live beyond.’, the second-generation LG SIGNATURE lineup presents a refined vision of luxury living, building on all that makes the brand so great and taking it a step further.

The new lineup is in keeping with the minimalism of the first generation, but adds chic new colors, materials and finishes to choose from. Users can look forward to enhanced technologies as well as upgraded design. The new LG SIGNATURE 4-Door French-Door refrigerator, for instance, features Dual InstaView™ for an even more streamlined and convenient customer experience.

The second-generation LG SIGNATURE lineup

Outstanding design outlasts the era in which it was conceived, influencing the way people gauge and appreciate beauty for generations. An iconic brand with a timeless aesthetic, LG SIGNATURE has redefined home appliance design and will never relent in its pursuit of customer-driven innovation. Stay tuned to Beyond News for more on the exclusive, next-level lifestyles curated by LG SIGNATURE.

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[On the Job] Creating the Sound of Life’s Good

In this installment of On the Job, we meet with UX sound designers from the Strategy UX Governance Team at LG Corporate Design Center’s UX Lab to learn how they use sound to enhance the usability and accessibility of LG products.

How do you know when a load of laundry is finished? Most likely, it’s because of a melody played by the washing machine – something simple but catchy that instantly tells you your clothes are ready to unload. But it’s not just washers. Most electrical devices, from laptops to TVs and refrigerators, employ tunes or sounds to provide helpful feedback that enhances the user experience.

As people have become so accustomed to their appliances and gadgets using sound to communicate all kinds of information, the importance of sound design where products are concerned is often overlooked. However, the process of developing these sounds is not as simple as the experts responsible make it appear. Each melody or alert sound must convey a clear message, be pleasant (or at least not irritating) to the ear and match with the product making it. At LG, this task falls to the highly skilled user experience (UX) sound designers from the UX Governance Team.

While their work also concentrates on verifying the results of previous research and the usability of user interface (UI) or UX across all LG products and services, developing UX sound is one of the team’s most important tasks.

Chung Soo-yon, senior sound designer at LG UX Governance Team

“We spend more than half of our working hour with headsets on since it’s our job to adjust and optimize UX sound, as well as to learn about the newest trends in the industry,” said Chung Soo-yon, senior sound designer at LG UX Governance Team.

Musical score sheets and synthesizers are also must-haves for the team’s UX sound designers, enabling them to easily record any melodies that come to mind and allowing other designers in the team to collaborate and refine each tune or sound.

Most home appliances emit sounds using buzzers rather than speakers, so UX sound designers have to ‘translate’ the melody they have created to work with a buzzer. This is when a note frequency chart comes in handy. The chart lists the twelve notes of the chromatic scale and their corresponding frequencies in hertz across different octaves. This helps the designers to find the standard frequency value of each note and convert their melody to a simple yet catchy tune.

Jeong Byoung-zoo, senior sound designer at LG UX Governance Team

“UX sound designers here possess the ability to recognize a product and the brand it belongs to just by hearing the sounds it makes,” said Jeong Byoung-zoo, senior sound designer at the UX Governance Team. “Even when watching a TV show or a movie, my ears are the first things to tell me when there’s an LG product in a scene.”

Among the many kinds of UX sound developed by the UX Governance Team, the sound that a device emits when powered on or off is considered one of the most important. Played more frequently than practically any other UX sound, not only does it notify the user when their device is switching on or shutting down, but it also represents the identity of both the product and brand. From the second half of 2021, LG has applied a set of standard sounds to its products to deliver a consistent brand image to its customers. This set of sounds could be described as the very own language of LG appliances and solutions.

By applying the appropriate tone to the UX sound it creates, LG UX Governance Team aims to help make products more convenient to use while also communicating a friendly brand image. The recently introduced LG ThinQ UP appliances consider the unique needs and tastes of each user, providing them with a variety of alert sounds and melodies to choose from. For example, users who have a light-sleeping baby in the house or just prefer something subtle can select alert sounds that are gentle and short in length. Conversely, users who like to make a statement (and don’t have little ones to worry about) can choose a lively melody that fits their personality or expresses a desired mood.

UX sound can enhance accessibility and usability, help forge a stronger sense of brand identity and foster brand affinity among customers. Deserving more recognition than they typically receive, the dedicated experts at LG UX Governance Team will continue to refine the sounds and tunes they lovingly – and painstakingly – design for the company’s wide range of premium appliances and living solutions.

To learn more about how teams across LG are working to build better user experiences, stay tuned to Beyond News for the next episode in the On the Job series.

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Helping ‘Swipe Out Hunger’ on College Campuses across the USA

A close-up photo of a billboard in Times Square, New York displaying a collaboration of LG with Swipe Out Hunger

Research shows that one in three U.S. college students experiences food insecurity with many students on- and off-campus relying upon their campus food pantries to provide much-needed resources throughout the school year.

To help provide healthy meals to more than 500,000 college students struggling with food insecurity, LG USA has joined forces with Swipe Out Hunger, the leading nonprofit addressing student hunger in the country. Together, the organizations are helping to raise awareness about student food insecurity and ensure that food pantries on campuses across the United States have refrigeration to store healthy foods.

Campus refrigerators provide access to nutritious foods that help students stay focused on their studies and maintain active lifestyles, according to Swipe Out Hunger’s Executive Director Jaime Hansen. The refrigerators have ‘grab and go’ meals, beverages and cooking staples, as well as access to fresh proteins and produce.

However, Swipe Out Hunger notes that 29 percent of its campus pantry partners do not have refrigeration, and a third of them cited lack of funding as the reason why there is no refrigeration on campus. To address this problem, LG provided 120 refrigerator-freezers to 60 campuses across the United States in Swipe Out Hunger’s network. In addition to providing refrigeration for food pantries, these Energy Star^® certified LG refrigerators help conserve energy, thus supporting the sustainability goals of many colleges and universities.

LG is also stocking these fridges with healthy and nutritious food for the campuses’ communities, as well as providing grants for additional 40 colleges and universities to upgrade their current campus refrigerators. In total, this alliance will serve meals to 500,000 college students across the nation.

“LG’s collaboration with Swipe Out Hunger will transform the nutrition and availability of food for students experiencing hunger today and in the future,” says Hansen. “Access to fresh, nutritious food options will help students achieve their higher education goals.”

“This will allow us to add perishable items to our food pantry, something that wasn’t included before,” said Charlyne Yue, M.S., Senior Associate Director of Student Affairs at Southwestern Law School, who shared her appreciation of the support from LG and Swipe Out Hunger. “Thanks to their generosity, our students experiencing food insecurity will be able to focus on studying rather than worrying about their next meal.”

In light of the post-pandemic demand for campus pantries across the country, LG is inviting others to help fight food insecurity on U.S. college campuses. In March, the company’s electronic billboard in Times Square, New York City included a call-to-action through a QR Code where people can join LG in supporting the good work of Swipe Out Hunger.

“Working with Swipe Out Hunger aligns with LG’s global ESG mission of a Better Life for All. Beyond providing refrigerators to campus food pantries for much-needed fresh food storage, LG is proud to support Swipe Out Hunger’s mission to end college student hunger,” said John Taylor, senior vice president of LG USA.

For those interested in supporting these efforts, please visit swipehunger.org/lg/.

Contributed by LG USA

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LG CEO Advocates Busan for World Expo 2030 in Latin America

LG CEO William Cho and Brazilian Senator Rodrigo Pacheco posing with the book of Busan’s bid to host World Expo 2030.

World Expos, which were born in 1851 in London with the Great Exhibition, are a global gathering of diverse nations designed to address pressing challenges of our time. Held every five years, this colossus event has become one of the most important global platforms effectively bridging governments, companies, international organizations and citizens.

In September 2022, South Korea’s port city of Busan officially submitted its formal bid to host World Expo under the theme, “Transforming Our World, Navigating Toward a Better Future.” We’ll find out which city has been elected to host later this year, after each bid received by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) is analyzed and voted on by its 171 Member States.

In preparation for the BIE conducting a due diligence visit to Busan next month, CEO William Cho acted as a special envoy for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea as he visited several Central and South American countries including Brazil and Chile. CEO Cho received considerable positive response from governments of both countries regarding support for Busan’s bid to host World Expo 2023.

(From left to right) LG CEO William Cho and Brazilian Senator Rodrigo Pacheco

Beginning his Latin American trip in Brazil on March 13, Mr. Cho met members of the National Congress of Brazil, including Senator Rodrigo Pacheco, to discuss the unique characteristics of beautiful Busan that make it the best candidate to host World Expo 2023. CEO Cho even invited about 70 key figures, including 15 Brazilian congressmen, to the Korean Embassy in Brazil to share the significance and willingness of South Korea to host World Expo 2023 in Busan.

“Busan is an eco-friendly smart city boasting some of the most innovative technologies to better mankind,” said CEO Cho.

The next day, CEO Cho continued his trip by visiting Chile, where he met with Undersecretary of International Economic Relations Claudi Sanhueaz and General Director of Bilateral Economic Affairs at the Chilean Undersecretariat of International Economic Affairs Sebastián Gómez, asking for their consideration and support of Busan’s bid.

During his talks with local leaders, CEO Cho spotlighted Korea’s status as a state-of-the-art powerhouse and Busan’s as a transportation and logistics hub for East Asia, as well as a city overflowing with rich culture, entertainment and global tourism infrastructure.

While touring key markets around the world, the CEO prioritizes meetings with local government officials to discuss ways to expand LG’s cooperation with local companies. This was no different during CEO Cho’s travels across Central and South America, where he visited local subsidiaries and major production sites to talk with local employees and review business operations and strategies.

Headquartered in South Korea, LG first expressed its strong commitment to supporting Busan’s bid by setting up a dedicated task force led by the CEO himself. Since then, the company has been actively engaged in numerous activities promoting Korea’s second city for World Expo 2030, home and abroad. But this isn’t CEO Cho’s first promotional campaign overseas, as he promoted the bid during trips to Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire and Ethiopia last November.

The company has also screened promotional videos of Busan on various LG displays and billboards across the world. In Korea, these videos have been aired at international airports in Gimpo and Gimhae as well as the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas Hotel in bustling Gangnam. Elsewhere, this video series has graced LG’s world-famous outdoor displays in New York City’s Times Square and London’s Piccadilly Circus, among many others.

The company hopes its promotional efforts will help Busan’s World Expo 2030 bid be successful and will continue to leverage its vast global network of 140 subsidiaries to promote Korea’s popular coastal city as the ideal host of World Expo 2030.

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[LG SIGNATURE Inspirations] Your Next Travel Destination, Recommended by LG SIGNATURE

LG SIGNATURE InstaView refrigerators installed at a spacious and prestigious dining room

For the last few years, the pandemic has stopped us from visiting the amazing places and cultures this world has to offer. Thankfully, the era of staycations is coming to an end as travel continues to make a comeback. Last year, over 900 million tourists traveled abroad and this year, tourism is expected to reach 80 to 95 percent of pre-pandemic levels – according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

For those planning a trip overseas, LG SIGNATURE highly recommends two cities that reflect the brand’s embrace of art and tech while delivering unique value to visitors. By visiting these beautiful, distinct metropolises, LG SIGNATURE hopes people can rediscover the amazing possibilities of life so that they can look forward to the future.

Everlasting Inspiration: Rome

Among the most beautiful and fascinating cities in the world, magnificent Rome and its splendid ancient treasures and historic heritage are beyond compare. Located in the middle of the Italian peninsula, Rome was affectionately called the ‘Eternal City’ by the Romans because, no matter what the future held for them, they believed that the city would always remain standing. In truth, there’s no better place to embark on a journey of cultural and historical exploration than the storied streets of Rome which hold a timeless beauty uniquely developed, exquisitely characterized and perpetually sustained.

Representing the impeccable harmony between meticulous craftsmanship and technological advancement, this glorious city never fails to inspire visitors from around the world with its influential architecture, iconic fine arts and historic legacy. Anyone lucky enough to step foot here will find themselves in a state of wonderment thanks to the expertly preserved ancient relics and masterpieces scattered across the city.

Taking a stroll in such a historic setting is as educational and eye-opening as touring some of the world’s greatest museums. There’s only one place to soak up thousands of years of history in the city that Julius Caesar, Spartacus and Augustus all once called home.

Photo credit: Deensel (Flickr)

Once a temple built to honor the Roman gods, the grandest Pantheon now stands as a beautiful Catholic church and a reminder of the remarkable architectural prowess of one of history’s most formidable empires, and how they were able to redefine the meaning of beauty through advanced Roman technology that was way ahead of its time. The use of high-quality concrete, flawless attention to detail and perfect proportionality has beautifully preserved the 2000-year-old Pantheon, the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome.

Photo credit: David Lebech (Flickr)

Behind the marvelous beauty it symbolizes, Trevi Fountain, Rome’s most famous water feature, also embodies the innovative technology of ancient times which for 400 years helped bring the city clean water from a spring 13 miles away.

It is the ethos of art and technology that serves as the never-ending source of inspiration Rome possesses, and in a deep appreciation to the city’s embrace of such values, LG SIGNATURE has collaborated with world-renowned La Scala opera house in a celebration of craftsmanship, innovation and inspiration.

The City of Sprint and Spirit: New York City

Our second destination is undeniably the most invigorating city on the planet, bustling with people throughout the year. The modern center of the world’s economy and a symbol of prosperity and timeless aesthetics, New York City thrives with life and passion. The city that never sleeps continues to enchant and inspire millions of people through an incredible melting pot of human potential and possibility.

In New York City, one immediately encounters a world of endless movement, diversity and empowerment along with an array of iconic landmarks to admire, from the Statue of Liberty and the concrete jungle to the trove of museums, theaters and art galleries. Rich in cultural and ethnic diversity, the electric atmosphere of New York City will forever stimulate creativity and inspire innovation for people from all walks of life.

Photo credit: sama093 (Flickr)

Driven by the dynamics of art and technology, NYC’s Brooklyn Bridge is a must-see landmark emblematic of energetic movement. It also marks one of the biggest architectural accomplishments of the 19^th century, thanks to engineering breakthroughs that allowed it to span across the East River and connect Manhattan and Brooklyn. Since its construction 140 years ago, the colossus bridge has been captivating visitors with an unsurpassable spectacle of sweeping landscapes.

Photo credit: Thomas Hawk (Flickr)

The Empire State building is another extraordinary site, the 102-story-tall skyscraper that best encapsulates NYC’s reputation for pushing the boundaries by holding the record of the world’s tallest building from 1931 to 1970. At its observation deck, one can’t help but admire the city’s incomparable skyline.

Rome and New York all emphasize the harmony achieved as a result of embracing art and tech. With these destination recommendations, LG SIGNATURE hopes it can complete its mission of empowering inspiration, movement and harmony. Stay tuned to Beyond News to see how LG SIGNATURE continues to inspire people by marrying the best of aesthetics and craftsmanship.

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LG Newsroom