Samsung TV Veteran of 20 Years Says Great Technology Should Disappear

“If you don’t notice the technology, that’s when we’ve done our job,” says Samsung’s Head of TV, reflecting on 20 years at the company and 20 years of shared moments.

For twenty years, Samsung TVs have lived quietly at the centre of people’s homes – present not only for entertainment, but for moments that connect us, move us, and stay with us long after the screen goes dark.

This year, Samsung celebrates two remarkable milestones^[1]. Firstly celebrating 20 years as the global No.1 TV brand. Secondly, our Head of PQ Labs, Shinwoo Choi, reflects on his own 20-year journey at Samsung – a career that has grown alongside the evolution of television itself.

When he first joined Samsung as a young engineer, television innovation was still defined largely by hardware. What drew him to the company was his belief that technology should shape everyday life, not just compete on specifications. “Samsung always challenged us to think beyond what was possible today, that culture pushed me to grow with the technology.”

“When people ask me about innovation, they often expect me to point to a specific breakthrough, but the moments I remember most aren’t product launches. They’re human moments.”

One of those moments came in 2010, during the Vancouver Winter Olympics. As Kim Yuna stepped onto the ice, millions of people gathered around their TVs. Families, neighbours and even strangers paused together. When she won gold it wasn’t just a sporting triumph, it became a shared emotional memory that filled living rooms across Korea and around the world.

“That was when I truly realised TVs could be more than screens, they could become the centre of collective memory.”

During the past two decades, Samsung has helped redefine what television can be – from early display breakthroughs and QLED innovation to immersive experiences, AI-powered personalisation and micro-level light control. For those building the technology from the inside however, the goal was never about specs alone.

“In the past innovation meant making things brighter or clearer. Today, true innovation is about making technology invisible.”

Modern Samsung TVs automatically adapt to content, environment and viewing behaviour, allowing people to fully immerse themselves without noticing the technology working behind the scenes. AI quietly enhances picture quality, revives old home videos and optimises scenes in real time. “If you don’t notice the technology, that’s when we’ve done our job.”

Samsung’s achievement of 20 consecutive years as the world’s No.1 TV brand is a milestone he speaks about with humility rather than triumph.

“This title belongs to the engineers, designers and teams who came before us. Many of them shaped how I think about leadership today. Being No.1 isn’t an endpoint – it’s a responsibility.”

Trust matters because TVs stay with families for years, often longer than any other screen in the home. That longevity demands reliability, durability and continued care long after purchase. Samsung’s approach reflects this, with rigorous testing, long-term software support and innovation designed to serve real human needs.

A clear example is AI upscaling. As Shinwoo explains, “This isn’t about chasing resolution, it’s about restoring cherished memories, family videos, old films – and letting people experience them with new clarity.”

Across generations, the scenes repeat themselves: families cheering during major sporting events, friends gathering for movie nights, gamers leaning forward in silence. In a world increasingly defined by personal screens, the TV remains one of the few devices that still brings people together.

He describes Samsung TVs as a ‘digital campfire’, a modern gathering point that draws people back into shared spaces and shared moments.

As Samsung reflects on two decades at the top of the global TV industry, his focus remains firmly on the future. After 20 years, his curiosity hasn’t faded, it has sharpened.

“The next chapter is about making technology even more intuitive, more present, and more human,” he says.

Television began as “Tele” and “Vision”, seeing from afar. His hope is that Samsung TVs will be remembered for something more.

Tele. Vision. Everywhere.

Always there. Always evolving. And always part of the moments that matter.

[1]Source – Omdia, Feb-2026. Samsung TV has been ranked Global No.1 selling TV Brand for 20 consecutive years by Omdia. Results are not an endorsement of Samsung.