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If you mean major technology brands that come from South Korea, five prominent examples are Samsung, SK hynix, Coupang, LG and Naver. Brand Finance’s 2026 Technology 100 release lists all five among South Korea’s leading technology brands. They are not five foreign brands acquired by Korean companies: they are Korean-origin companies and brands. For a clear example of a foreign technology business controlled by a South Korean parent, look to Harman, which Samsung lists among its controlled subsidiaries.
What does “owned by South Korean companies” mean?
The phrase can describe two different relationships: a South Korean company and its own technology brand, or a foreign business controlled by a South Korean parent. The five names below fit the first description. Harman is a distinct example of the second. A company’s South Korean identity also does not mean that all its shares are held by South Korean shareholders.
Brand Finance estimated the combined value of South Korea’s five leading technology brands at USD 135.3 billion in 2026, an 8% increase that year. These are brand-value estimates, not company revenues, market capitalizations or audited financial results. Brand Finance’s 2026 release gives the individual estimates below.
Five major South Korean technology brands
| Brand | Brand Finance 2026 estimated value | Technology area |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | USD 97.4 billion | Consumer electronics and devices |
| SK hynix | USD 15.8 billion | Semiconductors |
| Coupang | USD 8.8 billion | E-commerce and platform technology |
| LG | USD 9.6 billion | Consumer electronics, home and air solutions, and automotive technology |
| Naver | USD 3.7 billion | Internet and platform technology |
1. Samsung
Samsung is the largest of the five by Brand Finance’s 2026 brand-value estimates, at USD 97.4 billion. The company is best known to many consumers for electronics and devices, including Galaxy smartphones. Its South Korean identity and brand do not make it an example of a foreign brand acquired by a Korean company; Samsung is itself the Korean technology brand.
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2. SK hynix
SK hynix is a South Korean semiconductor company. Brand Finance estimated its brand value at USD 15.8 billion in 2026 and placed it 28th among technology brands globally. Its corporate ownership is more specific than the phrase “owned by a Korean company” may suggest: SK hynix reported that SK Square held 20.5% of its shares as of March 31, 2026. That makes SK Square a major shareholder, not the sole owner. SK hynix’s shareholder information provides the dated figure.
3. Coupang
Coupang is a South Korean technology brand associated with e-commerce and platform services. Brand Finance estimated its 2026 brand value at USD 8.8 billion. The same release gave Coupang a Brand Strength Index score of 75.8 out of 100 in 2026, up from 72 out of 100 in 2025; this is a brand-strength rating, not a company valuation or financial return.
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4. LG
LG’s technology portfolio spans TVs, home appliances, air solutions, monitors, and automotive components and solutions. The company identifies LG SIGNATURE as a premium brand and LG ThinQ with its intelligent products and services. Brand Finance estimated LG’s brand value at USD 9.6 billion in 2026 and ranked it 44th among technology brands globally. LG’s global site describes its product areas and named brands.
5. Naver
Naver is a South Korean internet and platform technology brand. Brand Finance estimated its brand value at USD 3.7 billion in 2026, placing it 95th among technology brands globally. Its inclusion illustrates why “technology brand” is broader than hardware makers: technology companies can build their identity around digital platforms as well as devices and components.
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A clear example of a foreign technology business under a Korean parent: Harman
Samsung’s corporate disclosure lists Harman International Industries, Inc. and related Harman companies among its 100%-controlled subsidiaries. This makes Harman a stronger example of a global technology business controlled by a South Korean company than the five Korean-origin brands above. Samsung also lists Bowers & Wilkins entities and other audio businesses in its affiliated-company disclosure; that does not establish that every consumer-facing audio brand is separately listed as a subsidiary. Samsung’s audited financial statements and affiliated-company disclosures show the stated subsidiary relationships.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to interpret the list
- Korean-origin brand: Samsung, SK hynix, Coupang, LG and Naver are the South Korean technology brands identified in Brand Finance’s 2026 list.
- Foreign business controlled by a Korean parent: Harman is the researched example here, with Samsung listing Harman companies as controlled subsidiaries.
- Shareholding is not the same as brand origin: SK Square’s 20.5% stake in SK hynix, reported as of March 31, 2026, is a major-shareholder relationship, not proof of sole ownership.
- Brand value is not financial size: The 2026 USD amounts are Brand Finance estimates of brand value; they should not be read as revenue or market capitalization.
Brand Finance’s Alex Haigh, Managing Director for Asia Pacific, said: “South Korea’s technology brands are shaping a stronger global presence, with operational excellence, technological innovation, and customer-focused strategies fuelling brand value growth.”
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