[Edaily Reporter JAEMIN SONG ] As SamsungElectronics and LGELECTRONICS have identified robots as their next-generation growth engine, Samsung Display and LG Display are also turning their attention to humanoid robots as a new source of demand for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The domestic display industry, which has been struggling due to China’s offensive with low-cost liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, is expanding its OLED market reach to robots, following smartphones and automobiles.

According to industry sources on the 22nd, SamsungElectronics and LGELECTRONICS recently launched the “RX Business Promotion Office” and the “Robotics Business Center,” respectively, both reporting directly to their respective CEOs. As the two companies accelerate their efforts beyond robot research and development toward commercialization and market entry, forecasts suggest that new business opportunities will open up for display affiliates within their respective groups.

In particular, humanoid robots designed for home, indoor, and service use must visually convey facial expressions, eye movements, navigation instructions, and task status to communicate with humans. As robots expand beyond manufacturing sites into homes and service spaces, demand for displays—as the key interface connecting humans and machines—is bound to increase.

OLEDs lack a backlight, making them thin and lightweight, and enabling non-standard designs—such as curved or circular shapes—tailored to the robot’s form. Since pixels can be turned off on a black screen to reduce power consumption, they are well-suited for humanoids, where battery life is critical. The technology for withstanding impacts and temperature fluctuations, accumulated through the development of automotive OLEDs, could also serve as a key asset in targeting the robotics market.

The two companies unveiled related technologies at “K-Display 2026,” held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on that day. Samsung Display showcased a display for humanoids featuring a 6.9-inch OLED mounted on the face that tracks visitors’ gaze and moves the eyes accordingly. It also introduced the “OLED Companion AI Toy,” which incorporates a 1.3-inch circular OLED. LG Display unveiled a plastic OLED (P-OLED) for humanoids—based on its automotive tandem OLED technology—for the first time in South Korea.

The backdrop to global companies’ successive entry into the robotics market is the prospect of rapid growth. In a report last May, Goldman Sachs revised its forecast for the global humanoid market in 2035 upward by more than sixfold, from the previous estimate of $6 billion to $38 billion (approximately 56 trillion won).

While Chinese companies are leading the way in finished robot products, South Korean firms are considered to hold an advantageous position in OLEDs, which serve as a core interface. According to market research firm Omdia, South Korea accounted for 68.3% of the global OLED market in terms of revenue last year, more than doubling China’s share (31.3%).

An industry official stated, “Humanoid robots require displays that simultaneously meet the requirements of design flexibility, durability, and low power consumption,” adding, “After securing initial demand for the robot business within the group, we will be able to expand our supply channels to the global market.”