LG Electronics held discussions with China’s Hisense about restructuring or selling its television business, Korean outlet EBN reported on Thursday, in a move that would end nearly 60 years of Korean TV manufacturing. LG’s TV leadership flew to Beijing for talks with Hisense’s senior management, where a full sale was among the options on the table. Neither company has confirmed the discussions or any agreement.
LG’s TV division has been bleeding share and margin under pressure from Chinese manufacturers. In Q4 2025, Hisense and TCL overtook Samsung and LG combined in global TV shipments for the first time — Hisense at 15.6%, TCL at 14.6%, against Samsung’s 16.4% and LG’s 9.8% — according to Omdia.
LG’s TV unit posted an operating loss in 2025 as Chinese brands undercut it on price across mass-market screen sizes. EBN cited a shipment share stuck in the low-to-mid 10% range and a chronic low-profit structure as driving the re-evaluation.
Meanwhile, LG’s webOS platform — licensed to third-party TV manufacturers — now generates more than 1 trillion won in annual sales and has grown at a compound annual rate exceeding 60%, according to industry sources cited by Korean financial outlet Financial News. EBN said LG is actively considering a scenario in which it exits TV manufacturing but keeps webOS as a software and advertising business serving monitors, automotive displays, and smart home systems.
In January, Sony announced a joint venture giving TCL a 51% controlling stake in its global TV and home audio operations, with Sony retaining 49% and contributing its Bravia brand and picture-processing technology. Binding agreements followed in March; the new company targets April 2027 for operations.
Hisense and TCL have driven this pressure through aggressive pricing on large-screen sets and major sports sponsorships — Hisense is an official sponsor of the 2026 FIFA World Cup — as legacy brands have struggled to compete outside premium OLED.
LG has made this kind of exit before. In 2021, after accumulating years of losses, it shut down its smartphone business — ending lines including the LG Wing and V-series — and redirected resources to EV components, smart home systems, and B2B solutions. Its vehicle solutions unit posted record revenue and operating profit in 2025.
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