Samsung, LG air conditioners see rise in demand amid record-level heat forecasts

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Samsung, LG air conditioners see rise in demand amid record-level heat forecasts

Published: 13 Apr. 2026, 14:34 Updated: 13 Apr. 2026, 19:43

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Aircons are seen at a Himart electronics store. [LOTTE HIMART]

With record-level heat forecast for this summer and the earlier-than-usual arrival of warm weather, demand for air conditioners has risen sharply.

Appliance makers are already preparing for the seasonal market by running factories at full capacity and launching discount campaigns.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said on Sunday that there is a 60 percent chance that average temperatures in April and May will be higher than normal this year.

The KMA also forecasts a 50 percent chance that the number of unusually hot days in April will exceed the seasonal norm of 1.9 to 4 days.

In Seoul, an unusually hot day in April is defined as one with a daytime high above 23.4 degrees Celsius (74.1 degrees Fahrenheit). Rising sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic and reduced snow cover in Europe had strengthened anticyclonic circulation near the Korean Peninsula, pushing temperatures higher, according to the agency.

After several years of long, hot summers, consumers are already moving to buy summer appliances. CJ Onstlye said interim results from a discount event running from April 3 through Sunday showed that air conditioner order value rose about 250 percent from the same event last year.

To prepare for the jump in demand, appliance makers are accelerating production and sales of summer appliances. Samsung Electronics, which launched two Bespoke AI WindFree Combo air conditioner models in February, is now running its air conditioner production line at its Gwangju plant at full capacity on the back of strong demand for the new products.

Samsung's new Bespoke AI air conditioners are on display at the Samsung R&D Campus in southern Seoul on Feb. 5. [NEWS1]

It is also holding a discount promotion this month to mark the 10th anniversary of its WindFree air conditioner line.

“We are speeding up production to respond quickly to surging demand,” a Samsung Electronics official said. “Last month, we also began our preseason air conditioner inspection service early as we prepare for what is expected to be record heat.”

LG Electronics is also holding an All New Sale promotion through Friday at its official online store, offering discounts of up to 38 percent on air conditioners.

“Air conditioner sales during the first 10 days of April rose 56 percent from the previous month,” an LG Electronics spokesperson said. “Sales are moving faster than they did a year earlier. To prepare for the sharp rise in demand, we are operating the air conditioner production line at our Changwon plant at close to full capacity.”

Dyson's HushJet Mini Cool portable fan seen on the company's online store. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Dyson plans to launch its first portable electric fan, the HushJet Mini Cool Fan, in Korea next month. The product went on sale in the United States on Thursday for $99.99 (148,255 won).

Weighing 210 grams (7.4 ounces), it can be carried around or placed on a desk. It is equipped with a brushless motor that spins more than 10 times faster than those used in ordinary portable fans, generating wind speeds of up to 25 meters per second (55.9 miles per hour).

“As installation can be delayed when customers buy air conditioners during peak season, more people are choosing to buy early,” an appliance industry representative said. “With record heat expected again this summer, demand for cooling appliances is likely to rise sharply.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM KYOUNG-MI [[email protected]]