He isn't your typical corporate figurehead. Most people know him as JH Han, but his full name is Han Jong-hee, and he’s currently steering the massive ship that is Samsung Electronics. Since taking the reins as Vice Chairman and CEO of the DX (Device eXperience) Division, he’s been obsessed with one thing: making sure your fridge, your phone, and your TV actually talk to each other without making you want to pull your hair out. It's a tall order. For years, Samsung was just a giant collection of separate silos. You had the guys making TVs and the guys making phones, and they barely ate lunch together, let alone synced their software. Han changed that.
Han Jong-hee joined Samsung back in 1988. Think about that for a second. That’s nearly four decades in the trenches. He’s a "TV guy" by trade, having spent years in the Visual Display business. If you own a Samsung QLED or one of those fancy MicroLED screens that cost as much as a small car, you can thank him. He was instrumental in keeping Samsung at the top of the global TV market for 18 straight years. That kind of longevity doesn't happen by accident.
What Han Jong-hee is really doing at Samsung
The big shift happened in late 2021. Samsung merged its mobile and consumer electronics divisions. It was a massive internal earthquake. Han was tapped to lead this new DX Division. Why? Because the "Internet of Things" (IoT) was a mess of proprietary apps and clunky setups. Han’s mandate was simple but incredibly difficult: create a "One Samsung" experience. He’s been pushing SmartThings into everything. He wants the ecosystem to be open, which is why he’s a huge proponent of Matter, the industry standard that lets different brands play nice together.
He talks a lot about "Calm Technology." It sounds like marketing fluff, right? But the idea is actually pretty grounded. It’s about devices doing things in the background so you don't have to fiddle with settings. Like your washer sending a notification to your TV that the spin cycle is done. Or your phone automatically adjusting the lighting because it knows you’re starting a movie. He’s betting the farm on the idea that people don't want "smart" gadgets; they want a smart home that just works.
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The AI era and the 2026 pivot
By now, in 2026, we’re seeing the real fruits of the AI strategy Han laid out a couple of years ago. It’s not just about generative AI like ChatGPT. It’s about "AI for All." Under Han's leadership, Samsung has integrated NPU (Neural Processing Units) into almost every hardware category they sell. We aren't just talking about chatbots. We are talking about AI-driven energy saving in bespoke refrigerators and AI upscaling in 8K displays that actually looks decent.
Han has been very vocal about "democratizing AI." He doesn't want it to be a luxury feature. During his keynote speeches at events like CES, he’s consistently hammered home the point that AI should be invisible and helpful. This is a subtle dig at competitors who are perhaps focusing more on flashy, gimmicky AI features that don't solve actual problems. Samsung’s approach is more utilitarian. If your oven can suggest a recipe based on what’s actually in your fridge (and the AI camera can identify that the "chicken" is actually a head of lettuce), that's a win in Han's book.
The struggle with the "Apple envy" label
Samsung always gets compared to Apple. It’s unavoidable. Critics often say Samsung is trying to build a walled garden just like Cupertino. Han Jong-hee has a different take. He’s pushed for "Open Collaboration." Samsung is a founding member of the Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA). They are working with competitors like LG and GE. You’d never see Apple doing that to this extent. Han knows that Samsung sells more types of devices than anyone else on the planet. If they can lead the charge on interoperability, they win by default because they have the most "surface area" in your house.
But let’s be real. It hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. Han has had to navigate some seriously choppy waters. The global semiconductor shortage, fluctuating demand for premium smartphones, and the rise of Chinese brands like Hisense and TCL in the TV space have put immense pressure on the DX Division. There’s also the internal cultural shift. Turning a company as old-school as Samsung into a software-first, experience-driven powerhouse is like trying to turn a skyscraper-sized cargo ship in a bathtub.
Why his background in R&D matters
Han isn't a finance guy. He’s an engineer. This is crucial for understanding how he runs Samsung. When he looks at a product, he’s looking at the tech stack. He spent years in R&D, specifically in display technology. This gives him a level of respect among the engineers that a pure "suit" wouldn't have. It also means he’s willing to greenlight projects that might not have an immediate ROI but push the envelope of what's possible. The "The Wall" MicroLED display is a perfect example. It's wildly expensive and niche, but it serves as a North Star for the rest of their display tech.
Sustainability isn't just a buzzword for him
You've probably noticed Samsung's "Everyday Sustainability" push. Solar-cell remotes that charge from your indoor lights? That was a Han-era initiative. He’s pushed for the use of recycled resins and ocean-bound plastics in Galaxy devices. Critics argue that any global electronics giant is inherently non-sustainable, and they have a point. However, Han has tied executive bonuses to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals. He’s trying to bake it into the corporate DNA. Whether it’s enough to offset the massive carbon footprint of global manufacturing is a debate that continues, but the shift in direction is undeniable.
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He’s also been very focused on "Relumino" mode. This is a tech that helps people with low vision see their TVs more clearly. It’s these kinds of specific, high-impact accessibility features that Han seems to gravitate toward. It’s less about the spec sheet and more about the human impact.
What most people get wrong about Samsung's leadership
A common misconception is that Han Jong-hee is just a figurehead while the Lee family (the founding dynasty) pulls all the strings. While the family's influence is obviously there, Han has significant autonomy over the DX Division. He’s the one making the call on which software platforms to kill and which ones to fund. He’s the one deciding to lean into "Bespoke" appliances—the ones where you can change the color panels. That was a huge gamble. Traditional wisdom says people want white or stainless steel appliances. Han bet they wanted pink, navy, and lime green. He was right.
The "Bespoke" brand has expanded from fridges to vacuums, air purifiers, and even laundry pairs. It’s transformed Samsung from a "hardware company" into a "lifestyle brand." That is a very difficult transition to pull off without losing your core tech-focused audience.
The Road Ahead: 2026 and Beyond
As we move deeper into 2026, Han Jong-hee is facing his biggest challenge yet: the total integration of robotics into the home. Samsung has been teasing the "Ballie" robot for years. We are finally seeing these types of autonomous home assistants becoming a reality. Han’s vision is for these robots to act as the "hub" for the smart home, moving around and checking on pets or helping elderly users.
He’s also doubling down on the "Screen Everywhere" philosophy. This isn't just about TVs. It’s about transparent OLEDs in windows, smart mirrors in bathrooms, and portable projectors like The Freestyle. He wants Samsung to own every pixel you look at during the day.
Actionable Insights for the Samsung Ecosystem
If you’re looking to get the most out of the world Han Jong-hee is building, you shouldn't just buy a Samsung phone and call it a day. The real value is in the interconnectivity.
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- Consolidate your SmartThings: Stop using five different apps for your lights, plugs, and appliances. If you have a Samsung hub or a recent Samsung TV, use the built-in SmartThings station. It’s finally stable enough to be your primary smart home controller.
- Check for "Bespoke" software updates: Samsung has been surprisingly good at back-porting AI features to older appliances. Check the SmartThings app to see if your 2023 or 2024 fridge or washer has new energy-saving "AI Energy Mode" features available.
- Utilize Multi-Control: If you have a Galaxy Book laptop and a Galaxy tablet, use the Multi-Control feature. It lets you use your laptop’s mouse and keyboard across all three devices (phone, tablet, PC). It’s one of the "One Samsung" features that actually works as advertised.
- Look into "Energy Harvesting": When buying new peripherals, look for the solar-cell versions. Samsung is phasing out disposable batteries in many of their accessories. It's a small change that saves a lot of hassle and waste over time.
Han Jong-hee’s tenure will likely be remembered for breaking down the walls. He’s the CEO who realized that hardware specs are a commodity, but a seamless "experience" is a moat. Whether he can stay ahead of the aggressive expansion of Chinese tech giants and the software prowess of Google and Apple remains to be seen. But for now, JH Han has turned Samsung from a collection of gadget makers into a unified ecosystem that actually feels like it has a soul.