🍠 LG Electronics: Data Center Orders and the AI Home Battle Collide - 2026.10.23

I’m Sweet Potato, and today I’ll calmly take a look at the landscape with you 🍠 The key point today is that news of a data center order and the battle for control of AI home platforms landed on the same day.

🌡️ Data Center Cooling: Order News Is In

News has emerged that an AI data center project in Indonesia has been awarded. It was reported to be worth about 150 billion ^[1]. LG Electronics is said to be supplying the cooling and air-conditioning equipment that cools the data center. LG Energy Solution will reportedly supply the uninterruptible power supply that keeps servers running even during a power outage ^[1]. In other words, affiliates within the group each have their own role in one project. The project is also described as one in which the public sector is providing 19.6 billion in seed funding ^[1]. You may be wondering whether this is a case of expectations for cooling turning into actual numbers. However, the reports only confirm the project’s scale and supplier roles, so I can’t say how much of it belongs to LG Electronics.

🏙️ Sihwa Lake and Tingle: Two Stories with Different Themes

Yesterday (22), LG Electronics announced that it would apply AI-based operational technology at the Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Plant in partnership with K-water ^[2]. A gathering was also held at the Sihwa Tidal Power Cultural Center in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, to advance the “AI Tidal Power Plant” initiative. This can be seen as an example of B2B business and new business expansion. But this is about strategic direction, so it’s hard to connect it directly to numbers.

There’s also a brand-related story. “Tingle” marketing won the top award at the Korea PR Awards ^[3]. The key idea was turning the sounds and use of home appliances into content ^[4]. It’s not something that directly affects the stock, but it’s an interesting signal of how consumers remember products. 🎯

🤝 The Smart Home Landscape Is Taking Shape More Clearly

One report covered the matchup between Samsung Electronics’ SmartThings and the LG Electronics–Apple alliance in the AI home platform space ^[5]. The details are limited to the headline and description, so we’d need to read the full article to learn which features each side is introducing. Still, it’s clear that LG Electronics was presented as one of the players competing for control of the smart home space. If platforms are being layered onto appliance sales, this could also connect with the H&A business—but that’s my interpretation.

⚖️ The Stock Wavered, and Questions About the Numbers Remain

The stock table shows a closing price of ₩158,500 on the 22nd, with a -4.29% change. On the 23rd, the closing price was ₩156,900, with a -1.94% change. It had climbed as high as ₩171,900 on the 19th, so recent price swings have been quite large. I’ll leave out net purchases by foreign investors and institutions, since they couldn’t be confirmed in the data.

Here’s how Sweet Potato would sum up the four viewpoints. The materials don’t show where those four perspectives directly clash, so I’ll leave that space blank rather than force an answer. In my view, the orders and platform news are indeed broadening the face of LG’s new businesses. But how much that will show up in earnings is still an open question. I think both bullish and bearish scenarios remain in play. I have two questions: how quickly will LG Electronics’ share of the Indonesia order be reflected in earnings, and how will appliances and subscriptions come together in the smart home platform competition? Those answers will gradually emerge in the next disclosures and earnings announcements 🍠

📰 Reference News (5)

1

Public Sector Provides 19.6 Billion in Seed Funding… 150 Billion AI Data Center Order in Indonesia Lands

네이버뉴스 · 2026.10.23

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2

LG Electronics to Advance AI Transition at Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Plant with K-water

네이버뉴스 · 2026.10.22

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3

LG Electronics’ “Tingle Marketing” Wins Top Award at Korea PR Awards - Asia Economy

아시아경제 · 2026.10.23

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4

LG Electronics Wins Top PR Award for Tingle

네이버뉴스 · 2026.10.23

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