Perhaps the first sign of summer is the ice in your cup. From the iced coffee that helps wake you up, to the soft drink that accompanies your lunch, to the highball that caps off your day; ice is a silent yet crucial ingredient that can have a big impact on your satisfaction. How quickly it’s made, how clean it feels and how seamlessly it fits in with your tastes and lifestyle can change the quality of your daily routine.
This is why LG is taking a fresh look at ice – not just as an added feature in a refrigerator, but as a meeting point for technology, trust and real-life experience. It’s also why LG is using the term “Ice Solution” this year instead of “Ice Maker.” What matters most isn’t the simple fact that ice is being made, but how ice can transform a customer’s day for the better.
Behind every ice cube is a team obsessed with making the experience better. We spoke with Minjae Kwon (Asia Sales), Sungeun Kim (Marketing Communication) and Sangdeuk Son (Product Planning) to learn how LG is redefining ice from a simple refrigerator feature into a customer-focused Ice Solution.
Q. Why Did LG Start to View Ice Not Just as a Refrigerator Function, but as an “Ice Solution”?
Sangdeuk Son (Product Planning): We use the term “solution” because this is not just about making ice, but about solving everyday customer needs. From a product planning perspective, that means defining the relevant standards for hygiene, ice type and convenience, so customers can enjoy the right ice at the right moment.
Sungeun Kim (Marketing Communication): As customer expectations have shifted from functionality to lifestyle-driven value, our perspective on ice has evolved as well. Ice is now connected to “everyday moments” – helping to keep you hydrated while you do your daily chores, letting you enjoy that premium, café feeling at home and supporting you when you’re busy entertaining guests.
Q. So, What Is LG’s Standard for “Good Ice”?
Sangdeuk Son (Product Planning): From a customer perspective, good ice can be defined by three key elements: hygiene, suitability and convenience. First, ice must be clean. Because it is consumed directly and used every day, hygiene is essential. Second, customers need the right ice for the right moment. Craft IceTM works well for whiskey, crushed ice cools drinks quickly1 and nugget ice creates a fun, chewable experience. Third, customers want ice to be readily available whenever they need it. That includes sufficient production capacity, storage capacity and convenient access through dispensers or ice drawers.
Minjae Kwon (Asia Sales): What we hear in the field is very similar and customer feedback is remarkably consistent: clean ice, fast production and sufficient ice availability remain the top priorities. These insights closely align with the principles we follow when developing LG Ice Solution.
Q. How Does Customer Insight Shape LG’s Ice Innovation?
Sangdeuk Son (Product Planning): Today, innovation is about more than improving ice-making technology. It’s about understanding how customers use ice in their daily lives. Ice preferences vary depending on lifestyle, beverage habits and personal tastes. By understanding those patterns, we can design more meaningful experiences.
That thinking has guided the development of ice varieties such as Craft Ice, Mini Craft Ice, Crushed Ice and Nugget Ice. Each type is designed for a specific usage occasion. Craft Ice melts slowly2 to preserve flavor, while Crushed Ice is ideal for rapid cooling. Mini Craft Ice was developed to suit lighter, café-style beverages enjoyed at home.
Customer observations also revealed a strong preference for chewable ice options such as Nugget Ice and Mini Cubed Ice. Ultimately, every innovation begins with the same question: “How can we make a customer’s moment better?”
Q. Could You Describe the Journey That Led to the Current LG Ice Solution?
Sangdeuk Son (Product Planning): LG’s Ice Solution is the result of decades of innovation, from pioneering refrigerator with an in-door ice maker to today’s portfolio of specialized ice options. This foundation allows us to focus not only on ice-making performance, but also on the experiences that ice enables.
Sungeun Kim (Marketing Communication): Because our ice technology is already well established, we can now focus on how ice fits into different customer lifestyles. Some customers want café-quality iced beverages at home, while others want ice for entertaining guests or for staying refreshed throughout the day. Rather than promoting ice as a feature, we communicate how having the right ice for the right moment makes everyday life better.
Q. This Year’s Ice Solution Digital Campaign Is Built Around the Slogan “Ice to Meet You.” What Message Did You Want to Convey Through It?
Sungeun Kim (Marketing Communication): The phrase may sound playful, but it carries a simple message: helping customers discover the ice that best fits their lifestyle. For some people, that might mean fresh ice for daily hydration. For others, it might mean the perfect finishing touch for a home cafe or home bar experience. The slogan was created to express those different moments in a friendly and memorable way.
Minjae Kwon (Asia Sales): The response in Asia has been very positive. “Ice” is a highly relatable keyword in many markets, and people immediately connect with the playful nature of the phrase. It helps communicate the concept in a way that feels both approachable and memorable.
Q. Why Do You Think Ice Has Become Such an Important Factor in the Asian Market?
Minjae Kwon (Asia Sales): In many Asian countries, ice is not a premium option—it is part of everyday life. In hot and humid climates, cold drinks and ice are often essential to daily comfort. As a result, customers are asking not only whether a refrigerator can make ice, but how well that ice fits their lifestyle and needs.
Sangdeuk Son (Product Planning): While ice has long been an essential part of the beverage experience in markets such as the U.S. and Europe, its role is continuing to expand in many other regions. In Asia, where hot or room-temperature beverages have traditionally been more common, ice is still evolving from a simple cooling tool into a more experience-driven element of everyday drinks. At the same time, the rapid growth of café culture and home entertaining is driving demand for a wider variety of ice experiences. We see this as a global shift, and our goal is to lead it by making diverse ice solutions more accessible to customers around the world.
Q. Finally, Can You Describe “LG Ice Solution” in a Single Sentence?
Sangdeuk Son (Product Planning): The right ice for every moment and every beverage.
Sungeun Kim (Marketing Communication): More than a feature, it’s an experience customers choose every day.
Minjae Kwon (Asia Sales): LG Ice Solution is always ice ready to refresh your every moment.
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1 Based on LG internal testing comparing cooling speed of crushed ice and ice cubes of the same weight (approx. 69 grams) in 121 cubic centimeters of warm water, at a room temperature of 25 degree Celsius. Crushed ice cooled water more quickly. Results may vary depending on usage and environmental conditions.
2 Based on LG internal testing comparing the melting speed of Craft Ice™ and ice cubes of the same weight (approx. 69 grams) in 121 cubic centimeters of cold water (approx. 9.5 degree Celsius), at a room temperature of 25 degree Celsius. Craft Ice™ melted more slowly. Results may vary depending on usage and environmental conditions.
