Smile of Silla: The Ancient Artifact That Inspired LG’s Logo

Like all business and corporations, LG—the South Korean multinational conglomerate, best known for their electronic products and household appliances—takes pride in its logo. “Full of personality, our smiling logo signals humanity and intelligence. We always use it with confidence. It's what makes us feel uniquely LG,” the company declares on its corporate website . The familiar ruby-red logo, featuring a playful face, has adorned televisions, refrigerators, microwave ovens, washing machines, and air conditioners for decades. According to LG, its design is inspired by an ancient artifact known as the “Smile of Silla,” which dates back to the Silla Dynasty (57 BCE–935 CE). This artifact is an ornamental roof-end tile called sumaksae , which is typically round in shape to fit the curved tiles at the edges of traditional Korean roofs or walls. While such tiles often feature lotus patterns, the smiling design is exceptionally rare—indeed, it is the only known example from the Silla period. Smile of Silla The Silla Kingdom occupied the southern and central regions of the Korean Peninsula. Along with Baekje and Goguryeo, it formed the Three Kingdoms of Korea, which fiercely vied for dominance over the peninsula during ancient times. Each kingdom controlled distinct territories—Goguryeo ruled the northern half of the peninsula, along with the Liaodong Peninsula and Manchuria, while Baekje dominated southwestern Korea. Silla was the earliest of the three kingdoms and initially the smallest and weakest. However, it employed shrewd diplomacy to forge strategic alliances, first with its Korean rivals and later with the powerful Tang dynasty in China. In 503, the kingdom changed its name from Saro to Silla. By the early 6th century, it had annexed the Gaya confederacy, provoking an alliance between Goguryeo and Baekje to counter its growing influence.