Introduction
There are many reasons why Seoul, South Korea, is sometimes referred to as the "Soul of Asia." Fashion trends, trendy music, fancy gadgets and other elements of popular culture have originated in this bustling city of more than 10.4 million people. Notably, Seoul boasts one of the highest Internet-penetration rates in the world. This love of fast, modern technology is helping to fuel the growth of South Korean conglomerate LG Group. The company's goal is to emerge from the shadow of Samsung - its top competitor at home in Seoul and abroad - and solidify its place as a market leader across the consumer electronics spectrum by 2010.

On the Floor at LG Electronics
The LG Electronics showroom in Seoul, South Korea, was perfectly polished when a group of Columbia Business School students stopped by for a visit in March 2008 during a spring-break study tour organized in part by the School's Jerome A. Chazen Institute of International Business. This visit to LG and to Seoul was the first for almost all of the students taking part in the trip.