U-Lee Byung-Chul wasungula i-Samsung ngo-1938. Waqala njengenkampani encane yokuhweba enabasebenzi abangamashumi amane, ezinze eSeoul. Inkampani yenza kahle kakhulu kwaze kwaba yilapho kuhlasela amakhomanisi ngo-1950, kodwa ukuhlasela kwabangela umonakalo omkhulu wempahla. U-Lee Byung-Chul waphoqeleka ukuba aphume futhi waqala ngo-1951 eSuwon. Ngonyaka owodwa, izimpahla zenkampani zanda ngokuphindwe kamashumi amabili.
Ngo-1953, u-Lee wakha indawo yokuhluza ushukela—imboni yokuqala yokukhiqiza eSouth Korea kusukela ekupheleni kweMpi YaseKorea. "Inkampani yathuthuka ngaphansi kwefilosofi ka-Lee yokwenza i-Samsung ibe umholi kuyo yonke imboni engenile" (Saumsung Electronics). Le nkampani yaqala ukungena ezimbonini zezinsiza ezifana nomshwalense, izibambiso kanye nezitolo ezinkulu. Ekuqaleni kwawo-70, u-Lee waboleka imali kumafemu angaphandle futhi waqala imboni yezokuxhumana ngobuningi ngokusungula isiteshi sokuqala somsakazo nethelevishini (Samsung Electronics).
