Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Samsung’s outrageous bendable TV goes on sale in Korea for $34,000

By

samsungs bendable tv sale korea un78s9b
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Not long ago, we ran a feature about Samsung’s striking new curved TVs, a mostly-aesthetic form-factor which has drawn both praise and vitriol from the public for its gimmicky nature. But if you can’t decide whether the curved craze is your cup of tea – and you happen to live in Korea – there’s no longer any need to choose: Samsung has announced that it will soon take orders for its stranger-than-fiction bendable TV in its home country starting August 1.

As reported by CNet, the announcement for sales of the 78-inch curve-if-you-want to monster was posted in the company’s Korean Samsung Tomorrow page. No price was given, but several outlets, including The Verge and Mashable, have reported that the TV is expected to fetch 35 million won, or around $34,000 – a hefty price, no doubt, but nowhere near the $120,000 Samsung is asking for its 105-inch mast of a display, which the company has also recently offered up for sale to the affluent viewing public.

Recommended Videos

We first caught wind of the bendable TV back in January, when Samsung unveiled its 85-inch UB9 in spectacular fashion in front of the Bellagio casino fountain at CES. The TV wowed onlookers who seemed to be dazed with a mix of intrigue and incredulity as it opened and closed at the touch of a button. Originally conceived as a one-off prototype, the TV apparently grasped the hearts of the public with enough fervor for Samsung to put it into production, slated to arrive for purchase in the U.S. sometime in late 2014. The 78-inch UN78S9B appears to be the Korean preview.

Though the bendable TV concept does have some small measure of practicality, designed to wrap around for cinematic events and flatten out for everyday use, the attention-grabbing display appears to be yet another shell fired from Samsung’s look-what-we-can-do TV lineup. For sometime now, Samsung and its South Korean compatriot/rival LG have fought to create displays that pique the public’s curiosity, but their competitive natures have gotten the best of them. Their TVs often offer more pageantry and sticker shock than practicality.

Related

Still, as we mentioned in our previous story, there is something to be said about a good gimmick. Bendable TVs probably won’t make their way to homes of anyone outside of the one percent, but they push the limits of conception, not only for what manufacturers can actually create, but also the fundamental idea about what a TV can be. The past decade or so has been very good to both Samsung and LG. And if they have the will — and the cash — to flex their TV might in a very literal fashion, who are we to judge? We’ll patiently await LG’s nearly-inevitable follow-up.

Those outside of Korea looking for the ultimate cinematic means to upstage the Johnson’s will have to wait until the bendable display makes its way stateside. In the meantime, we’ll keep tabs on this story and let you know of any further developments as they appear.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Ryan Waniata
Ryan Waniata
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…
Best Samsung Cyber Monday TV Deals: 4K TVs, 8K TVs, and QLED TVs on sale
Samsung 2020 TVs

There has never been a better time to buy a Samsung TV. That's because most of the manufacturer's televisions are in the discount corner for Cyber Monday, including everything from HDTVs and LED 4K TVs to 4K and 8K QLED TVs. With pricing starting at just $250 for a 43-inch and interest-free financing available to boot, there's bound to be something for everyone.
Best Samsung Cyber Monday TV Deals
One of the hottest sales today is a 70-inch Samsung 4K TV deal at Best Buy. See more discounts below:

Which Samsung QLED TV should I buy?
So, what's the difference between the top-of-the-line Q90R, the middle-of-the-road Q80R and Q70R, and the bottom-of-the-barrel Q60R? Aside from the obvious design differences, the most notable change is that the Q60R has an edge-lit backlight, so it can’t quite reach the same contrast levels as the other three — so it doesn't make detail pop quite as well. But again, it's miles ahead of a regular LED TV.

Read more
5 TV deals you can’t afford to miss this 4th of July
The Samsung Q70A 4K TV on a media console in a modern loft-style dwelling.

Fantastic 4th of July sales, rising temperatures and some other factors are sending us running indoors this Independence Day. We can’t help but think we’ll be spending a good deal of time inside this summer -- might as well do it in style. Kick your TV game into overdrive with one of these 5 deals on some of the best brands in the business — LG, Samsung, TCL -- that offer not only the cinematic picture quality, but some of the best gameplay, convenience, and access to content that anyone can find. If you act now, you can get them for discounts up to $600. With the holiday quickly approaching, you can’t afford to miss out on these five TV deals.
50-inch Samsung 7 Series 4K TV -- $330, was $350

The 50-inch screen size is perfect for most livingroom and apartment setups and Samsung is giving you serious bang for your buck. The 7 Series comes enabled for a perfect picture, courtesy of the Crystal Processor 4K. Additionally, you can watch eye-opening 4K movies and TV shows at 4 times the resolution of Full HD, bringing all your current favorites to Ultra HD-level picture quality. Add to this the Motion Rate 120 technology and you can pretty much guarantee fast gaming, or sports action, without ever a stutter step or break in the action (literal missteps and fumbles, those are on you). It’s set up to navigate all your favorite apps and streaming content, has a super-clean look (thanks to its ultra-thin bezel), and even comes designed to help you hide unsightly cords and cables. This is an all-around fantastic TV with amazing picture quality. And if you act now, you’ll get a 30-day free HBO Max trial. Get it at Best Buy for only $330.

Read more
This 55-inch Samsung QLED 4K TV is on sale for $700 for Super Bowl 2020
65 inch samsung uhd 7 series q60 qled 4k tvs amazon discount 49 tv 2 768x768

Having friends over to watch Super Bowl 2020? You’re in for a treat -- the big game will be broadcast in 4K Ultra HD with HDR for the first time. But to watch the action unfold in lifelike detail, a 4K TV is needed. Don't have one to tune in on? Walmart has discounted one of the best in the business: It has moved the 55-inch Samsung Q60R to the discount bin, which sees the QLED 4K TV on sale for $700, down a massive $500 from the usual $1,200, or as little as $69 per month through its flexible 12-month financing plan.

Being a QLED 4K TV, the Samsung Q60R is infused with a layer of Quantum Dots -- a small component that lets the screen tap into a wider color spectrum and operate at a higher maximum brightness than that of its non-QLED equivalent. This results in more vibrant, vivid visuals. As such, it's rare to find one for less than $1,000, let alone one with such a large screen. For comparison, the 49-inch Samsung Q60R sits on the shelves at Walmart for $1,000 (though it's on sale for $600 ahead of Super Bowl 2020).

Read more