Imagine being able to predict performance and quality before a product is even made. At LG Display, this is made possible by VDE (Virtual Design & Engineering), a team of experts that analyzes and forecasts every aspect of product development—circuits, panels, structures, optics, and processes—through advanced simulations.
In this article, we meet Tae Kyeong Lee, who creates customer value by making the invisible visible through simulation.
1. More accurate predictions and analysis
from the panel design stage!
I’m Tae Kyeong Lee, responsible for panel simulation at VDE. Simulation means creating a virtual model that mirrors how a real product works, enabling verification and prediction without having to build a physical prototype. By entering and analyzing countless variables, we optimize panel design, identify potential defects in advance, and provide insights that enhance both quality and efficiency.
Recently, we have been pushing beyond the traditional limits of devices and panels, integrating simulation into development to establish a predictive and preventive design system.
Sometimes people think simulation is as simple as “inputting numbers to get an automatic result.” In reality, it’s a highly sophisticated process of collecting, refining, and validating countless parameters.
To put it simply, it’s like brewing coffee—not just pressing a button for an Americano, but considering the origin of the beans, the flavor profile, the cup’s structure, and even the straw’s material to get it just right. Likewise, VDE continuously questions, verifies, and refines to ensure precise interpretation and prediction. By doing so, the team helps reduce opportunity costs and time across the company, while ensuring higher-quality panels through early optimization.
2. “My colleagues’ work is my work.”
VDE grows together through collective intelligence.
Because our work relies solely on simulations before any physical prototypes exist, continuous and seamless communication with other departments is crucial. Open discussions often spark creative ideas, and our team works with the mindset that “my colleague’s work is my work.” This collaborative spirit fosters a culture where collective intelligence drives problem-solving.
The most rewarding moments come when we take on challenges from business units, apply VDE technology to provide a solution, and later see our predictions perfectly align with the results in actual products.
3. Creativity and Responsibility—
The Two Pillars of Simulation
Simulation outcomes vary greatly depending on how the modeling is designed, making professional interpretation based on domain knowledge critical. Staying within conventional methods leads to limits, but breaking out of existing frameworks and trying new interpretations rooted in fundamental principles opens the door to meaningful results. That is why creativity is essential for simulation experts.
The other indispensable pillar is responsibility. While it may look like we’re just staring blankly at monitors, we’re actually running countless calculations and mental simulations. Since actual simulations run 24/7, we must constantly check whether outputs are coming through correctly. One misstep can waste significant time and resources, so vigilance in reviewing and validating every step is vital. This isn’t just a professional habit—it’s a sense of duty to protect accuracy and efficiency.
4. Beyond Simulation—Shaping the Future
The future our team envisions is one where we act as an expert organization that predicts accurately, understands deeply, collaborates effectively, and leads decision making. To achieve this, we focus on four pillars: ▲Strengthening predictive capabilities at the early design stage, ▲Building deeper understanding through multi-dimensional analysis, ▲Collaborating through collective intelligence, ▲Guiding the decision-making process with foresight.
In this way, VDE contributes strategies and insights across R&D and manufacturing, maximizing product completeness and efficiency through fast, accurate forecasting. A key focus now is expanding into AX (Artificial Transformation) by combining simulation with AI. The vast digital data accumulated through simulation, when paired with AI analysis, can unleash even greater power.
Looking ahead, our goal is to evolve into a “future-oriented design organization” that not only conducts simulations but also guides how future technologies should be integrated and provides strategic technology development frameworks in the era of AX.
Preparing for the Future Ahead of Time
Creating Customer Value with Advanced Technology
The customer value that Tae Kyeong Lee creates lies in preparing ahead across research, development, and manufacturing, while maximizing product completeness and efficiency through quick and precise forecasting—strengthening LG Display’s technological competitiveness.
Stay tuned for VDE Team’s ongoing efforts to bring the invisible to light and accelerate the future.
