Samsung

The fate of one of Asia’s largest economies is closely tied to Samsung—its 2019 revenue was equivalent to some 13% of South Korea’s GDP. Amid a rise in remote work and schooling, its crown jewel, Samsung Electronics, one of the world’s biggest producers of chips and smartphones, was essential. The company’s South Korean–listed shares soared around 50% in 2020. And even as the company faces internal tumult—in January, its de facto leader, Lee Jae-yong, was sent back to prison on charges stemming from a political bribery scandal—it remains the world’s leading TV vendor, with a market share of 31.9%.

Write to Amy Gunia at amy.gunia@time.com.