BERLIN/SEOUL – LG Electronics on Thursday debuted the world’s first refrigerator that changes color at the touch of a smartphone button ahead of the IFA trade show that kicks off Friday in Berlin.

The chameleon four-door fridge MoodUp is a newest addition to LG’s high-end Objet Collection. The self-illuminating doors use light sources from light-emitting diodes.

Users can choose one among some 170,000 color combinations, based on the 22 color options for top doors and 19 choices for bottom doors.

The luminous, bezel-less LED door panels are combined with light guide panels. If the exterior panel lights are turned off, the MoodUP refrigerator offers a combination of Lux Gray and Lux White.

A command for a change of color can be delivered through a touch on LG's own ThinQ mobile app or a direct voice command to the fridge. LG will offer various color combinations that represent the themes of different seasons, personal moods and famous places around the world.

LG’s home appliance business chief Lyu Jae-chol stressed that the upcoming refrigerator is the outcome of a two-year hard work.

“Maintaining the color and texture of the doors even when the lights are turned off was one of the tricky part,” he said during a press conference at LG’s exhibition hall. “Our technological know-how in TVs helped a lot.”

Regarding possible concerns over overheating and energy efficiency, Lyu downplayed the issues, stressing the energy consumption of the refrigerator is just an equivalent of a five-watt light bulb.

“We also reviewed possible consumer concerns during the development process. By tackling the issues using our advanced sensor technologies, we could secure an additional 48 tech patents.”

The fridge will come in three models – two four-door models and one specialty model for kimchi storage – that will be released in September beginning South Korea, with the price tag starting at 5.5 million won ($4,100). Its global release is scheduled for next year.

About the overall market outlook in the European market, Lyu said the company faces challenges amid the Russia-Ukraine war, supply chain disruptions and high inflation.

“The disparity between premium and mid- to entry-level segments is getting wider,” he said. “While we continue to expand our presence in the fast-growing premium market, we also plan to upgrade our entry-level models to better meet consumer demand.”

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com) and Son Ji-hyoung (consnow@heraldcorp.com)