Korea is taking over home theaters across the United States, with Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics poised to take the top spots in the TV and Blu-ray markets there.

According to New York-based marketing research firm NPD, Samsung Electronics ranked first in the U.S. Blu-ray player market from January to November, with 33.1 percent market share by revenue and 35.9 percent in terms of sales volume.

The company moved up from the No. 2 spot in 2009 by introducing new models including the world’s slimmest Blu-ray player at 39 millimeters thick.

NPD also announced this week that Samsung is expected to rank No. 1 in the U.S. digital TV market, including liquid-crystal displays, plasma displays and light-emitting diode TVs, for the fifth consecutive year in 2009.

The Korean company had a 25.4 percent market share by revenue and 35.8 percent by sales from January to November. “To be No. 1 in the U.S., which is known as a battlefield for TV companies, is a definite feat for not only Samsung but for Korea,” said Kim Yang-gyu, managing director of Samsung Electronics Co.

Meanwhile, LG Electronics, the second-largest TV maker in the world behind Samsung, announced yesterday that it will introduce new mobile DVD players and cell phones with digital TV features to the North American market next month, planning to feature the models at the Consumer Electronics Show to be held in Las Vegas from Jan. 7 to 10. The portable DVD player and three mobile phone models can all display high-contrast digital images and broadcasts in a vehicle moving at up to 290 kilometers per hour (180 miles per hour).

The company also recently developed a second-generation chip to transmit audio and video signals to digital TVs. According to LG, the chip will cut energy consumption by 33 percent compared to the first generation developed last year.

In October, the U.S.-based Advanced Television Standards Committee chose the mobile digital technology proposed by Samsung and LG as the industry standard for North America.