The 4K Conundrum: Marketing Magic or Something More? The term "4K" has become ubiquitous in consumer electronics, but its origins are rooted in digital cinema.
In the early 2000s, the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) group, comprising major studios like MGM and Sony, defined standards for digital movies, including resolutions of 2K and 4K.
The "4K" name used today is a nod to its relationship with 1080p.