Jensen Huang's Seoul Fried Chicken Dinner Sparks Market Frenzy and Major AI Partnerships

Three billionaires dropped by a fried-chicken joint -- and Jensen Huang bought everyone dinner | Fortune

On Thursday evening, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang joined Samsung Electronics executive chairman Lee Jae-yong and [hotlink]Hyundai Motor[/hotlink] Group executive chair Chung Eui-sun for fried chicken and beer at a small restaurant in Seoul's Gangnam District. The outing -- which appeared, according to local reports, to be equal parts publicity stunt, cultural gesture, and celebration of potential new AI partnerships -- drew throngs of spectators with flashing cameras and sent South Korean fried-chicken stocks soaring. The unlikely trio shared platters of crispy chicken, cheese sticks, and cold beer at Kkanbu Chicken, a local franchise known for "chimaek," the country's beloved combination of chicken and beer. Huang, dressed in his signature black leather jacket, chatted freely with fans and repeatedly left his billionaires table to hand out food to passersby, telling reporters, "I love fried chicken and I love beer, and I love fried chicken and beer with my friends." Their table was conspicuously positioned near the restaurant's front windows, offering onlookers a clear view of the three billionaires clinking glasses and linking arms for a toast. Such a display is rare in South Korea, where "chaebol" leaders like Lee and Chung tend to keep a low public profile. Within minutes, clips of the dinner spread across Korean social media, turning the event into what local outlets dubbed a "Jensanity" moment. By the next morning, the hype had spilled into the markets. Kyochon F&B, one of South Korea's largest fried-chicken chains, saw its shares jump as much as 20%. Poultry processor Cherrybro Co. hit the daily trading limit with a 30% surge, while Neuromeka -- a company that manufactures chicken-frying robots -- also rallied. Kkanbu Chicken itself is privately held, but its staff said sales across the franchise spiked after the news broke, with some outlets reportedly selling out of fried chicken. The phenomenon underscores a broader pattern in South Korea's markets, where retail investors are known to chase sudden, meme-driven surges tied to a cultural or political moment, often to their own detriment. Beyond the viral meal, the dinner carried strategic weight. Huang was in Seoul for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO summit, where he announced Nvidia will supply more than 260,000 advanced graphics processing units to South Korean firms including Samsung and Hyundai. The chips will be used to bolster the country's artificial intelligence capabilities in many sectors, including semiconductors and robotics. "This is the best way to enjoy chimaek," Huang, according to The New York Times, said as he left the restaurant, ringing the golden bell to cover the $1,800 tab for all diners. Huang's company just became the first in history to reach a $5 trillion market capitalization. "To our partnership and the future of the world," he wrote in a signed note to his South Korean counterparts.

Why SK Hynix skipped the fried chicken and beer summit

When Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang arrived in South Korea, global attention turned to a viral "chimaek" (fried chicken and beer) dinner on October 30 featuring Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Executive Chair Chung Eui-sun. Yet, the spotlight shifted the following day to SK Group -- and particularly its memory arm, SK Hynix, which co-headlined a landmark AI infrastructure deal that analysts have called a strategic win. The question hanging over the spontaneous Gangnam gathering was straightforward: why was SK Hynix, Nvidia's largest supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI chips, conspicuously absent? Strategic sequencing: why SK missed the photo op The absence of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won from the headline-grabbing chimaek summit was less a diplomatic slight than a matter of logistics and timing. Sources familiar with the matter said the dinner was never meant to be a formal "Korea Inc." meeting. Huang himself described it as simply wanting to "eat chimaek with friends," not hold a press conference, and the informal venue could accommodate only a small circle. Moreover, Chairman Chey was in final preparations for the APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju, some 250 kilometers away, on the same evening of October 30. Travel constraints made attendance impractical. SK Group later confirmed that Chey had prioritized summit obligations and already had a separate, formal meeting with Huang scheduled for October 31. In the end, while Samsung and Hyundai enjoyed what many in Korea dubbed "cultural theater" -- a photo-friendly display of camaraderie -- SK hynix secured the real substance. As one online comment succinctly put it, "SK hynix is in the GPU, not the photo. They're fine." The next day's focus: HBM and the 50,000-GPU AI factory While others were sharing chicken, SK hynix was securing its role at the heart of Korea's AI future. At the APEC Summit on October 31, Nvidia announced an expanded partnership with SK Group to build an AI factory dedicated to semiconductor research, development, and production. The facility will deploy more than 50,000 Nvidia GPUs and is expected to become one of Korea's largest AI factories when completed in late 2027. At its core, the collaboration cements SK Hynix's position in the advanced AI platform supply chain: HBM advancements: Joint efforts will focus on developing next-generation SK Hynix high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and other advanced memory solutions for Nvidia GPUs. AI-driven chip design: Using Nvidia's CUDA-X technologies and the PhysicsNeMo framework, SK Hynix will apply AI-based physics simulation to accelerate chip design and verification, enabling faster, more precise product development. Digital transformation: The AI factory will support SK subsidiaries such as SK Hynix and SK Telecom. SK Hynix is building autonomous fab digital twins via Nvidia's Omniverse platform to simulate and optimize operations in real time, advancing toward self-optimizing manufacturing. Workforce productivity: AI-powered agents built with Nvidia NIM microservices will help enhance productivity across SK Hynix's 40,000-plus employees, from R&D engineers to fab operators. Huang called SK Group a "vital memory technology partner," enabling the creation of the world's most advanced GPU computing platforms. Chairman Chey underscored the shared vision, saying the Nvidia AI factory will form the foundation to "build the infrastructure that powers the next generation of memory, robotics, digital twins, and intelligent AI agents."

NVIDIA CEO enjoys some fried chicken, beer with Samsung and Hyundai executives in South Korea

TL;DR: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang met with Samsung and Hyundai executives at the APEC summit, discussing key partnerships amid Samsung's HBM3 memory challenges. NVIDIA plans to use Samsung's advanced HBM4 and HBM4E memory in upcoming AI GPUs, strengthening its semiconductor supply chain alongside TSMC and Intel for future AI innovations. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has been enjoying his time in South Korea, enjoying some Korean fried chicken with his "executive friends" from Samsung and Hyundai. Jensen delivered an important keynote at the APEC summit, where he met with Samsung chairman Lee Jae-yong, and the president of Hyundai Motors, Chung Eui-sun. After the important stuff was over, the executives were spotted in casual clothing, enjoying some Korean fried chicken, what looks like some mozzarella sticks, and some beer at a South Korean restaurant. This year's APEC summit was an important one, with President Trump meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping, which is the reason Jensen was in South Korea, in support of the US. After the business side of things, the NVIDIA CEO was hanging out in South Korea talking to the public, and enjoying his dinner with his executive friends. We're sure that Jensen would've been enjoying some fresh discussions with Samsung, as the South Korean memory giant has been having issues with its HBM3 memory, but HBM3E and next-gen HBM4 memory from Samsung will be used inside of NVIDIA AI GPUs. Samsung Foundry has also recently been included in NVIDIA's coveted NVLink ecosystem, alongside Intel, with rumors of a "huge partnership" between NVIDIA and Samsung being discussed right now. NVIDIA's push into AI GPU dominance means it needs the best semiconductor foundries in the world -- TSMC for now, but Samsung and Intel are options -- as well as the best DRAM chips in the market. HBM4 and HBM4E will be used on NVIDIA's next-gen Rubin and beefed-up Rubin Ultra, while it will be moving to future-gen HBM5 memory for its future-gen Feynman GPU family.

Nvidia CEO expects to make announcements with South Korean partners this week

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang anticipates making announcements with South Korean companies during his upcoming visit that will please both President Trump and South Korea. He highlighted partnerships with Samsung Electronics and Hyundai, noting their planned investments in AI factories. Huang expressed optimism about "delightful" news for Korea and Trump, to be revealed later this week. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on Tuesday he expects to make announcements with South Korean companies that will please U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korea when he visits the country this week. Huang plans to meet global leaders and top Korean executives when he attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in South Korea, the U.S. artificial intelligence chip giant said earlier. "Samsung, SK, Hyundai, LG, Naver, if you just look across the entire Korean ecosystem, every one of the companies are deep friends of mine and very good partners," he told reporters on the sidelines of the Nvidia developers' conference held in Washington on Tuesday. "And so when I go hopefully we'll have some announcements that will be really, really delightful to the people of Korea and really delightful to President Trump, but I'll save it for a few more days," he said. He said Nvidia is partnering with Samsung Electronics and Hyundai "in many ways," saying the two companies are "going to invest in AI factories." Trump is due to address a summit of CEOs and meet with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Gyeongju on Wednesday. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)

These High-Profile Tech Tycoons' Dinner Outing Triggers Fried Chicken Stock Surge In South Korea - NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

A casual dinner outing in Seoul by three tech billionaires has led to a significant surge in South Korean fried chicken stocks. Jensen Huang, Lee Jae-yong, and Chung Eui-sun were spotted dining at Kkanbu Chicken, a popular restaurant in Seoul's Gangnam district, last Thursday. The high-profile dinner, partly a publicity stunt and partly a celebration of potential AI partnerships, drew a large crowd and sent South Korean fried chicken stocks soaring. The billionaires were seated near the restaurant's front windows, allowing onlookers to witness them enjoying their meal. Huang, a known fried chicken and beer enthusiast, interacted with fans and even served food to passersby, reports the Fortune. The event quickly gained traction on Korean social media, leading to a significant increase in the share prices of local fried chicken chains and related businesses. However, the event wasn't just a social media sensation. Huang was in Seoul to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO summit. Also Read: If I Were A Student Today, Here's How I'd Use AI To Do My Job Better, Says Nvidia CEO During the summit, he announced that Nvidia would supply over 260,000 advanced graphics processing units to South Korean firms, including Samsung and Hyundai. This event underscores the influence of high-profile tech leaders on market trends, even in unexpected sectors like the food industry. The viral social media coverage of the dinner outing not only boosted the visibility of local fried chicken chains but also highlighted potential AI partnerships between Nvidia, Samsung, and Hyundai. These partnerships could further strengthen South Korea's position in the global tech industry, potentially leading to more investment and growth in the sector. The event also showcases the power of social media in shaping public perception and market trends, a factor that businesses cannot afford to overlook in today's digital age. Read Next Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's Joke Sparks Concerns Over Rapid Depreciation Of AI Chips $BTCBitcoin - United States dollar$110320.000.24%OverviewNVDANVIDIA Corp$202.62-0.13% This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

NVIDIA's CEO Is Apparently Having a 'Great Time' With Samsung & Hyundai Executives in Korea; Fried Chicken, Beers, and Plenty of Spicy Comments

NVIDIA's Jensen Huang is currently in South Korea for the APEC summit, and it seems he is having a pretty interesting day, spending time with his 'executive friends' at Samsung and Hyundai. This week has been a jam-packed one for NVIDIA's CEO, as Jensen delivered one of the most important keynotes of his career and then took a flight straight to South Korea for the APEC summit, where he met with Samsung's Chairman Lee Jae-yong and the President of Hyundai Motors, Chung Eui-sun. One of the highlights of Jensen's visit to South Korea was probably his images of serving Korean fried chicken and taking 'shots' with his executive friends at a local restaurant, which really showcases the 'class' of NVIDIA's CEO. For those unaware, the APEC summit holds significant importance for business leaders worldwide, as it brings together executives from both the East and the West. This time, however, the summit was also responsible for hosting the 'iconic' Trump-Xi meeting, which is why Jensen was heading straight to South Korea from Washington to support the American delegate. However, at a professional visit, Jensen found himself enjoying a 'little too much', and he was spotted talking with the public, where people were flaunting their crazy stock gains following NVIDIA's $5 trillion valuation. The relationship between NVIDIA and Samsung has become closer in recent times, as the Korean giant not only secured a crucial HBM3E certification from Team Green, but the collaboration is also expected to deepen moving forward. More importantly, Samsung Foundry was recently included in NVIDIA's NVLink ecosystem alongside Intel, indicating that Jensen is determined to partner up extensively with Samsung, and there are rumors about a 'huge partnership' as well. With the growing importance of the HBM segment, it is certainly vital for NVIDIA to expand its supply chain, which is why Samsung is set to become an integral part of the AI supply chain, not just on the DRAM front, but also with its semiconductors.

Why did Jensen Huang's 'chimaek summit' omit the chair of Nvidia's No 1 Korean supplier? - The Korea Times

When Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang arrived in South Korea, global attention turned to a viral "chimaek" (fried chicken and beer) dinner on October 30, featuring Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Group's Executive Chair Chung Eui-sun. Yet, the spotlight shifted the following day to SK Group, particularly its memory arm, SK Hynix, which co-headlined a landmark artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure deal that analysts have called a strategic win. The question hanging over the spontaneous Gangnam gathering was straightforward: why was SK Hynix, Nvidia's largest supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI chips, conspicuously absent? The absence of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won from the headline-grabbing "chimaek summit" was less a diplomatic slight than a matter of logistics and timing. Sources familiar with the matter said the dinner was never meant to be a formal "Korea Inc." meeting. Huang himself described it as simply wanting to "eat chimaek with friends", not hold a press conference, and the informal venue could accommodate only a small circle. Moreover, Chey was in final preparations for the CEO Summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum in Gyeongju, some 250 kilometres away, on the same evening of October 30. Travel constraints made attendance impractical. SK Group later confirmed that Chey had prioritised summit obligations and already had a separate, formal meeting with Huang scheduled for October 31. In the end, while Samsung and Hyundai enjoyed what many in Korea dubbed "cultural theatre" - a photo-friendly display of camaraderie - SK Hynix secured the real substance. As one online comment succinctly put it, "SK Hynix is in the GPU, not the photo. They're fine." While others were sharing chicken, SK Hynix was securing its role at the heart of Korea's AI future. At the Apec Summit on October 31, Nvidia announced an expanded partnership with SK Group to build an AI factory dedicated to semiconductor research, development and production. The facility will deploy more than 50,000 Nvidia GPUs and is expected to become one of Korea's largest AI factories when completed in late 2027. At its core, the collaboration cements SK Hynix's position in the advanced AI platform supply chain: HBM advancements: Joint efforts will focus on developing next-generation SK Hynix high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and other advanced memory solutions for Nvidia GPUs. AI-driven chip design: Using Nvidia's CUDA-X technologies and the PhysicsNeMo framework, SK Hynix will apply AI-based physics simulation to accelerate chip design and verification, enabling faster, more precise product development. Digital transformation: The AI factory will support SK subsidiaries such as SK Hynix and SK Telecom. SK Hynix is building autonomous fab digital twins via Nvidia's Omniverse platform to simulate and optimise operations in real time, advancing towards self-optimising manufacturing. Workforce productivity: AI-powered agents built with Nvidia NIM microservices will help enhance productivity across SK Hynix's 40,000-plus employees, from R&D engineers to fab operators. Huang called SK Group a "vital memory technology partner", enabling the creation of the world's most advanced GPU computing platforms. Chey underscored the shared vision, saying the Nvidia AI factory will form the foundation to "build the infrastructure that powers the next generation of memory, robotics, digital twins, and intelligent AI agents."

Nvidia's Huang talks AI cooperation with Samsung, Hyundai over fried chicken and beer

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang feasted on fried chicken and beer with Samsung Electronics Chairperson Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Chairperson Chung Eui-sun on Thursday. The executive discussed methods to establish the AI ecosystem with Samsung Electronics, which has cleared Nvidia's test for its latest fifth-generation high-bandwidth memory technology, and Hyundai Motors, which excels in the autonomous driving and robotics sector. Huang, who has previously called South Korean companies invaluable partners for cooperation in the artificial intelligence sector, made his first visit to South Korea in 15 years for the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO summit. The three executives convened at a Kkanbu Chicken branch in Seoul's Gangnam area at 7:30 pm. Donning his signature black leather jacket, Huang waved warmly to the onlookers gathered outside, some of whom called his name and shouted, "Welcome to Korea!" as he entered the fried chicken joint. After telling the crowd to expect "good news" the following day, Huang took a seat at a table. He greeted Lee and Chung, who entered the restaurant shortly afterwards, presented Nvidia's AI supercomputer DGX Spark and a bottle of Japanese single malt whisky as gifts, before beginning the casual chicken-and-beer summit in earnest. The meeting lasted for approximately an hour. Huang hinted at an announcement that would make Korea and US President Donald Trump very happy during the Nvidia GTC 2025, which was held in Washington DC, on Tuesday. He then pointed to various Korean companies, such as Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Hyundai Motor Group and Naver, as key partners for potential collaboration in areas such as semiconductors, crucial components of artificial intelligence, and autonomous driving, which is attracting attention as a future growth engine. Huang downplayed concerns over an AI bubble, which were raised by the IMF, in an earlier interview with Bloomberg Television, stating, "I don't believe we're in an AI bubble. All of these different AI models we're using -- we're using plenty of services and paying happily to do it." Huang has recently secured investment deals with Germany's Deutsche Telekom AG and Finland's Nokia Oyj to build large-scale data centers. This flurry of new partnerships gives reason to believe that South Korean companies may be next in line for such opportunities. The same day, Samsung Electronics announced that it had passed Nvidia's quality test for its fifth-generation HBM chips. Considering that Nvidia may require more cutting-edge, high-end sixth-generation memory technology starting next year, Samsung Electronics could be securing an important client amid the growing demand for HBM and memory chips. During the Nvidia GTC Paris event in June, Huang had suggested that this is the "decade of AV" -- that is, autonomous vehicles -- "robotics and autonomous machines," expressing an interest in those sectors. In September, Huang pledged to invest US$500 million in UK startup Wayve, an autonomous vehicle technology developer. Nvidia is also an important investor in China's WeRide, another company commercializing self-driving vehicles. Hyundai Motors is a key Nvidia collaborator in autonomous driving and is also increasing investment in the robotics sector through its acquisition of Boston Dynamics. Following this jolly chicken-and-beer meeting, Huang attended an event commemorating the 25th anniversary of the GeForce graphics card's launch in South Korea. He then traveled to Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, where the 2025 APEC forum is being held, and is scheduled to deliver a special lecture before the CEO summit closes on Friday.

Nvidia to supply AI chips to Samsung, SK, Hyundai: sources - The Korea Times

U.S. tech giant Nvidia is widely expected to supply artificial intelligence (AI) chips to Korean companies, including Samsung Electronics and SK Group, sources said Wednesday. This week Nvidia Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jensen Huang is set to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in Gyeongju, a business-centric gathering running parallel to the annual APEC leaders' summit. According to the sources, Nvidia is expected to sign supply agreements with Samsung Electronics, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group and Naver, which are expected to be unveiled Friday. Huang is expected to meet with Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung and Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong in Seoul on Thursday, with some suggesting SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won may also join the gathering. During a developers' event held in Washington the previous day, Huang hinted there will be a "delightful" announcement for Koreans and U.S. President Donald Trump. "The contracts will benefit the Korean government, which aims to make the country one of the leaders in the AI sector, as well as Nvidia, which aims to expand its market," an industry official said.

Nvidia's Huang to announce AI chip deals with Samsung and Hyundai By Investing.com

Investing.com -- Nvidia Corp. CEO Jensen Huang is set to announce new AI chip supply contracts with major South Korean companies during his visit to the country this week, according to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday. The agreements will reportedly include partnerships with Samsung Electronics Co., Hyundai Motor Group, and SK Group, helping Nvidia expand in a key market as it faces increasing restrictions in China amid ongoing US-China trade tensions. For Korean companies, these deals would secure reliable access to the graphics processing units essential for training and operating artificial intelligence models. Huang aims to strengthen Nvidia's presence in South Korea, which plays a crucial role in global memory chip production and has ambitions to become a major AI computing hub. SK Group, one of the planned recipients of Nvidia chips, is developing a 7 trillion won ($4.9 billion) AI data center in South Korea. The conglomerate includes chipmaker SK Hynix Inc. among its affiliates. The announcements are expected before Huang attends the APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju on Friday. On Tuesday, the Nvidia chief is leading a conference in Washington, and President Donald Trump mentioned he will meet with Huang during the executive's Asia trip.

Chicken and chips in Seoul - for Nvidia, Samsung and Hyundai

In a low-key fried chicken shop in southern Seoul, the leaders of Nvidia, Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor held an informal meeting on the evening of October 30, Korea JoongAng Daily reports. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Executive Chair Euisun Chung met ahead of major announcements expected during Huang's visit for the APEC CEO summit. Their discussion reportedly centred on reinforcing semiconductor supply networks, advancing AI infrastructure and exploring collaboration in robotics. The chosen venue, a branch of the well-known Korean fried chicken franchise Kkanbu Chicken, was handpicked by Huang, who enjoys trying local eateries during overseas trips and specifically wanted to try out Korea's "chimaek" culture, a combination of fried chicken and beer. Once the gathering became known, the quiet street quickly drew a crowd. More than a thousand onlookers, journalists and company staff filled the area. Police eventually stepped in to control the crowd and set up barricades as the scene overflowed onto the road. The meeting took place just before is expected to finalise large AI chip supply agreements with four major Korean conglomerates -- Samsung, SK, and Naver -- deals estimated to be worth several trillion won. According to , Samsung revealed during a conference call that it is supplying with its latest high-bandwidth memory (HBM3E) chips and has already begun sending samples of its upcoming HBM4 line to clients. The company stated that the new chips can exceed speeds of 11 gigabits per second while remaining energy-efficient, and that it has secured orders for increased HBM production next year. SK hynix, another major memory manufacturer, announced that its 2026 memory supply is already sold out and that it plans to significantly expand investment in memory production. The company expects to begin supplying HBM4 chips to key clients in the fourth quarter. and already partnered earlier this year on software-defined vehicles, robotics, autonomous technology, digital twins, smart factories and infotainment. Later on , Huang is expected to travel to Gyeongju to speak at the APEC CEO Summit and meet Chairman . Lee and Chung will also return to attend a dinner involving China's President . A casual meal may look ordinary, yet it signals how future technology alliances are increasingly forged through informal, human moments rather than traditional boardroom ritual.