SEOUL, South Korea — In an unexpected display of corporate camaraderie and strategic alignment, Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, met with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Eui-sun for a casual "chimaek" (chicken and beer) dinner in Seoul on October 30. The meeting, held at a local franchise called 'Kkanbu Chicken,' signaled a deepening partnership in the rapidly expanding sectors of Artificial Intelligence (AI), autonomous driving, and robotics.
The choice of venue, 'Kkanbu,' a Korean slang term for 'close friend' or 'trusted partner' popularized globally by the Netflix series Squid Game, was reportedly Huang's suggestion. It served as a symbolic prelude to future collaboration between the world’s leading GPU maker and two of South Korea's largest conglomerates. The three executives were meeting for the first time in two months, following a brief encounter at the U.S.-Korea Business Roundtable in Washington D.C. earlier this year. Huang, on his first official visit to South Korea in 15 years, expressed his delight, telling the press, "I love fried chicken and beer, and I prefer drinking with my friends. 'Kkanbu' is the perfect place."
The gathering quickly drew hundreds of journalists and citizens, reflecting the immense global interest in the trio. During the dinner, Huang presented Lee and Chung with gifts, including a bottle of Japanese whisky and the new 'DGX Spark' personal AI supercomputer. Following the meal, the executives attended the 25th-anniversary celebration of Nvidia's GeForce gaming graphics card nearby, where Huang addressed the crowd.
"We are at the beginning of a platform transition," Huang stressed, reiterating a powerful vision for the technology. "AI will impact every single industry, and it has the very high probability of being the largest technology industry in human history."
The spirit of partnership continued on stage, with Lee Jae-yong referring to Huang not only as a strategic partner but also as a "friend" with "guts" and "great warmth." This public endorsement underscores the strategic importance of the collaboration. Samsung is a key partner, supplying memory semiconductors to Nvidia, while Hyundai Motor Group has been working with the company on autonomous driving and robotics since January.
The meeting precedes a widely anticipated official announcement regarding AI chip supply agreements between Nvidia and major Korean companies, including Samsung, Hyundai, SK, and Naver, expected on October 31. With Nvidia dominating the essential GPU market, securing an alliance is vital for South Korean firms racing to integrate AI into their businesses. For Nvidia, the partnership provides a significant opportunity to expand its footprint in the robust Korean market.
Huang is scheduled to deliver a special session address at the APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju the following day, further solidifying the company's commitment to the region.
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