In South Korea, there’s nothing quite like unwinding with fried chicken and beer after a long day – a cherished tradition for everyone from families to factory workers. But it’s certainly not every day you see three of the world’s most powerful tech billionaires joining in.
Yet, that’s exactly what happened on a recent Thursday evening in Seoul’s bustling Gangnam district. Hundreds of curious onlookers and journalists gathered outside a humble fried chicken joint, eager to catch a glimpse of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Samsung Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, and Hyundai Executive Chairman Euisun Chung.
Inside, the renowned trio, celebrated figures in the global business arena, shared warm embraces, raised their glasses in toasts, and even linked arms for celebratory beer shots.
Mr. Huang, clearly enjoying the moment, declared the chicken wings “so good.” He comfortably referred to his dining partners by their informal monikers, “Jay” for Mr. Lee and “E.S.” for Mr. Chung.
This unusually casual public appearance, seemingly orchestrated right by the restaurant’s street-facing windows, was particularly striking in South Korea. Here, top conglomerate executives typically maintain a strict image of formality and privacy. The relaxed setting subtly underscored the growing alliance between Nvidia, the American chip giant, and South Korea’s leading technology and automotive industries.
Their dinner followed an earlier joint appearance at an Nvidia gamer festival, where Mr. Huang hinted at a major business announcement to come.
True to his word, the very next day, the three companies, alongside the South Korean government and several other major conglomerates, revealed a significant deal. Nvidia will supply hundreds of thousands of advanced graphics chips to bolster South Korea’s ambitions in autonomous driving, semiconductor development, and robotics. This groundbreaking partnership comes as Nvidia’s market value recently soared past $5 trillion, solidifying its position as the world’s most valuable public company.
Mr. Huang, 62, is no stranger to such public displays of accessibility, especially in his native Taiwan. He’s known for engaging with fans, posing for selfies, and even signing computer chips, laptops, and, famously, the shirt of a woman who requested his autograph on her chest.
However, this chimaek (chicken and beer) outing marked Mr. Huang’s first such public engagement in South Korea. His visit, the first in 15 years, was primarily for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, where he was scheduled to meet with prominent business leaders.
The scene outside the Kkanbu Chicken franchise was electric. Hundreds held up their phone cameras, while police officers, whistling and shouting, struggled to manage the excited crowd.
Jung Kyongman, head of Kkanbu Chicken’s management support team, revealed that Nvidia made the reservation at the restaurant, a frequent haunt of one of their employees. Upon learning of the esteemed guests, the staff meticulously prepared the establishment.
The unexpected celebrity visit ignited a frenzy across South Korea, leading to a significant spike in sales for the Kkanbu Chicken franchise, Mr. Jung reported. Some branches even completely sold out of fried chicken.
“I’m just surprised at the sudden interest,” he remarked. “I had no idea there would be as many people as there were yesterday.”
As the billionaires settled in, Mr. Huang famously draped his signature black leather jacket over his chair. He presented his South Korean counterparts with valuable gifts: 25-year-old Japanese Hakushu whiskey, worth thousands of dollars, and Nvidia’s brand-new $4,000 mini-computer, the DGX Spark, which had just launched that month, according to news footage.
“Are we going to have something to drink?” Mr. Huang jovially inquired. Mr. Lee, 57, promptly requested beer in Korean, exclaiming, “Beer, beer.” The two then enthusiastically unboxed Mr. Huang’s presents, with Mr. Lee proudly displaying his gifts for the cameras.
A personal message from Mr. Huang inscribed on the gifts read, “To our partnership and future of the world!”
Throughout the evening, Mr. Huang periodically stepped away from the table to interact with the crowd, handing out popular Korean snacks like gimbap, banana-flavored milk, and fried cheese sticks.
When the dinner concluded, one of the generous billionaires settled the entire bill for all the customers present that night, totaling an impressive $1,800, Mr. Jung confirmed.
“This is the best way to enjoy chimaek,” Mr. Huang declared, as the trio posed for a final round of photographs before their departure.