Jensen Huang praises Korean fried chicken at high-profile Seoul dinner with Samsung, Hyundai leaders

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, right, enjoys fried chicken and beer with Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, left, and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun at Kkanbu Chicken near Samseong Station in southern Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang created a buzz in Korea, enjoying a casual evening with Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun over Korean fried chicken, one of the country’s most beloved snacks, and rounds of “somaek,” a popular soju and beer mix, on Thursday.

A central figure in the global artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, Huang is visiting Korea for the first time in 15 years to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit and other high-profile business events.

Huang, Lee and Chung dined at Kkanbu Chicken, a franchise, in a casual dining district near Samseong Station in southern Seoul, sharing fried chicken, beer and somaek, and even performed a Korean-style “love shot” toast.

The trio also sampled Korea’s craft Jeju Ale before mixing Terra beer with Chamisul soju.

Huang praised Korean fried chicken at an event later that evening in COEX, saying, "I told my friends that I wanted to eat Korean fried chicken. I don’t know why — it’s just the best in the world."

He also mentioned his favorite Korean fried chicken spot in the U.S., 99 Chicken in Silicon Valley.

Throughout the evening, Huang interacted warmly with onlookers outside the restaurant, sharing fried chicken and banana milk with people.

"This is the best day of my life," he reportedly said. "So good. So happy."

The dinner lasted about 80 minutes, drawing hundreds of bystanders.

As they left, Lee reflected, "Happiness isn’t something big — it’s about sharing good food and drinks with people you like."

The high-profile gathering also boosted attention to Korea’s fried chicken industry. Kyochon F&B, the only listed fried chicken restaurnt brand, saw its shares briefly rise before closing slightly lower.

Its shares dropped 0.36 percent to close at 4,210 won ($2.95) on the benchmark KOSPI. The stock started the day at 4,845 won and rose for a time before losing gains later.