Jensen Huang's Korean TV appearance with wife resurfaces amid affair scandal

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's past comments about his wife are drawing renewed attention in Korea after he admitted to an extramarital affair amid allegations that he was targeted by Chinese intelligence.

The controversy has cast a new light on Huang's appearance on tvN's popular talk show "You Quiz on the Block" in June, when he appeared alongside his wife, Lori, shared the story of how their relationship began.

On Sunday (local time), Nvidia's board of directors announced an independent investigation following reports that Huang had allegedly been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation.

The investigation will be overseen by a committee of independent directors with assistance from outside legal counsel.

The board said it had no reason to believe that U.S. national security or Nvidia's confidential information had been compromised, but that the investigation would examine all available information.

Huang also admitted to being unfaithful to his wife in an email to employees.

"I owe my family and all of you an apology. I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did," he said.

He took full responsibility for his actions, acknowledging that he had fallen short of his obligations to Nvidia's employees, board members and shareholders.

The admission has brought renewed attention to Huang's earlier television appearance, particularly his affectionate interactions with his wife.

During the June episode of "You Quiz on the Block," a Korean talk show hosted by comedian Yoo Jae-suk, Huang shared the story of how he first met his wife when they were teenagers.

He recalled being younger than many of his classmates but having one advantage: his academic performance.

Huang said he used that strength to approach his future wife, who was admired by fellow engineering students.

"Want to see my homework?" he recalled asking her as a way of striking up a conversation.

The episode also showed Huang holding his wife's hand, presenting a warm picture of their decades-long relationship.

Those scenes have taken on a different meaning in light of his admission, with the contrast between his public display of affection and his private conduct drawing particular attention.

The scandal has also raised national security concerns because the woman linked to Huang has been identified in media reports as Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, a former executive at Singapore-based data center company Megaspeed.

U.S. intelligence authorities have suspected Alice Huang of having ties to China's Ministry of State Security, the country's principal civilian intelligence agency.

According to media reports, she allegedly sought access to information about advanced semiconductor technology and U.S. government policy through her relationship with the Nvidia chief.

The espionage allegations have not been established through Nvidia's ongoing investigation, and the company has said there is no evidence so far that its secrets or U.S. national security were compromised.

The controversy comes at a particularly sensitive time for Nvidia, whose advanced artificial intelligence chips have become central to the technological rivalry between the United States and China.

U.S. lawmakers have also called for Huang to brief Congress about the allegations and the potential national security implications.

This article from Xportsnews was adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.