Jensen Huang's visit to South Korea has unexpectedly boosted the country's food and beverage industry. The actions of the CEO of NVIDIA have been widely covered by domestic and international media, leading to a natural promotion of popular Korean foods such as chicken, alcoholic beverages, snacks, and dairy products worldwide.
According to industry sources, Huang dined with major South Korean business leaders, including SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, and Naver Chairman Lee Hae-jin, at a pork belly restaurant called "Hyangnim Jeoyo" in the Mapo district of Seoul on June 5. After the dinner, he made an unexpected visit to the BBQ restaurant near Hongdae.
Initially, a karaoke venue was considered as the next destination, but the visit to the chicken restaurant was arranged at NVIDIA's suggestion. The BBQ franchise, Genesis BBQ Group, was not informed of the schedule in advance. At BBQ, Huang enjoyed the signature dish "Golden Olive Chicken" and a self-developed drink called "Sparkling Lemon Boy," which quickly gained attention online.
The alcohol industry also benefited from the spotlight. During the pork belly dinner and chicken gathering, brands such as Hite Jinro's Terra and Chamisul, OB Beer’s Cass, and Lotte Chilsung Beverage's Chuhyang were prominently featured. Notably, Huang's enjoyment of a mix of soju and beer, known as "so-maek," drew attention to South Korea's unique drinking culture.
Businesses responded swiftly. Hite Jinro expanded product supply to key stores in the Hongdae area following news of Huang's visit. Lotte Chilsung Beverage distributed 1,000 bottles of "Chuhyang" with phrases like "Like Jensen Huang" and "Like NVIDIA" to enhance the atmosphere.
Convenience stores and food companies also made their presence felt. A heartwarming scene was captured when a child handed Huang an Orion Choco Pie, which quickly spread on social media. Huang and his group distributed snacks to citizens gathered outside the restaurant, showcasing products like Seven Eleven's "Honey Banana Flavor HBM Chips," Binggrae's banana milk, and Paldo's Sikhye. The HBM Chips are inspired by SK Hynix's high-bandwidth memory, a key component in NVIDIA's AI semiconductors. Huang humorously remarked after tasting the chips, "Everyone likes HBM," eliciting laughter from those around him.
Manufacturers acted quickly as well. After learning of Huang's preference for banana milk, Binggrae reportedly increased supply to convenience stores near Hongdae. The influx of citizens, tourists, and reporters to see Huang led to a boost in the local economy, with convenience stores and restaurants experiencing a significant increase in visitors and some reporting higher sales than usual. Industry experts believe that interest in the Hongdae area will continue, especially with the rise in foreign tourists.
Huang's love for K-Food has continued throughout his visit. On June 6, he visited the noodle restaurant "Namhae Sikdang" in Namdaemun Market and a ginseng chicken soup restaurant called "Tosokchon" in Seochon. On June 7, he reportedly enjoyed Pyongyang cold noodles at "Woori Ok" in Jongno for lunch.
In the afternoon, after throwing the first pitch at a professional baseball game at Jamsil Stadium, he is expected to watch the game while enjoying BBQ's "Crunchy Boneless Crackers." NVIDIA ordered a total of 113 chickens for the group seating, with BBQ headquarters staff assisting with the preparation to handle the large order. After the baseball game, Huang plans to revisit the Kkanbu Chicken location in Gangnam, where he dined during his previous visit last year, for another meeting with SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won.
An industry insider remarked, "The sight of a global IT CEO enjoying chicken, drinking so-maek, and engaging with convenience store products in Korea has become powerful content. For domestic food companies looking to expand globally, this has resulted in significant marketing benefits."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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