Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang met with SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won and other executives at a chicken restaurant in Seoul [1].
The gathering signals a deepening strategic relationship between the world's leading AI chip designer and South Korea's critical semiconductor and telecommunications infrastructure providers. Such informal ties are increasingly vital as the global demand for high-bandwidth memory and AI accelerators grows.
During the meeting, Huang sat with Choi Tae-won along with executives from SK Hynix and SK Telecom, and their spouses [1]. The event was described as a "Kkanbu" gathering, a Korean term referring to a close, trusted friendship or partnership [1].
This meeting served as a follow-up to a previous engagement in October 2023 [1]. In that earlier meeting, Huang had also connected with leaders from other major South Korean conglomerates, including Samsung and Hyundai [1].
"Nice to meet you," Huang said [1].
Choi Tae-won emphasized the bond between the companies during a toast. "We have finally become Kkanbus," Choi said [1].
The leaders used the informal setting to discuss future cooperation and reinforce the personal ties that underpin their business agreements [1]. By choosing a local chicken restaurant rather than a formal boardroom, the executives aimed to cement a level of trust and camaraderie that transcends standard corporate diplomacy, a move that reflects the cultural importance of shared meals in South Korean business relations.
“"We have finally become Kkanbus"”
The use of the term 'Kkanbu' suggests that Nvidia is moving beyond a transactional vendor-client relationship with SK Group to a strategic alliance. Because SK Hynix is a primary supplier of the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) essential for Nvidia's AI GPUs, these personal ties between Jensen Huang and Choi Tae-won are critical for securing the supply chain necessary to maintain Nvidia's market dominance in the AI era.
