Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is visiting Seoul today to throw the first pitch at a Doosan Bears home game and meet SK Group leaders [1].
The visit underscores the deepening strategic relationship between the world's leading AI chip designer and South Korea's critical semiconductor and gaming infrastructure. By engaging in both high-profile public appearances and informal networking, Huang is reinforcing ties with key regional partners essential for Nvidia's hardware supply chain.
Following the baseball game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, Huang is scheduled to attend a second "깐부" (buddy) meeting [1]. This informal gathering will take place at 7 p.m. [1] at a chicken restaurant in the Samseong-dong neighborhood of Seoul [1].
Huang will meet with SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won and four SK executives, including Kwak No-jeong, Kim Juseon, Jeong Jae-heon, and Jeong Seok-geun [1]. The meeting follows a similar networking pattern Huang has established with other major Korean conglomerates, including Samsung and Hyundai [1].
This gathering occurs approximately seven months after the previous meeting in October 2023 [1]. The choice of a casual dining venue for high-level executive discussions is a hallmark of the "buddy" networking style, designed to foster personal trust outside of formal corporate boardrooms [1].
Crowds have already gathered in Samseong-dong in anticipation of the CEO's arrival [1]. Reporter Son Hyo-jung of YTN News said the crowds were visible in front of the restaurant where the meeting is expected to occur [1].
“Huang is scheduled to attend a second "깐부" (buddy) meeting”
The transition from formal corporate summits to informal 'buddy' meetings at chicken restaurants suggests a shift toward long-term, trust-based alliances between Nvidia and SK Group. As AI demand scales, these personal relationships between CEOs and chairmen often streamline high-stakes negotiations over HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) supply and infrastructure investments that are critical to the global AI ecosystem.
