Tech Titans' Unexpected Visit: Three Billionaires Share Fried Chicken and Forge AI Partnerships in Seoul

Three billionaires enjoyed a feast of cheese balls, cheese sticks, boneless chicken, and traditional fried chicken during their unexpected visit to a Seoul restaurant.

On Thursday, patrons at a popular Seoul fried chicken establishment were astonished when three of the world's most influential business leaders walked in and generously covered everyone's bills.

The distinguished trio included Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, currently the world's highest-valued company; Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics; and Chung Eui-sun, executive chair of Hyundai Motor Group.

Before attending the APEC summit in Gyeongju, the business magnates stopped at Kkanbu Chicken, a renowned Seoul venue for chimaek – the celebrated Korean combination of fried chicken paired with cold draft beer.

"I love fried chicken and beer with my friends, so Kkanbu is a perfect place, right?" Huang remarked to onlookers who were live-streaming the encounter. Interestingly, "Kkanbu" translates to "close friend" in Korean slang.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the billionaires enjoyed an assortment of cheese balls, cheese sticks, boneless chicken, and classic fried chicken, accompanied by Terra beer and soju, Korea's traditional rice liquor.

Local media captured footage of the three business leaders, who collectively represent approximately $195 billion in net worth, linking arms in a traditional Korean drinking gesture that symbolizes friendship and camaraderie.

The trio ventured outside to share their food with curious bystanders. "The chicken wings was so good. Have you been here before? It's incredible, right?" Huang commented while offering a basket to the crowd, asking, "Anyone? Fried chicken?"

Spectators erupted in cheers when Huang rang the restaurant's "golden bell," signaling his intention to pay for everyone's meals. Samsung's Lee ultimately settled the bill, while Hyundai's Chung generously funded a second round, according to Yonhap.

Their casual evening occurred amid high-profile diplomatic engagements in South Korea. Chinese President Xi Jinping, following trade discussions with US President Donald Trump, was among the leaders participating in the APEC summit in Gyeongju.

Access to sophisticated AI chips, such as those that have propelled Nvidia's valuation to nearly $5 trillion, remains a central topic in ongoing US-China trade negotiations.

On Friday, Huang met with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the summit and announced that Nvidia would supply more than 260,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) to South Korean companies, including those led by his dining companions.

According to the presidential office, Huang also confirmed Nvidia's partnerships with Samsung, Hyundai, Naver, and SK to advance "physical AI" – technologies that integrate artificial intelligence with real-world applications, such as AI-powered autonomous vehicles.