Nvidia CEO arrives in Seoul with physical AI, gamer meetups and pork belly on the menu

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaks to reporters after his arrival at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul on June 5. [PARK YOUNG-WOO] Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang arrived in Seoul on Friday afternoon bearing what he described as “a lot of business” for Korea in his much-anticipated return to the country after just seven months. Huang landed at Gimpo International Airport on a chartered flight at around 1:20 p.m. Related Article Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to arrive Friday for 4-day trip in Korea Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to throw first pitch at Doosan Bears game 'Jensen Huang effect' has some investors tracking itinerary, fattening pork-related holdings His arrival came seven months after he took part in a surprise yet casual gathering with Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung at a chicken joint in southern Seoul in October of last year. “I am back [in Korea because] I want to thank all of [our] partners and customers,” Huang told reporters at the airport. “We had a very big year last year, and the Korean market is doing well,” Huang added. “We are doing a lot of very important work, as you know, AI build-out is accelerating.” While noting that he is “happy” about the recent strong performance of the Korean market, the Nvidia CEO added that the second half of the year will be significantly stronger than the first, and that next year will be even bigger. “I want to make sure that our partners are aligned and prepared,” Huang said. “We have a lot of work to do.” When asked whether he had brought gifts this time, Huang replied that he “brought a lot of business for Korea.” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang arrives at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul on June 5. [AP/YONHAP] “I have some surprises. But I cannot tell you. Otherwise, it would not be a surprise,” Huang added. He also noted that he is going to meet with representatives and executives from Hyundai, LG, SK, Samsung and Naver during his visit. Huang said he “loves Korean barbecue” as well as Korean fried chicken and samgyetang , adding all the dishes are “delicious.” His remarks seemingly gave a nod to his plans to have grilled samgyeopsal (pork belly) and soju for dinner with Korean business leaders in the Hongdae neighborhood in western Seoul. The attendees are rumored to include SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Naver Chairman Lee Hae-jin. Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung will reportedly skip Friday’s dinner because of a scheduling conflict. Instead, Chung is likely to personally welcome Huang at the automaker’s headquarters in southern Seoul’s Yangjae-dong district on Monday. After leaving the airport, Huang was expected to head to his first official stop in Korea: the base camp of professional gaming team T1, at a PC bang (gaming cafe) in Donggyo-dong in Mapo District, western Seoul. Huang, who has frequently expressed strong interest in Korea’s gaming culture and esports landscape, is scheduled to meet T1 captain Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as Faker, the League of Legends champion. Faker became the first esports athlete to receive the Cheongnyong Medal, the highest class of the Order of Sports Merit. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang signs autographs at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul on June 5. [AP/YONHAP] Industry observers expect the dinner gathering will cover potential collaboration in the fields of high bandwidth memory (HBM), AI data centers, autonomous driving, robotics and physical AI, all of which are sectors involving Nvidia and Korean companies. During his stay, Huang is also expected to meet with academic researchers and startup entrepreneurs to discuss cooperation. His itinerary is also expected to include an appearance on tvN’s talk show “You Quiz on the Block” (2018–) and tossing the ceremonial first pitch at a Doosan Bears home game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Huang is expected to leave Korea either late Monday or Tuesday morning after completing his schedule in Korea. This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY JANG GU-SEUL [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]