Jen-Hsun Huang dined on fried chicken with the heads of Samsung and Hyundai, igniting a frenzy for the "chicken meme stocks" in South Korea.

Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang's chicken dinner with the heads of Samsung and Hyundai unexpectedly ignited a frenzy in Korean meme stocks, with related concept stocks surging by 30%. This article is sourced from a piece written by Wall Street Watch, compiled, translated, and authored by Foresight News. (Background: Nvidia's market capitalization has surpassed $5 trillion! An article reviewing Nvidia's rise: from gaming giant, encryption mining overlord to AI arms dealer) (Background Supplement: Nvidia invests $1 billion in Nokia, becoming its largest shareholder! Nokia soared 21%, what is Jen-Hsun Huang scheming behind the scenes?) Jen-Hsun Huang appeared at Kkanbu Chicken in Seoul, dining with the heads of Samsung Electronics and Hyundai, unexpectedly igniting a frenzy over Korean “meme stocks.” Although the restaurant is not publicly listed, related chicken, poultry, and robotics concept stocks surged, with poultry processor Cherrybro soaring by 30%, triggering a limit-up. This highly-publicized dinner took place on Thursday evening, where Jen-Hsun Huang, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-Yong, and Hyundai Executive Chairman Chung Eui-sun were spotted at a fried chicken restaurant called Kkanbu Chicken. Related photos and videos quickly went viral on social media. Despite Kkanbu Chicken not being a listed company, its competitor Kyochon F&B Co.'s stock price soared by 20% on Friday; Korean poultry processor Cherrybro Co. even hit a 30% daily limit-up, with trading volume about 200 times the average level. Even the stock price of Neuromeka Co., which produces fried chicken robots, rose sharply. This event not only reflects the unique impact of viral dissemination on the Korean stock market but also reveals the business logic behind this casual dinner. In a relaxed atmosphere, Jen-Hsun Huang aimed to deepen Nvidia's strategic intentions in this key market in Korea. According to Wall Street Watch, Nvidia has reached an agreement with Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Group, and SK Hynix to provide over 260,000 AI chips to kickstart Korean AI projects. Nvidia did not disclose the financial terms of the deal. Informal dinner among tech giants This dinner that triggered market fluctuations was filled with relaxed social details. On Thursday evening, Jen-Hsun Huang, dressed in his signature black leather jacket, appeared at Kkanbu Chicken in Gangnam, Seoul, attracting a large crowd. They ordered three servings of fried chicken, cheese sticks, and three beers, while Jen-Hsun Huang drank soju with beer from the next table. During the meal, Jen-Hsun Huang presented Lee Jae-Yong and Chung Eui-sun with gift boxes inscribed with the Nvidia DGX (the company’s AI system series) logo. Lee Jae-Yong showcased a signed note from Jen-Hsun Huang to the camera that read: “To our cooperation, to the future of the world!” Jen-Hsun Huang shouted, “Everyone's meal is on me,” and at the end of the dinner, Lee Jae-Yong and Chung Eui-sun jointly paid a bill of about 2.5 million won (approximately $1,750), which even included the meals of all other customers in the restaurant at that time. Jen-Hsun Huang interacted with the waiting crowd outside the restaurant and signed various items. This gathering was not just a publicity stunt. Jen-Hsun Huang's visit to Korea coincided with the APEC CEO Summit. According to reports, Jen-Hsun Huang plans to announce new contracts to supply AI chips to Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor during this trip. For Nvidia, deepening cooperation with Korean tech and automotive giants helps expand its business footprint in this key market. Jen-Hsun Huang also told the media: “I have many partners here, and we have many announcements to make.” For Korean companies, establishing closer relationships with Nvidia means obtaining a more stable supply of GPUs. According to the latest agreement, Nvidia has reached an agreement with Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group, and SK Group to provide over 260,000 AI chips to kickstart Korean AI projects. The Korean government will build what is called “sovereign AI”—government-controlled computing infrastructure. In the future, over 50,000 of Nvidia's latest AI accelerators will be deployed in data centers, including national AI computing centers and facilities of companies like Kakao, Naver, and NHN Cloud. Earlier this week, Nvidia became the first company with a market capitalization exceeding $5 trillion. The “meme” culture of the Korean stock market Jen-Hsun Huang's personal influence was once again validated in the capital market. After photos of this fried chicken dinner went viral online, they quickly transformed into the driving force for the rise of related concept stocks. Since the gathering place Kkanbu Chicken is not publicly listed, traders seeking short-term gains turned their attention to other related companies. The stock price of fried chicken chain Kyochon F&B Co. rose by 20%, while upstream poultry processor Cherrybro Co.'s stock price directly surged to a 30% limit-up. Additionally, the stock price of Neuromeka Co., a listed company on the Korean KOSDAQ that manufactures fried chicken robots, also saw a significant increase. However, these stocks all retreated after a brief surge. The unusual movements of these “fried chicken stocks” are another reflection of the “meme culture” in the Korean stock market. Analysts believe that this event reflects the powerful influence of internet hotspots and celebrity effects on the Korean market, particularly on small-cap stocks. In Korea, traders seeking risk often chase short-term gains related to cultural, political, or economic hotspot events, and these speculative behaviors often have little correlation with the company's fundamentals and actual operations. For example, in August this year, after former US President Trump praised the pen used by Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, the stock price of Korean stationery manufacturer MonAmi surged, but subsequently fell back to its starting point. This is not the first time Jen-Hsun Huang has played the role of “market maker.” In 2024, after he mentioned several AI-related companies in a speech, the stock prices of these companies also surged, demonstrating his market influence that transcends the companies themselves. Related reports unveil the logic behind ChainOpera AI's explosive popularity: precisely hitting the cycle, with FDV exceeding $4 billion. Heavyweight! NVIDIA invests $100 billion in cooperation with OpenAI to jointly build a 10GW AI data center, NVDA jumps 3.9%. Satoshi Nakamoto becomes the 11th richest person in the world, surpassing Buffett and Jen-Hsun Huang… Wallets sit dormant for 16 years, Bitcoin valued at $120 billion. “Jen-Hsun Huang's chicken dinner with Samsung and Hyundai heads ignites a frenzy over Korean 'chicken meme stocks'” This article was first published on BlockTempo, the most influential blockchain news media.