Jensen Huang to Arrive at 1 p.m. Today... Where Will He Have His 'Pork Belly and Soju' Dinner with Business Tycoons?

Ahead of NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang's visit to South Korea, the country's business community is moving quickly. Returning to Korea for the first time in seven months, Huang will meet reporters upon arrival to share his thoughts on the trip. He will then begin a 'pork belly and soju' gathering with the heads of major Korean conglomerates, launching an effort to expand a Korean-style AI alliance.
According to NVIDIA on the 5th, Huang is scheduled to arrive at the Gimpo Airport Business Aviation Center (SGBAC) aboard a private jet at around 1 p.m. that day.
There had been speculation that Huang would arrive anywhere from the evening of the 4th to 5 p.m. on the 5th, but the company disclosed the detailed schedule only late the previous night.
NVIDIA said, "CEO Huang plans to leave the Gimpo Airport terminal and hold a Q&A session with Korean reporters, so active questions from the press will be possible." It added, "The schedule after that has not been finalized, so it is still difficult to share or confirm. We will provide updates on a case-by-case basis."
Huang is expected to attend a dinner at 7 p.m. at a barbecue restaurant near Hongdae in Mapo District, Seoul, with Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, Koo Kwang-mo, chairman of LG Group, and Lee Hae-jin, chairman of Naver.
Business circles had initially pointed to a 'Seongsu-dong pork belly dinner' as the most likely venue, but Hongdae is now being mentioned due to safety concerns over crowding and security issues related to travel routes.
Given Huang's usual preference for public appearances, some observers say the evening could continue with a second round, such as a tour of outdoor bars in Euljiro, while also allowing for casual interaction with citizens.
Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, who had a 'fried chicken and beer' gathering with Huang at Kkanbu Chicken in Samseong-dong, Seoul, seven months ago, will not attend because of an overseas business trip. Chung Eui-sun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, is reportedly adjusting his schedule.
If the previous 'fried chicken and beer' meeting was aimed at building cooperation between NVIDIA and Samsung and Hyundai Motor, this time the goal is to forge key partnerships spanning SK, LG, and Naver in the global race for AI dominance. Discussions are expected to focus on building a global AI alliance worth trillions of won, including checks on the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) supply chain and cooperation on next-generation data centers.
Because the movements of a single figure who holds the key to global AI dominance can determine the stock prices and partnership directions of major Korean companies, domestic firms are keeping the details of Huang's meetings and locations strictly under wraps.
Huang will spend the weekend and early next week carrying out business schedules across the domestic IT and automotive industries. On the 7th, he will meet with Kim Taek-jin, CEO of NCSOFT, and then take the mound as the ceremonial first pitcher at a professional baseball game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul at 5 p.m. On the 8th, he is set to visit LG Group headquarters in Yeouido and Naver headquarters in Bundang, before stopping by SNU Robotics Laboratory and Hyundai Motor Group headquarters in Yangjae-dong and then departing Korea.

[email protected] Sung Min-seo Reporter