Crowds of citizens and reporters gather outside restaurant for Jensen Huang, Chey Tae-won, Koo Kwang-mo and Lee Hae-jin's dinner meeting

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[Financial News] On the 5th, reporters and citizens gathered from early morning outside Hyungnim Jeoyo, a samgyeopsal restaurant near Hongik University station in Seoul's Mapo District, where a dinner meeting was scheduled between Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, Koo Kwang-mo, chairman of LG Group, and Lee Hae-jin, chairman of Naver.
The restaurant, chosen as the site of a second Kkanbu meeting, did not open for lunch that day and kept its doors locked while preparing for the dinner. Samgyeopsal and pork neck were expected to be served at the table, and soju was also said to be ready.
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The restaurant has also been visited by Gordon Ramsay, the famous British chef and broadcaster. A photo of his visit, labeled as a 'memory of Gordon Ramsay,' was posted on the entrance door.
The scene was filled with media attention. Cameras from domestic and foreign outlets pointed toward the restaurant, heightening expectations for a second Kkanbu meeting. As the afternoon went on, citizens who came to see the so-called 'samso' meeting between Huang and the heads of major Korean companies joined in, creating a large crowd. With concerns raised over traffic disruption and safety, the Seoul Mapo Police Station installed a crowd-control line starting at 1:30 p.m. The original venue was reportedly likely to be a restaurant in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, but it was ultimately changed to the area near Hongik University station after safety and travel-route considerations.
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Citizens passing through Red Road, the themed street in Hongdae Culture, Arts and Tourism Special Zone near the restaurant, were surprised by the large number of reporters. Officials from HiteJinro and Lotte Chilsung Beverage also came to the scene and handed out drinks and souvenirs to waiting citizens and reporters.
Online, the phrase 'Hyungnim meeting,' named after the restaurant, has been circulating, reflecting growing anticipation for the scene Huang and the heads of Korean companies will create. Huang, who visited Korea last October to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju (APEC), held what became known as the 'Kkanbu meeting' with Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, and Chung Eui-sun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, at Kkanbu Chicken in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
It drew attention as a symbolic moment announcing AI cooperation among NVIDIA, Samsung Electronics, and Hyundai Motor Group. At the time, Huang and Korean companies agreed to work together on the supply of graphics processing units (GPU), high bandwidth memory (HBM), and AI Factory initiatives. During this visit, expanding cooperation with Korean companies in robotics and other physical AI fields appears to be the main focus.
ehcho@fnnews.com Jo Eun-hyo Reporter