Jensen Huang, Nvidia's chief executive officer, took the mound for the ceremonial first pitch on the 7th at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, while Nvidia showed its fondness for Korean-style fried chicken by ordering around 100 BBQ chickens. On the first day of his visit, Huang visited a BBQ location near Hongdae in Seoul and again chose BBQ chicken at Jamsil Baseball Stadium.
According to the industry on the 7th, Nvidia ordered 113 "Crunch Boneless Cracker" chickens from BBQ's Jamsil Baseball Stadium location the day before. The chicken was delivered around 4:10 p.m. that day to group seating on the second floor where Nvidia employees and Huang's family were watching the game.
Crunch Boneless Cracker is boneless chicken made from thigh meat coated in finely crushed breadcrumbs and fried crispy in a cracker-like form. It features oregano notes and savory flavor, and the retail price is 20,000 won per chicken.
BBQ reportedly dispatched about 10 headquarters employees to Jamsil Baseball Stadium that day to handle the large order. They supported chicken preparation and delivery, as well as store operations.
At Jamsil that day, a game between the Doosan Bears and the Kiwoom Heroes began at 5 p.m. Wearing a Doosan uniform with No. 93, symbolizing Nvidia's founding year of 1993, Huang took the mound for the first pitch. At the event, Huang said, "Nothing is better than 'chimaek' (Nothing is better than '치맥')," expressing his affection for chicken and beer.
Huang also had BBQ chicken on the 5th, two days earlier. At the time, after a dinner of samgyeopsal with soju and beer with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, and Naver Chairman Lee Hae-jin at the samgyeopsal grill restaurant "Hyeongnim Jeyo" near Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo District, Seoul, he enjoyed a second round of chimaek at the nearby BBQ Hongik Univ. Station location.
The group is said to have ordered eight chickens, including BBQ's signature Golden Olive Chicken and Golden Olive Half-and-Half Chicken. They also paired them with Lemon Boy, a beverage developed by BBQ.
A BBQ representative said, "BBQ has many prime locations in the Hongdae commercial district and at Jamsil Stadium, and we have expanded overseas as well, so we think it came in naturally," adding, "We expect synergy for global promotion going forward (thanks to the Jensen Huang effect)."
BBQ opened at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in 2019. It currently operates four stores: two on the first floor, one on the second, and one on the third. Overseas, it is present in 57 countries, including more than 300 locations across 30 U.S. states, as well as in Oceania, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Europe.
Chicken dishes have been appearing frequently on Huang's itinerary in Korea. On the 5th, shortly after arriving via Gimpo Airport, he told reporters, "I really like Korean barbecue. I also love chicken, and samgyetang is the best," showing his affection for Korean food.
On the 6th, he reportedly dined with his family at Tosokchon, a samgyetang restaurant in Jongno District, Seoul. That evening, he was scheduled to meet Chairman Chey Tae-won at a Kkanbu Chicken location in Samseong-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul.
Kkanbu Chicken's Samseong location is where Huang held a "chimaek meeting" last October during his visit to Korea with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun. At an Nvidia-related event at COEX at the time, he drew attention by saying, "I don't know why Korean chicken is the best in the world, but Korean chicken is the best in the world."
Huang is also known to enjoy Korean-style fried chicken in Silicon Valley. He has mentioned his go-to Korean-style hof bar, "99 Chicken," in Santa Clara, California, both in private and in official settings.