Home > Business > Industry

Nvidia chief's daughter behind high-profile business meeting at Korean chicken restaurant

Published: 03 Nov. 2025, 10:05 Updated: 03 Nov. 2025, 17:46

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, right, shares chicken with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, front left, and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung at a Kkanbu Chicken branch in Gangnam District, southern Seoul on Oct. 30. [NEWS1]

Why did Jensen Huang, CEO of U.S. chipmaker Nvidia, share chimaek — a Korean portmanteau of chicken and beer — with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung last Thursday?

According to multiple sources familiar with the meeting, the person behind the unusual gathering was Huang’s daughter, Madison Huang.

Sources in the liberal Democratic Party, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Huang's daughter specifically chose a Kkanbu Chicken franchise in Samseong-dong, Gangnam District, southern Seoul, for the gathering. The word kkanbu is Korean slang for a close friend, popularized by the Netflix series “Squid Game” (2021-), where a character famously said, “We’re kkanbu, aren’t we?”

“Madison Huang selected the location herself, playing on the slang term kkanbu, and themed the event around the concept of forming an ‘AI kkanbu,’” one source said.

She reportedly arrived in Korea a month in advance, scouting companies in collaboration with Nvidia, and picked the fried chicken joint in advance for the high-profile meeting.

“I love fried chicken and beer with my friends," said Jensen Huang, calling Kkanbu Chicken a "perfect place," speaking to reporters before entering the venue.

During the meal, the three leaders toasted with interlocked arms — a Korean “love shot.” At an event later that day celebrating the 25th anniversary of Nvidia’s GeForce graphics card in Korea, Huang invited Lee and Chung on to the stage, calling them "chimaek buddies."

Throughout Huang’s visit, Madison was a close presence by his side, often walking slightly ahead to guide him. When Huang gifted Lee and Chung two bottles of Hakushu 25, a premium Japanese whiskey, with his autograph, it was Madison who handed the bottles to her father.

President Lee Jae Myung, right, shakes hands with Madison Huang, daughter of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, during a meeting with the CEO at the Hwabaek International Convention Center (HICO) in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Oct. 31. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

Born in 1990, Madison Huang joined Nvidia in 2020 and currently serves as a senior director, overseeing both the company’s physical AI platforms and humanoid robotics division — outranking her brother, Spencer Huang, who also works at Nvidia.

Before her tenure at the chip giant, Madison studied culinary arts at the Culinary Institute of America and later studied pastry and winemaking at Le Cordon Bleu. She then worked for four years at French luxury group LVMH before joining Nvidia, where she has quickly risen through the ranks and frequently accompanies her father to global speaking engagements.

Madison also accompanied her father on Friday, when he met President Lee Jae Myung at the Hwabaek International Convention Center in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang.

When President Lee met Madison Huang, he said he could hardly believe she was Huang's daughter because of her youthful appearance. Huang responded, “She’s 34 years old.” When Lee noted that age is considered a secret in Korea, Jensen Huang laughed and said he had made the number up.

Huang wrapped up the meeting with President Lee by again referring to Lee Jae-yong and Chung as his “chimaek brothers,” adding that the president should join him as well next time.

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 YOON JI-WON [[email protected]]