Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Grabs “Kkanbu” Chicken With Samsung and Hyundai Chiefs in Seoul — And the Internet Is Loving It

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun caused a buzz in Seoul on Nov. 30 when they met for dinner at Kkanbu Chicken, a popular fried-chicken chain in the city’s upscale Gangnam district.

Huang, visiting Korea for the first time in 15 years, reportedly chose the location himself — a move widely interpreted as a symbolic gesture of friendship and alliance with Korea’s top business leaders. As he walked into the restaurant, he told reporters he enjoys grabbing beer and fried chicken with friends, adding, “Kkanbu is the perfect place.”

The trio kept things casual: relaxed outfits, friendly arm-over-shoulder poses, even “love-shot” toasts — a Korean drinking gesture where two people link arms while taking a sip. They also handed out fried chicken to fans who gathered outside, delighting onlookers and sparking social-media chatter about their easy camaraderie.

So… What Does Kkanbu Mean?

Kkanbu is a Korean slang word meaning close friends who share everything — almost like “ride-or-die buddies.” It’s not found in official Korean dictionaries, but it's widely used in everyday speech. Some Koreans also pronounce it as kkam-bu or kkan-bo, and many remember using the term in childhood games like marbles or card-flipping battles, saying things like “Let’s be kkanbu.”

The word gained international popularity in 2021 thanks to Netflix’s hit Squid Game, when the character Oh Il-nam says the now-famous line: “We’re kkanbu, aren’t we?” Since then, kkanbu has become a global cultural keyword symbolizing deep loyalty and trust.

Kkanbu Chicken — From Local Chain to Cultural Reference

Kkanbu Chicken, founded in 2006, also helped popularize the term. The restaurant’s name uses kkanbu to evoke warmth, friendship, and shared moments — values that clearly resonated during Huang’s visit. After Squid Game exploded globally, the chain even released a limited-edition “Squid Game Chicken” menu item to ride the wave.

Jensen Huang — known for his leather jackets, powerhouse AI chips, and now Korean fried-chicken diplomacy — has once again shown that tech leadership sometimes happens not only in boardrooms, but also over a casual plate of chi-maek (chicken + beer). In Korea, becoming kkanbu is no small thing — and last night, three of Asia’s most influential business leaders did exactly that.