Korean fried chicken stocks were given a significant boost today by a new not-so-secret ingredient – a sprinkling of Jensanity. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was in Seoul meeting top execs at firms such as Samsung and Hyundai, reports Bloomberg. That’s big news on its own, but photos and videos of Huang enjoying the local fast food staple of spicy chicken, with a few beers, went viral, and KOSDAQ-listed Korean fried chicken brands saw their shares rise by as much as 20% or 30% this morning.
A different kind of ‘KFC’
Jensen Huang was pictured alongside Samsung’s Jay Y. Lee and Hyundai’s Chung Euisun at Kkanbu Chicken, in what has become a signature style of outing for the Green Team chief, appealing to the common man. Huang reportedly joked, “This is very good for your health, right?” with reporters outside the restaurant.
But what makes Korean fried chicken worth a taste test, or even preferable versus rival styles like the iconic American KFC?
As someone who enjoys an occasional piece of Korean fried chicken, I’d explain it to the uninitiated as a more crunchy than usual fried chicken style, with an intense spicy kick, sticky, sweet and sour tastes, and umami sauciness. The nearest Western-known sauces that may contribute to the signature flavor (but not the spice) would be Worcestershire sauce and/or OK sauce.
Jensanity - Huang’s Midas touch reaches beyond silicon
While Kkanbu Chicken isn’t publicly traded, peers like Kyochon F&B surged on the stock market by up to 20% in the day’s trading. Jensanity is infectious, and Bloomberg noted that related industry players like Cherrybro Co., a poultry processor, saw shares climb up to the daily limit of 30%. Another beneficiary of the viral fast food meeting was Neuromeka, a chicken-frying robot maker.
It is noted that Korean investors are characteristically easily influenced by risky trades, chasing short-term gains on the back of cultural, political, and meme-worthy events. Bloomberg cites U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent visit to South Korea, where he praised the host’s pen, sparking local pen maker MonAmi Co’s share to surge, as evidence of this phenomenon.
What was the Nvidia CEO even doing in S. Korea?
Huang was in South Korea to attend the APEC CEO Summit. During the important industry event, the Nvidia CEO unveiled new contracts to supply AI chips to major South Korean companies, says Bloomberg. He will have also been in the country to solidify agreements with AI and semiconductor players to counter the unpredictable China sanctions situation.
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