Nvidia CEO Dinner Sparks 20% Surge in South Korean Fried Chicken Stocks

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's casual dinner in Seoul with Samsung's Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai's Euisun Chung sparked a notable surge in South Korean fried chicken stocks, demonstrating the powerful influence of celebrity endorsements on market behavior. The trio dined at Kkanbu Chicken, and after two of them paid for the entire restaurant, shares of Kyochon F&B Co., a rival chicken brand, briefly jumped by 20%, while poultry processor Cherrybro Co. saw its trading volume increase dramatically. Additionally, stocks of Neuromeka Co., a chicken-frying robot maker, also rose significantly. This event reflects a recurring trend in South Korea where markets respond sharply to endorsements by prominent figures, similar to a previous spike caused by U.S. President Donald Trump's praise of a pen brand. Beyond the viral meal, Huang's visit to Seoul also involved business deals with Samsung and Hyundai to expand Nvidia's AI chip presence, underpinning the importance of these relationships in the tech and automotive sectors. Overall, the incident underscores how social and business interactions among influential leaders can rapidly impact financial markets and investor sentiment.