Nvidia CEO to meet esports legend Faker, rest of T1 during visit to Korea
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang will meet with esports legend Faker during his visit to Korea as part of efforts to deepen cooperation across the AI and technology industries.
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Nvidia CEO Jesen Huang, left, and professional esports legend Lee Sang-hyeok, known as “Faker,” of LCK team T1NVIDIA/NEWS1
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang will meet with esports legend Faker during his visit to Korea as part of efforts to deepen cooperation across the AI and technology industries.
Huang will arrive at Gimpo International Airport at around 1 p.m. on Friday, according to Nvidia and sources in the IT and gaming sectors. While in the country, he is scheduled to partake in a series of meetings with major Korean business leaders and esports stars.
After briefly speaking to reporters at the airport, Huang will head to the professional gaming team T1's base camp, a PC bang (gaming cafe) in Donggyo-dong in Mapo District, western Seoul.
Huang has long expressed a strong interest in Korea's gaming culture and esports scene. He is set to meet T1 captain Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as Faker, the League of Legends player who became the first esports athlete to receive the Cheongnyong Medal, the highest class of the Order of Sports Merit, in January.
The Nvidia CEO is expected to meet the rest of the T1 roster as well, including Choi Hyeon-joon, known as Doran; Mun Hyeon-jun, known as Oner; Kim Su-hwan, known as Peyze; and Ryu Min-seok, known as Keria.
During the meeting, Huang will likely discuss ways to further promote and support the esports industry.
He is then scheduled to visit a samgyeopsal (pork belly) restaurant near Hongik University Station in the Hongdae neighborhood in the evening for a private dinner meeting with the heads of several major Korean conglomerates.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, center, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, left, and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung gather at a Kkanbu Chicken restaurant in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul, on Oct. 30, 2025.NEWS1
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Naver founder and board chairman Lee Hae-jin will reportedly attend the dinner.
They are expected to discuss a wide range of future technology partnerships, including coordination of AI semiconductor supply chains, robotics, physical AI and next-generation data center infrastructure.
A restaurant in Seongsu-dong in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, had initially been considered for the venue but was changed to Hongdae due to security concerns and logistical efficiency, according to industry sources.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, right, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, left, and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung share fried chicken and beer on Oct. 30, 2025.NEWS1
Additionally, the decision to ultimately choose a restaurant named Hyeongnim Jeoyo — which translates to “Brother, it's me,” evoking a friendly image — is widely seen as a strategic move aimed at generating public interest, similarly to last year's event. In October 2025, Huang met with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung at a Kkanbu Chicken store. “Kkanbu” is Korean slang referring to a close friend or trusted companion, meaning that the franchise's name, like the samygeopsal restaurant's, carries an approachable vibe.
The restaurant has suspended all reservations for the afternoon and delayed its opening hours for the day.
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.
