Nvidia CEO's daughter thanks Seoul police for crowd control during Korea visit

Madison Huang, the eldest daughter of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, sent a thank-you email to Seoul police after her recent visit to Korea, praising officers for safely managing unexpectedly large crowds during her father's trip.

Madison Huang, senior director of product marketing for Nvidia Omniverse and Robotics, sent an email to Yoo Jong-cheol, head of the Mapo Police Station's public safety intelligence division, on June 9, according to the precinct on Sunday.

In the email, she reportedly thanked the Seoul police for professionally managing security as throngs of people attempted to get a glimpse of the Nvidia founder. She also expressed appreciation for the cooperation with Huang’s security team and all the assistance the precinct provided.

She added that her father was also truly grateful for the police's efforts to keep the public safe during the visit.

The Mapo Police Station learned in advance that the CEO planned to visit Hongdae in Mapo District, western Seoul, on June 5 to meet professional gamer Faker, or Lee Sang-hyeok, before attending a gathering with executives from major Korean companies at a nearby Korean barbecue restaurant.

Although he was not an officially protected foreign dignitary, police anticipated heavier-than-usual Friday night crowds in the busy Hongdae area. They deployed one mobile police unit of about 60 officers, along with about 40 additional officers, to manage the crowds. Barricades were installed and pedestrian routes were separated to reduce the risk of accidents.

Police were also informed that the Nvidia chief's party planned to walk through a narrow alley to visit a karaoke venue after dinner. Concerned that large crowds could create dangerous bottlenecks, officers advised against the plan, citing the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush as an example of the potential risks. Huang's team ultimately canceled the karaoke visit and instead headed to a nearby chicken restaurant.

Even then, his security team asked that uniformed police not closely surround the group while they were moving.

Police instead suggested that the party “walk alongside buildings rather than through the middle of the street to minimize contact with bystanders,” while officers from the mobile unit maintained a safe distance to provide security.

Although hundreds of people gathered as Huang's group moved through the area, police quickly controlled the crowds and the evening ended without any safety incidents.

After the Hongdae visit, Nvidia representatives thanked Yoo, who directed operations at the scene, and offered to buy him a meal in appreciation.

Yoo politely declined, explaining that he “could not accept such hospitality as a public official.” Instead, he exchanged business cards with the visitors, which later led to the email correspondence.

"I recently received a message from an Nvidia employee asking me to check my email because they had sent a thank-you message," Yoo said. "I replied that I was glad CEO Huang and his party had completed their visit to Korea safely, and that the Seoul Metropolitan Police are always ready to help ensure public safety whenever they return."

"The most important priority that day was protecting public safety while allowing people to move around as freely as possible," he added. "Keeping the public safe is simply part of our job, and as a public official, I could not accept their offer of a meal."

BY BAE JAE-SUNG [[email protected]]