Jensen Huang's "Samso Gathering" Bill Paid by Naver... "HBM Chips" Shared with Citizens (Comprehensive) - 아시아경제

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang joined top executives from South Korean conglomerates including SK, LG, and Naver for a 'Samso Gathering' at a Korean BBQ restaurant in Hongdae, Seoul. The event, reminiscent o... Read original →

Huang’s 'Samso Gathering' was a strategic theater of the U.S.-Korea AI-semiconductor alliance. Distributing HBM chip-shaped snacks symbolized SK hynix’s deep integration with NVIDIA—timed with imminent HBM4 ramp, cementing Korea’s dominance in high-end memory amid surging AI server demand. With U.S. export controls tightening, NVIDIA is actively de-risking its supply chain away from Taiwan, China, making Korea—a hub for mature nodes and advanced packaging—a critical alternative. Samsung and Micron will accelerate HBM roadmaps, but SK hynix already holds a 6–9 month lead via co-optimized 3D stacking with NVIDIA. Over the next 12–24 months, such 'cultural diplomacy + tech bundling' will become standard playbook, enabling Korea to pivot from contract manufacturing toward setting AI infrastructure standards, especially where edge AI (e.g., Jetson Thor) converges with digital payment ecosystems like Naver Pay.