Everything He Eats Sells Out... Even Snacks with Sales Soaring Over 700% [Now Buying Habits]

Jensen Huang’s ‘K-Food Tour’ Brings a Boom to Retail and Dining
From Snacks to Chicken to Bungeoppang...Sales Soar for ‘Huang Picks’
Strong Public Trust and Admiration Translates into Consumption

Editor's NoteWhat are people buying these days? From household goods that everyone picks up at Daiso, to cosmetics that sell out at Olive Young, and even bread that people stand in line for. Today’s market trends are fully reflected in these familiar scenes of consumption. is a series that deciphers current consumer trends through the lens of “what sells well” in everyday life. Which products get chosen, and what strategies make people open their wallets? This series explains the evolving consumer landscape in an easy and engaging way.

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang enjoying Korean food during his visit to South Korea. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The visit of NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang to Korea has sparked what is being called the “Jensen Huang Syndrome” in the domestic retail and food service sectors. Amid the recent boom in artificial intelligence (AI) stocks, public interest in the global leader of AI has reached its peak, especially among young people who are flocking to trace his footsteps. These fans have dubbed Huang the “Meokjalal” (a person who knows how to eat well), and are treating the brands he chooses and the places he visits as something like pilgrimage sites. This is interpreted as a result of high trust and admiration for a global CEO manifesting as an experiential, imitation-driven consumer psychology—wanting to share the same experiences. Analysts note that the impact is amplified by the fact that these moments are captured in natural, everyday settings rather than staged commercial advertisements.

"Jensen Huang Ate Here Too"... Enthusiasm for the 'Meokjalal CEO'

Recently, on social networking services (SNS), information about where Huang has eaten and what he has ordered is being shared rapidly. In reality, restaurants, baseball stadiums, and convenience stores in the Hongdae area of Seoul that Huang visited have seen a surge of customers treating them as pilgrimage sites, which has translated directly into increased sales.

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang sat down during his visit to Tosokchon, a samgyetang restaurant located in Chebu-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 6th. Photo by Yonhap News

After a dinner with business leaders held near Hongdae Station in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, on June 5, the surrounding businesses saw a benefit. According to GS25, the daily sales of five stores near Hongdae on June 5 increased by 62% compared to the previous week. Sales of functional beverages rose by 77%, while rice balls and gimbap saw increases of 43% and 51%, respectively. On the same day, nationwide sales of banana-flavored milk at GS25 grew by 12% year-on-year.

Sales at the BBQ Hongdae branch, which Huang visited on the first day of his trip, also rose by 20% from the previous week for June 5-6. On June 7, he was even seen ordering BBQ’s “Crunch Boneless Cracker” for delivery at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, drawing even more attention to the brand.

Jensen Huang, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NVIDIA, is watching the game while drinking beer at the 2026 professional baseball KBO League match between the Kiwoom Heroes and Doosan Bears held on June 7th at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

The Hongdae fish-shaped bread (bungeoppang) specialty shop, “Fairy Berry Banana,” which Huang’s group visited, also became a hot topic when it was revealed that he ordered Nutella and cream cheese bungeoppang and a misugaru (grain powder drink) set.

From Snacks to Bungeoppang... Everything He Eats Becomes a Hit

Sales of the “Seven Select Honey Banana HBM Chip,” a collaboration product between SK hynix and 7-Eleven that Huang ate, soared by about 8 times (704%) on June 6-7 compared to the previous week. Search volume for the product in the 7-Eleven app also jumped 160 times during the same period. 7-Eleven actively capitalized on this trend on SNS, using phrases like “HBM Chips, time to go all in” and “Tonight’s hottest snack” in its marketing.

In addition, every product Huang chose—ranging from samgyeopsal and fried chicken, soju-beer cocktails (somaek), to traditional drinks like banana-flavored milk and sikhye—has attracted widespread attention. SNS users are enthusiastically posting proof of having eaten the same menu items, further accelerating the spread of this trend.

Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, and Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group, are leaving the restaurant after finishing their meal on the 7th at Woraeok in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Enthusiasm for 'Voluntary Lifestyles'... Imitative Consumption Spreads

Experts view this phenomenon as an expansion of "imitative consumption." Rather than simply purchasing a product for its function or taste, people gain psychological satisfaction by sharing and emulating the preferences and experiences of a particular figure.

Especially as fatigue with celebrity-focused marketing has built up, the sight of influential figures with tens of trillions of won in assets seeking out local restaurants and enjoying humble snacks is seen as refreshingly genuine and authentic, offering a new narrative.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.