Chicken, Somaek, and Banana Flavored Milk See Short-Term Boom
"We’ll Row While the Tide Is High"?Promotional Events Follow
Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, visited Korea for two days and one night, drawing global attention to the K-food he ate and drank during his stay.
Chicken and Somaek at the Heart of K-Food: Jensen Huang's 'Chicken Gathering' Causes a Stir Again
On the evening of October 30, CEO Huang, Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, and Chung Euisun, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, gathered at the Kanbu Chicken restaurant in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, where they enjoyed chicken and somaek (a mix of soju and beer) together in what has become known as the 'chimaek gathering.' During the meeting, CEO Huang showed interest in the Terra 'Somaek Tower' from HiteJinro, which was placed at a nearby table. Chairman Lee personally explained how to make somaek using the device. While watching the somaek being mixed, CEO Huang commented, "It's like a tornado."
The 'Terra Tower,' a somaek mixer, was released as Terra MD in 2022 and is a device that mixes soju and beer. It has been recognized as a useful item for group drinking occasions. Following the meeting with CEO Huang, the device has once again attracted attention, and the alcoholic beverage industry expects that the K-food craze will further boost the popularity of somaek alongside chicken.
In fact, the Kanbu Chicken restaurant they visited was packed with customers from the next day. Customers even had minor disputes over the seats where the three leaders had sat, with some claiming, "I was going to reserve that spot." Visitors to the location took photos of a poster signed by the three leaders with their phones, and some exclaimed, "Let me get some good luck," or "Please let me win the lottery."
The ripple effect of the chimaek gathering spread beyond the restaurant to the entire chicken industry. All three major chicken brands-BBQ, BHC, and Kyochon-are said to have seen increased sales. Kyochon F&B, the only listed company among the chicken brands, saw its stock price soar by more than 10% shortly after the market opened.
'A Must-Buy for Korean Travelers': Binggrae Banana Flavored Milk Sees a Sudden Surge
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang handing out Binggrae Banana Flavored Milk to citizens. Screenshot from X (formerly Twitter)
On the day of the gathering, CEO Huang also handed out snacks to citizens who had come to see him. Binggrae Banana Flavored Milk, already popular among foreign tourists, is a well-known product that frequently appears in videos of tourists sharing their 'Korean convenience store haul' experiences.
CEO Huang stepped outside the restaurant with a basket of snacks and handed out gimbap and Binggrae Banana Flavored Milk to citizens as gifts. News of this spread through social media, resulting in Binggrae enjoying the benefits of 'free advertising.' Binggrae's stock price rose by as much as 3.64% early in the trading session on October 31.
Binggrae quickly seized the 'free advertising' opportunity and launched a marketing campaign. On its official social media, Binggrae posted a poster saying, "Strike while the iron is hot," and "We will give away 100 Banana Flavored Milks. We are honored." One hundred people who left comments on the post were selected to receive a mobile gifticon for Banana Flavored Milk. Binggrae also plans to ramp up efforts to explore export opportunities and promote its products.
Additionally, a red ginseng product CEO Huang received from a citizen also drew attention. The product was CheongKwanJang's 'Everytime Hallabong Flavor,' which combines the tartness of fruit with red ginseng and is designed for foreigners or those new to red ginseng products. This item was also placed in major hotels in Gyeongju during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit period, introduced to delegations from various countries as a 'representative Korean health food.'
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