NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang received the Van Fleet Award at the ‘2026 Annual Gala’ hosted by the Korea Society, a U.S.-Korea friendship nonprofit, in New York on September 28 (local time). Meanwhile, Samsung and SK’s enthusiastic celebrations both inside and outside the venue have become a hot topic in the business world.
Following the news of the award for the global AI ecosystem leader, Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, and Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK, each accompanied their daughter and cohabitant, respectively, to the New York event to congratulate Huang. Samsung Electronics even displayed a celebratory ad reminiscent of idol fan culture at New York’s Times Square.
◇Samsung·SK Leaders’ Speeches and Off-Site Advertisements
According to industry sources, both chairmen took the podium at the event to deliver congratulatory remarks and a toast, commemorating Huang’s award.
Lee Jae-yong stated, “I don’t think there’s anyone more deserving of this award than Jensen. He has placed his company at the center of everything happening in AI today and redefined what computing can do.”
He added, “Both our companies are ‘all-in’ on AI, and we both have daughters named Madison,” drawing laughter from the audience. This referenced Lee’s daughter, Lee Won-joo (Madison Lee), whose English name matches Huang’s daughter.
Chey Tae-won responded with a toast. He emphasized their shared “hurry-hurry” spirit, saying, “Every time I meet Jensen, my first question is, ‘Can’t you make it faster?’”
He metaphorically described their partnership: “NVIDIA designs the brain, and SK creates memory. When NVIDIA thinks like lightning, SK ensures those memories are never forgotten.”
He also joked, “Our accounting team is still trying to understand his frequent saying, ‘The more you buy, the more you save.’”
Samsung’s celebrations extended beyond the venue. From 6 p.m. on September 27 to September 28, the company displayed a video on Times Square’s large billboard celebrating Huang’s award. It introduced him as the “pioneer of GPUs,” “architect of accelerated computing,” “builder of the AI era,” and “friend,” with the message, “As you move forward, so do we.”
The congratulatory gestures by Lee and Chey also renewed attention on the Van Fleet Award’s legacy, as Lee’s late father, the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee, received the award in 2006, and Chey’s late father, the late SK Chairman Choi Jong-hyun, received it in 1998.
◇Families Join the Gala in New York
The families of both chairmen drew attention at the event. The Korea Society’s Annual Gala typically allows attendees to bring family or spouses. Huang attended with his spouse and eldest daughter, Madison Huang, who was accompanied by her fiancé.
Lee Jae-yong was joined by his daughter, Lee Won-joo, who is studying in the U.S. Dressed in a black jacket, she linked arms with her father as they entered the venue. She later conversed naturally in English with Madison Huang and took selfies with other attendees, lifting the atmosphere.
Chey Tae-won attended with his cohabitant, Kim Hee-young, director of the T&C Foundation. Their joint appearance at a public event was highly unusual, as their divorce trial—including unresolved property division—is still ongoing. This marked one of their first public appearances together since the trial began. Kim Hee-young wore a beige hanbok with her hair neatly tied up. She conversed warmly with attendees alongside Chey.
The enthusiastic “cheer campaign” by the chairmen, even involving their families, highlights NVIDIA’s formidable presence in the AI era.
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