제 28 호 APEC 2025 in Gyeongju — What Happened Outside the Meeting Rooms
Kicker: SOCIETY
APEC 2025 in Gyeongju — What Happened
Outside the Meeting Rooms
By Chae-yun Lee, Reporter
The 2025 APEC Summit in Gyeongju brought together leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss major challenges including trade, digital governance, and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. As one of Korea’s most significant diplomatic events in recent years, the summit naturally drew international attention.
Yet many of the moments that resonated most with the public didn’t come from formal speeches or policy discussions. Instead, they emerged in cultural events, informal exchanges, and even unexpected late-night gatherings. These stories offered a more relatable and human side to the high-level diplomacy on display.
Below are three of the most memorable episodes that took place outside the official meeting rooms — moments that shaped public memory of APEC 2025 just as much as the official agenda.
1. Gyeongju’s Royal Heritage Highlighted Through Silla Crown Motifs
As the summit was held in Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom, Korea used the city’s cultural identity as a key diplomatic theme.
One notable example was the presentation of a gilded replica of a Silla gold crown to several key visiting leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump. The original crown, excavated in Gyeongju and designated as a national treasure, is one of Korea’s most iconic cultural artifacts.
The symbolic gift drew strong interest. Some leaders reportedly asked whether the crown could possibly be real, prompting Korean officials to clarify: “The original crown is a protected cultural artifact, but this replica reflects the spirit and heritage of Gyeongju.”
Even where replicas were not directly gifted, exhibitions and cultural displays throughout the summit venue prominently featured Silla artifacts, allowing visitors to experience the city’s royal legacy. Foreign media noted that Korea effectively used cultural diplomacy to frame Gyeongju not just as a host city, but as a living historical landscape.
2. A ‘Backdoor’ Joke That Surprised the Press Corps
Another widely discussed moment came during a gift exchange between China’s President Xi Jinping and the Korean President. Xi presented two Xiaomi smartphones as a diplomatic gift. As the Korean President jokingly asked whether they were “safe,” Xi responded with a light remark: “Check if there’s a backdoor.”
In an era when cybersecurity and technological rivalry are global concerns, the joke drew immediate attention. Reporters quickly picked up the exchange, and it spread across social media in multiple languages.
Such casual humor is rare in high-level diplomacy, especially between countries navigating complex political dynamics. The moment served as a small but memorable reminder that even global leaders can share candid, human interactions amid serious international discussions.
3. The Fried-Chicken Summit: Jensen Huang, Lee Jae-yong, Chung Eui-sun and a Viral Night in Seoul
The most viral moment linked to APEC 2025 happened not in Gyeongju — but in a fried-chicken restaurant in Seoul.
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang met Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun at Kkanbu Chicken for chimaek, Korea’s beloved combination of fried chicken and beer. After the meeting, Huang remarked: “Korean fried chicken is best in the world.”
Photos of the outing spread rapidly online. The visibility of such high-profile figures in an everyday Korean restaurant captivated the public, and soon after, shares of several major fried-chicken brands — including Kyochon, BBQ, BHC, and Kkanbu — rose notably, with some companies experiencing gains of 20–30% in the days following the viral moment.
Social media also seized on two additional details:
What started as a casual dinner ended up becoming one of the most iconic cultural moments associated with the summit — and a reminder of how food and informal interactions can unexpectedly dominate the public narrative.
A Summit Remembered Beyond Diplomacy
APEC 2025 succeeded in advancing important discussions on digital transformation, regional cooperation, and economic resilience. But the summit will also be remembered for the spontaneous, human moments that unfolded outside the meeting rooms — from symbolic gifts to unexpected jokes and a viral chimaek gathering that briefly shook the stock market.
These stories, although secondary to the official agenda, helped make APEC 2025 more relatable and memorable for many young observers. They showed that global diplomacy is not only shaped by formal negotiations, but also by the cultural exchanges and unscripted interactions that happen along the way.
