We are crazy about not just K-POP but also K-FC

Have you ever wondered how Korea's seasoned fried chicken, loved by people worldwide, came to be? It was in the early 1970s when soybean oil became widely available, making fried chicken popular. It was cheaper than beef or pork and became a primary protein source for the hungry. As a child, I clearly remember my excitement when my father came home from work with a whole-fried chicken in his hand. No matter how deeply asleep I was, I'd wake up just to greet him.😅 That was before seasoned fried chicken was invented in Korea.

In the early 1980s, a small chicken shop owner in Daegu had an idea. One day, he saw that customers would leave parts of the classic whole-fried chicken uneaten. He wondered how to make it so appetizing that nothing was left behind. He first tried adding kimchi to make the chicken spicy. Then, an old lady passing by said, “Why not try corn syrup?” So, he developed a recipe with corn syrup and 20 other seasonings over six months and started selling seasoned fried chicken. At first, people didn’t like getting sauce on their hands. But soon, they were hooked on the spicy taste and lined up for this new flavor. His success was such that he made money like a bulldozer clearing a path. He even dared to advertise on TV in the early 80s, a first for the chicken business back then.

By the 1990s, the seasoned fried chicken business expanded into franchises. Now, there are over 480 registered outlets. During this time, soy sauce fried chicken was introduced and became a legendary best-seller. Other variations were made, like honey-flavored fried chicken and a type called "pa-dak," topped with thinly sliced green onions to cut through the greasiness. They've also introduced much spicier options like the "Volcano Fried Chicken" brand menu.

Different menus were created by varying the sauce ingredients and the oil used for frying. Some brands bragged about using 100% virgin olive oil, known to be healthy. Others enticed consumers by grilling the chicken instead of frying it. Recently, with the retro wave, old-fashioned whole-fried chicken seasoned only with salt and pepper has become popular again. For me, that’s the best.👍👍

The allure of Korean seasoned fried chicken isn’t just about the chicken; beer plays a huge role in its fame. On big sports game days, orders for chicken and beer flood in. Korea’s delivery system is so advanced that you can order from a park by the Han River, and the delivery person will find you to deliver your chicken and beer.

When you're here in Korea, let's have some chicken and beer in Hongdae or near Gangnam Station!✔️