Did you realize that KFC is an acronym for Korean Fried Chicken? Of course, this is a joke. Koreans are crazy about chicken. You may already know this if you’ve seen a lot of Korean TV shows.
Today, I’d like to share with you the top Korean fried chicken companies. Of course, there will be people who dislike this list because Koreans have their own personal favorites. But most Koreans would probably agree.
In this Article
Korean fried chicken was born.
There’s a backstory to how fried chicken became so popular with the general public. Because of their greasy texture, not many people could eat ordinary fried chicken when Korea only had the choice of normal fried chicken.
However, in the 1980s, radio commercials began to promote this new “Seasoned” chicken(a.k.a Yang-nyeom chicken) and the reviews were nearly all favorable! On the outside, it’s spicy but crispy on the inside. This became today’s Korean Fried Chicken, one of the greatest dining out or delivery options.
Nowadays, the majority of Koreans prefer to order chicken in “half and half” form. The “half and half” consists of half original fried chicken and half saucy seasoned fried chicken.
When it comes to Korean chicken, there are a few brands that really stand out. Here are the top 6 Korean chicken brands that you have to try!
BHC
Byeol Hana Chicken (Single Star Chicken) was founded in 1997 and changed its name to BHC two years later. BBQ purchased it for a brief period in 2004 when the Avian Influenza struck the food business. It was acquired again nine years later, but this time by Citi Group, a private equity firm based in the Unite States.
The BHC’s claim to fame is its unique menus, which set it apart from the competition. Their new menu is always interesting enough to attract customers’ attention!
‘Bburinkle Chicken(Prinkle Chicken)’ is a fried chicken dish with magical seasoning powder and sauce. Matcho King is a soy sauce-based chicken with lots of toppings including fiery pepper. Curry Queen is another popular choice, providing you with a distinct curry taste that’s hard to resist. They frequently release all-new menus, which are extremely popular!
Kyochon
It’s a chicken brand from Gumi-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do that was founded in 1991. The primary meal at Kyochon Chicken is soy sauce chicken, unlike other chicken companies. Soy sauce chicken from other brands may not compare to the deliciousness of Kyochon Chicken’s soy sauce chicken. When it comes t Korean soy sauce chicken, Kyochon Chicken is unique.
Soy Sauce Chicken Original is a typical representative menu, while Honey Original is another option. By covering it in honey-based soy sauce fried chicken, Honey Original Chicken has a crispy texture and a sweet and salty flavor.
NENE Chicken
In 1995, NeNe Chicken began operations. It followed the standard franchise model, but it was the unique qualities of three factors that made it stand out among all the fried chicken businesses.
First of all, NeNe’s takeout boxes are the most popular. To begin, their packaging was fantastic. There was no such thing as a Nene’s takeout box at that time. The appearance is similar to that of a pizza box, but when opened, the neatly arranged chicken, red cabbage, and beverage are all in one box. This is a common sight these days, but this was a revolution about 10 years ago.
Choosing the appropriate individuals for her celebrity marketing plan was another key to Ne Ne’s success. Celebrity brand images are used to their greatest advantage in the Korean fried chicken sector. Nene has modeled Yoo Jae Suk for 12 years.
If you’re unfamiliar with Yoo Jae-suk, he’s Korea’s best comedian and has hosted numerous hit shows like Infinite Challenge, Running Man, and Happy Together. Nene had a great opportunity to promote in a positive manner as she is a celebrity that people can appreciate.
The last factor is the taste, which is not out of line with a slightly lower price than competing brands.
The most famous menu item is ‘Oriental Padak(green onion chicken)’. It is a menu to eat thinly sliced green onion on top of fried chicken and sprinkle with soy sauce.
BBQ Chicken
Do you know BBQ? Of course, if you don’t know this brand, you’ll say it’s barbecue. In Korea, the word BBQ is more commonly referred to as this brand name than barbecue.
Started in a small village in the countryside in 1995, this brand is the number one fried chicken brand in Korea as of 2022. It is characterized by a delicious transformation of oily and seasoned American fried chicken to the taste of Koreans. If you’re a fan of BTS, a Kpop boy band, you probably know all of this brand, right? A few years ago, BTS was the advertising model for BBQ.
When it comes to BBQ, fried chicken is famous and everyone knows, but seasoned chicken(yang-nyeom chicken) is said to have a different taste from general yang-nyeom chicken.
The most famous menu is ‘Golden Olive Chicken’. It is a menu advertised as being healthy and golden on the outside by being fried in olive oil.
Goobne Chicken
Goobne Chicken is a brand designed for those who dislike oily fried chicken. The name Goobne means grilled in Korean. It’s essentially a brand that specializes in grilled chicken rather than fried chicken. Of course, there have been roast chickens before, but no franchise chicken chain has done so to the forefront.
In 2008, a new girl group, Girls’ Generation, which was just coming into existence, was used as an advertising example. And it’s been a huge hit. Because to the success of that event, the other chicken companies have since utilized idol groups in advertisements. There was a Chicken Brand Advertising War for the Next Ten Years.
Goobne Chicken’s signature menu is ‘Goobne Original’, a typical grilled chicken. It is a signature menu famous for serving french fries and a fried egg together.
There is also a representative menu called ‘Goobne Pepper crunch(GOCHU BASASAK).’ It was so successful that it is said that one is sold every second. Rather than being deep-fried, it’s baked in the oven to give it a cookie-like texture. And it is a menu with the spicy level that Korea likes most without feeling greasy because of the addition of red pepper.
Norang Tongdak
It’s a Korean fried chicken franchise that began in Busan, South Korea. It uses unsalted chicken and has a cast-iron cauldron for frying. It was able to achieve considerable popularity by advertising its method of cooking in a cauldron and using low sodium. Actor Ma Dong-Seok, who is known among Korean movie fans abroad for his roles in Korean films such as Train to Busan, Eternals(Marvel Studio), and Along with the Gods, was featured as an advertising model for this brand.
Yellow Chicken’s fried chicken is very crispy and is famous for its loud and appetizing sound.
The most representative menus are ‘Garlic Chicken’ and ‘Boneless 3 variation chicken set’.
For the right choice.
Korean fried chicken is getting more and more popular all over the world, and there are many different brands to choose from. In this article, we introduced the top 6 Korean fried chicken brands. We hope you found it helpful and that it will help you choose the right brand for you!
