Tourists have VOTED , and Korean fried chicken (KFC) tops tourists number 1 Korean food over the much loved Korean BBQ! Let's see why it took over the number one spot and how it has gained global popularity!
If you would have told me before I moved to Korea, a little over four years ago, that chicken and beer was popular in Korea, I would have not believed you. As in my eyes this style of food is more popular in Western countries, however, I could not have been more wrong, and now Korean chicken and beer is one of my favorite guilty pleasure foods. If you remember I also attended the famous Chimek (Chicken and beer) festival in Daegu earlier this year where chicken and beer lovers were able to enjoy a variety of fusion flavors and entertainment for the long weekend.
But my question is: "Why is Korean fried chicken so popular, especially with tourists?"
Let's compare Korean fried chicken to the fried chicken in the US!
Korean fried chicken is lighter than American fried chicken, but in no way does it get the low points on Weight Watchers. Koreans differentiate their fried chicken from the American variety, familiar through American chains like KFC or Popeye’s, mostly by American chicken’s thicker, crispier coating. Korean fried chicken tends to be more papery and less knobby and crumbly, which an enhance the flavor and allows you to enjoy a more moist chicken piece.
The Korean mania for chi-maek has spread with the Asian mania for Korean TV. China in particular has gone completely ape for a Korean soap opera called My Love from the Star, about a handsome alien who falls in love with a beautiful Korean woman, whose favorite food is chi-maek. The show has been downloaded over two billion times in China alone!
Let's take a look at a clip from this drama!
Of course, with K-dramas becoming more popular in Western countries there is no doubt that this has helped tourists indulge in this local cuisine when they visit Korea. I also think that it is a "safe" option as most tourists would have ate fried chicken before, so it's more of a home comfort food with a Korean twist.
Accessibility is also another reason why Korean fried chicken is popular with tourists, as it can be found pretty much anywhere, of course there are big chains such as BHC and Kyochon for example however local street venders also sell this incredible food at a reasonable price for a good amount, and with most of the venders offering a family recipe, therefore I believe that these are the reasons why Korean Fried chicken has been voted the most popular food among tourists. What do you think?
Let us know what your favorite Korean food is in the comments below!
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