Korean Fried Chicken and Chimaek: What to Order and Where to Find It

Korean fried chicken comes down to one choice for most orders: plain fried, yangnyeom (sauced with gochujang and syrup) or half of each, and chimaek is simply the Korean word for chicken with beer (maekju), the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) says. For something older than the delivery box, Suwon, Daegu and Sokcho each have a food street built around chicken.

Source: KTO — Fried chicken (Oct 2023) and Korean Food Promotion Institute (Jan 2021); checked Nov 2, 2026.

The short version

Source: KTO, Suwon City (Korean), Visit Seoul and Youth Protection Act (Korean); checked Nov 2, 2026.

What to order

Boneless is 순살 (sunsal, also our spelling). One Korean food writer says chickenmu "made Korean chicken more Korean chicken," and that when you want both flavors, you just ask for half yangnyeom, half fried, with plenty of radish.

Crispy or "embo"

KTO splits Korean fried chicken by batter, not sauce: "crispy" has a thick batter and "embo" a thinner coating. Embo isn't tossed in seasoning. It comes cut into pieces with salt or sauce on the side, so you control how much goes on.

Where it came from, briefly

KTO traces whole fried chicken (tongdak twigim) to the soybean oil that went on sale in 1971, and seasoned chicken caught on in the 1980s. It also says shops roughly went from 10,000 to 25,000 after the 2002 World Cup. That's a historical figure from KTO, not a current count.

Source: KTO — Fried chicken (Oct 2023), KTO — Find it in Daegu (Feb 2025), KTO — Dakgangjeong, KTO — Padak and Korean Food Promotion Institute (Jan 2021); checked Nov 2, 2026.

How much is one chicken?

Menus sell by the bird, but a bird isn't a fixed size. A 2022 Korea Consumer Agency test of 24 products from 10 chains found weights from 625 g to 1,234 g. Check the photo or ask before ordering for a group.

Source: Korea Consumer Agency (2022 test, Korean); checked Nov 2, 2026.

Three food streets worth the trip

These are streets and alleys, not single restaurants. We don't rank the shops. Hours differ shop by shop.

Source: Suwon City (Korean, updated May 2026), KTO accessible travel — Suwon (Korean, updated Oct 2026), KTO — Pyeonghwa Market, KTO — Find it in Daegu (Feb 2025), Gangwon Tourism (Korean, Sept 2023) and KTO accessible travel — Sokcho (Korean); checked Nov 2, 2026.

Suwon: chicken from the cauldron

Suwon City describes frying whole birds in oil in a big cauldron as the street's tradition. KTO's accessible-travel listing says the menu is just fried and seasoned, with about 11 shops, the oldest dating from 1970, and step-free access up to the entrances. Suwon City's market course puts it with Paldalmun Market: the chicken street starts at Maehyanggyo Bridge.

The street festival moves around. It ran Oct 16–18 in 2026, even though another Suwon City page still says September, so check the date before you plan around it. We found no 2027 date.

Daegu: not chicken meat at all

Pyeonghwa Market's alley specializes in gizzards, part of the chicken's digestive system, deep-fried and tossed with seasoning. KTO says they started in the 1970s as a cheap dish to go with drinks for laborers at the early labor market in front of the market. KTO describes the texture as springy and chewy.

The word 똥집 (ttongjip) means gizzard here. Don't let it put you off.

Sokcho: taste first, if they offer

Dakgangjeong shops cluster in the market's dakjeon alley. Gangwon Tourism says many shops let you taste before you buy, though that can vary by shop. KTO says all the alleys are covered against rain, so it works on a wet day too.

Daegu Chimac Festival

The 2026 festival ran July 1–5 in and around Duryu Park, Daegu, from about 18:00. It has already passed, and we couldn't find 2027 dates on the official site as of Nov 2, 2026. KTO describes it as a July event, so check chimacfestival.com before you book.

KTO calls it Korea's largest food-and-drink event celebrating chicken and beer. Entry is free, though some programs need a reservation or ticket. By subway, the organizers point to Duryu Station on Line 2, Exits 9–14.

Source: Official overview, official directions and KTO; checked Nov 2, 2026.

Getting it delivered

To a Hangang park. You usually can't have it brought to your spot. Seoul set up Delivery Zones in 2016 to cut bike accidents and litter, and you meet the driver there.

Using an app. KTO said in May 2025 that most Korean delivery apps are in Korean only, need a local phone number and often don't take foreign cards. Some apps now say otherwise, offering English and foreign cards with no Korean number. Coverage varies, so test the app before you're hungry. KTO and Visit Seoul describe one app's Hangang service differently, so don't assume a park drop-off until the app confirms it.

At a hotel. Ask the front desk first where the driver should go. That's our advice; we found no official rule on it.

Beer with your order. A National Tax Service notice lets a restaurant operating as a general restaurant deliver alcohol with food it has cooked, provided the alcohol's selling price is no more than 50% of the total order value, including the alcohol. We couldn't confirm which apps offer it or how they check foreign ID, so don't count on it.

Source: KTO — Delivery apps (May 2025) and Visit Seoul — Ttukseom (edited Jun 2026) and National Tax Service notice (Korean); checked Nov 2, 2026.

The alcohol rules

Chimaek is a food tradition, not a requirement. The chicken works fine with a soft drink.

Korea has no single nationwide rule on drinking in public: zones vary by city and district. If you've been drinking, don't drive or ride. Take a taxi or transit. See our convenience store guide for buying alcohol and taxi guide for the ride home.

Source: Youth Protection Act, Road Traffic Act, National Health Promotion Act and Seoul Future Hangang Headquarters (all Korean); checked Nov 2, 2026. This isn't legal advice.

Allergies and ingredients

Tell staff before ordering. Going by KTO's descriptions, batter usually has flour, padak and soy sauce chicken use soy sauce, and dakgangjeong may have crushed peanuts.

Korea requires allergen information at large chains selling children's favorites such as burgers and pizza. The government notice we read doesn't name fried chicken shops, so don't rely on a label being there.

Source: KTO — Find it in Daegu, KTO — Dakgangjeong and Korea.kr (MFDS) (Jul 2021, Korean); checked Nov 2, 2026.

Ordering in Korean

These are our own simple phrases, not from an official source:

For interpretation, call the 1330 Korea Travel Hotline (+82-2-1330 from abroad). For other dishes, see our street food guide and Korean BBQ guide.

Before you go

• Pick fried, yangnyeom or half-and-half, and say so if you want boneless.
• Check the shop's hours: all three food streets vary by shop.
• Heading to a Hangang park? Find your park's Delivery Zone first.
• Carry ID such as your passport if you plan to buy alcohol.
• Don't drive or cycle after drinking.
• Mention any allergy, especially peanuts with dakgangjeong.

FAQ

What does chimaek mean?

Chicken plus maekju, the Korean word for beer. KTO uses it for the fried chicken and beer combination.

What's the difference between fried and yangnyeom chicken?

Fried has no sauce on it. Yangnyeom is coated in a sauce based on red pepper paste and starch syrup. Half-and-half gets you both.

How much does Korean fried chicken cost in Korea?

We don't quote a price because we found no current official figure. Check the menu or delivery app. Prices vary by shop.

Can I get chicken delivered to a Hangang park?

Usually to a designated Delivery Zone, not to your spot. Ttukseom has two; Visit Seoul lists their addresses. Check in the app, because official sources describe one app's coverage differently.

How old do you have to be to drink in Korea?

Sellers can't sell alcohol to a "youth" under the Youth Protection Act. In 2026 you need to be born in 2007 or earlier, whatever your birthday. Carry ID.

When is the Daegu Chimac Festival?

The 2026 festival ran July 1–5. We couldn't find 2027 dates as of Nov 2, 2026; KTO describes it as a July event, so check the official site.