Korean fried chicken: the other KFC

At Madison Square Garden in New York City, people show up for more than just the home team. One fan told us, “I love the Knicks and I love fried chicken.”

It turns out that Korean fried chicken has its own fan base, here at chef Judy Joo’s Seoul Bird. “I’m serving the masses; this is no longer a niche,” Joo said. “Now that I get to serve Korean food on some of the biggest stages in the world, it’s an absolutely bewildering moment.”

In the United States, restaurant chains serving this chicken have multiplied by 22% this year alone.

Bonchon is one of those chains. CEO Suzie Tsai oversees nearly 500 Bonchon locations around the world, including the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar…and near Salt Lake City, Utah, where the Korean-American population is less than one percent.

So what makes Korean fried chicken so popular and special? “The way we fry it, the way we season it,” Tsai said. “Our fried chicken is hand-battered, double-fried. We fry it very crispy. And we can add sauces on top, whether it’s spicy or soy.”

Giving it a characteristic flavor… and sound, which has become popular in TikTok videos. “In fact, contests are being held to determine who can make the loudest sound,” Tsai laughs. “People love to eat and now they share how they eat.”

Tsai says it’s part of a growing appetite for Korean culture. “From film to television to beauty, it’s everywhere,” Tsai said. “There has been a huge demand and following for Korean food.”

But get this: The recipe for Korean fried chicken comes from an American cookbook that dates back to African American soldiers during the Korean War. Joo said, “Many of them were from the Jim Crow South and served in segregated units. And in fact, there are records that they shared their food with locals. This became a kind of cultural exchange, because, you know, when you’re far from home and you’re fighting a war, what do you want? You want comfort.”

“It’s very poetic, isn’t it, to see this come back to the United States after all these different iterations?” I said.

“Yeah, I mean, I love it,” Joo said. “It’s kind of a coming full circle moment, literally, because it’s come back around the world in this incredible way and with a kind of popularity that’s never been seen before.”

RECIPE: Judy Joo’s Korean Fried Chicken Bites

Today, Korean fried chicken is served spicy or sweet, in casual or upscale settings, at restaurants like Atoboy and Coqodaq in New York, where it is served with caviar and champagne.

It’s a popularity that amazes chef Judy Joo: “I grew up in Jersey and I was ashamed of my lunch box. It’s incredible that these flavors that I grew up with, that I used to be ashamed of, are now becoming mainstream.

“It’s still an education, but people’s first step in learning about a culture is often through food,” Joo said. “It’s their stomach that drives them. They end up at a Korean restaurant and usually opt for a food that’s familiar to them, like fried chicken.”

Korean fried chicken: bringing cultures from around the world together, around the table.

For more menu suggestions, see the “Sunday Morning” Recipe Index 2025 “Food Issue”

For more information:

• Seoul Bird
• judyjoo.com
• Bonchón
• Atoboy, New York
• Coqodaq, New York

Story produced by Sara Kugel and Sharaf Mowjood. Editor: Lauren Barnello.