Daegu, a utopia for Korean Fried Chicken

Aanchal Tekriwal, Godda, Jharkhand

According to the food columnist Hwang Young-cheol, Daegu is “a mecca for Korean-style fried chicken.” When the abiding divine taste of South Korea and its largest urban metropolitan city comes together, to crystalised utopia. 

The remarkable outgrowing rapid growth of South Korea over the past decades has revolutionised the resources in metropolitan cities, and Daegu is no exception. The city embarks on a rich and unique culture and history, with a burgeoning strong emphasis on its prominent narrative sphere as a hub for Korean Fried Chicken. Located in the Southeastern part of the country, Daegu offers a destination for those looking to immerse themselves in the various facets of Korean cuisine. “Daegu’s old name is Dalgubeol and the old generation used to call it, ‘Dalgu,’ for short. Interestingly, the term is from an old local dialect that literally means chicken,” said Hwang Young-cheol during a phone interview with The Korea Times. Consequently, when you think of Korean Fried Chicken, Daegu’s musings will start fleeting in your mind.

Birthplace of Korean Fried Chicken

The history dates back to 1903 when Daegu was emerging as an extensive poultry market in Gyeongsang Province. As with the benefits of retaining vast flatlands, the southeastern city encompasses the suitable criteria for poultry farming around the 1970s. As a result, the city also raised and supplied around 70 to 80 per cent of poultry distribution all across the country. Around the same decade, “The Miracle of Han River” unfolded, resulting in the mass production of cooking oil that ultimately led to the upsurging of the entirety of Korean Fried Chicken vicinity in the nation. In 1978, the country’s first Korean Fried Chicken restaurant chain, Lims Kitchen, was opened in the Shinsegae Department Store’s headquarters in the Hyomok Market and is now famous as Mexican Chicken. The new era was just the beginning with the arrival of the nation’s most loved fried chicken.

Daegu Chimac Festival

Koreans love having fried chicken. To remind the tourists and the entire nation that Daegu is the abode of Korean Fried Chicken, the Daegu Chimac Festival has been hosted by the Korea Chimac Industry Association Corporation and managed by the Daegu Chimac Festival Organizing Committee every year since 2013. The word “Chimac” embodies two words, breaking as “Chi” for Chicken and “Mac” for Maekju (beer). The ecstatic summer event for 2023 was hosted at the Duryu Park in Daegu and celebrated with over a million visitors huddled for the nation’s undeniable adoration for the smashing food duo. The key highlight of the festival is “Chimac 99 Toast Time”, where grand toasts engulf the people raising their glasses to Chimac, “Chimac Ice Cafe Zone” for refreshing down the summer fierceness with a variety of ice beverages and “Chimac Busking” for immersing in the live street performances.

_{Picture Credits: VISITKOREA}

Korean Divergent Essence in Korean Fried Chicken

A dish with arrays of diversity fortifies a feeling of never getting enough of its essence in any form. Korean Fried Chicken is also called KFC and Chikin by Koreans. Let us divulge the appealing taste of Korea with its different types.

Huraideu Chikin – Huraideu chikin (후라이드 치킨) or peuraideu chikin (프라이드 치킨) is just a phonetic pronunciation of Fried Chicken. These are the original plain chickens which emerged because of their distinctive as well as unique preparation. The chicken is double-fried to cook thoroughly at first and then set at a higher temperature for a striking tempestuous crunchy outer layer.

Yangnyeom Chicken – Seasoned Chicken with spicy, sweet, and savoury red sauce escorting an appetising flavour structured with the prominent outer crunchy side leading to the perfect balance.

Dakgangjeong Chikin– Primarily from the Gangwondo region, this unique dish features bone-in or boneless chicken dipped in a spicy sauce with a sticky glaze.

_{Picture Credits: VISITKOREA}

 Korean Fried Chicken going global with Daegu beneficiaries

With the rise in Hallyu, Korean Fried Chicken is not only engrossing across the country but also gaining popularity worldwide. Daegu is the birthplace of many Korean Fried Chicken franchise brands. Kyochon Chicken, one of the most popular franchises in Korea, is also thriving in the international marketplace with 67 restaurants in 15 foreign countries. Other franchises like Hosigi Dumari Chicken, Mexican Chicken, and Cheogajip Seasoned Chicken saw significant growth around the nation. The entirety of Daegu franchise restaurants is not only limited to Korean Fried Chicken but also is vividly a birthplace for many other delicacies of South Korea.

_{Picture Credits: @kyochon_official (Instagram)}

Daegu, the third largest city in South Korea with notorious summers, is also known for its annual fried chicken festival and boasts several streets dedicated to fried chicken speciality shops. How a whole history and culture communicates with a certain dish is just so enriching and captivating to witness. 

Have you tried Korean Fried Chicken yet? What do you think of its linkage with Daegu? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.