At New York Metropolis’s Madison Sq. Backyard, individuals are displaying up for extra than simply the house crew. One fan informed us, “I love the Knicks, and I love fried chicken.”
It seems Korean fried rooster has a fan base of its personal, right here at chef Judy Joo’s Seoul Fowl. “I’m serving to the masses; this is no longer niche,” mentioned Joo. “Now that I’m able to serve Korean food in some of the largest arenas in the world, is absolutely a pinch-me moment.”
In america, chain eating places serving this rooster have multiplied by 22% this 12 months alone.
Bonchon is a kind of chains. CEO Suzie Tsai oversees almost 500 Bonchon areas across the globe, together with within the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar … and close to Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah, the place the Korean American inhabitants is lower than one %.
So, what makes Korean fried rooster so well-liked and so particular? “The way we fry it, the way we season it,” mentioned Tsai. “Our fried chicken is hand-battered, double fried. We fry it very crispy. And on top of it, we’re able to add sauces, whether it’s spicy, whether it’s soy.”
Giving it a signature style … and sound, which has been popularized in TikTok movies. “There’s actually contests going on, who can make the loudest crunch sound,” laughed Tsai. “People love eating and they’re sharing how they eat now.”
Digging into Korean fried rooster.
TikTok: codychows, bos.nomsi, beastfeast, kie_eats
Tsai says it’s a part of a rising urge for food for Korean tradition. “From movies and TV and beauty, it’s everywhere,” mentioned Tsai. “There’s just been this huge demand and following for Korean food.”
However get this: the recipe for Korean fried rooster comes from an American cookbook, relationship again to African American troopers in the course of the Korean Conflict. Joo mentioned, “Many of them were from the Jim Crow South, and served in segregated units. And there are actually records that they actually shared their food with the locals. This kind of became a cultural exchange, because, you know, when you’re away from home and you’re fighting a war, what do you want? You want comfort.”
“It’s so poetic, isn’t it, to see that this comes back to the United States after all of these different iterations?” I mentioned.
“Yeah, I mean, I love that,” mentioned Joo. “It’s kind of a full-circle moment, like literally, because it’s come back around the world in this amazing way and in a type of popularity unseen.”
RECIPE: Korean Fried Rooster Bites by Judy Joo
As we speak, Korean fried rooster is served spicy or candy, in informal or upscale settings, at eating places like Atoboy and Coqodaq in New York, the place it’s served with caviar and champagne.
It’s a reputation that amazes chef Judy Joo: “I grew up in Jersey, and I used to be embarrassed by my lunchbox. It’s unimaginable that these flavors that I grew up with, that I used to be as soon as embarrassed about, at the moment are going mainstream.
“It still is an education, but people’s first foot into learning about a culture is usually through the food,” mentioned Joo. “It’s their stomach that drives them. They end up in a Korean restaurant, and they usually go for a food that seems familiar, like fried chicken.”
Korean fried rooster – bringing cultures across the globe, across the desk.
For extra menu recommendations take a look at the “Sunday Morning” 2025 “Food Issue” recipe index
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Story produced by Sara Kugel and Sharaf Mowjood. Editor: Lauren Barnello.
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