How Seoul Dak is bringing Korean fried chicken culture to India

Last month Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, joined the Samsung chairman, Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai head, Chung Eui-sun for a casual fried chicken meal, aka “chimaek” in Gangnam district in Seoul. Social media and news outlets were abuzz with this culturally significant moment, and it even sent share prices for fried chicken chains soaring. Three Billionaires Walk Into a Fried Chicken Restaurant, The New York Times reported; a testament to Korea’s love for fried chicken. Now with the fast food chain, Seoul Dak, Bengalureans can also enjoy Korean-style fried chicken. We catch up with the brand’s founder Sean Lee at the newly launched Koramangala outlet.

Sean is from Seoul but currently lives in Dubai. He has been in the food import and supply business for eight years. Seoul Dak is his first venture in India. The QSR-style chain has fried chicken and other popular Korean street food dishes. The outlet has red and white design aesthetics and caters to a young and fun crowd. “Consumers all across the world are familiar with fried chicken, but we specialise in the Korean style. What sets it apart is the sauces that we have. K-fried chicken is double fried making it crispier and juicier.“

The outlet in Koramangala, Bengaluru

Sean says when he visited India the first time in 2023, he was surprised to see how popular Korean food and culture was. “There was such an appetite for everything Korean. I was visiting malls in Mumbai and saw Korean menus. I even met the team of McDonald’s last year, in regards for sourcing. It really hit me at the time that if McDonald’s is doing a Korean menu, it has reached the masses. And it is only increasing.”

Everyone from Burger King to KFC has Korean dishes on their menus now. The first Seoul Dak opened in Bandra’s Food Square, a celeb favourite grocery store. “The building is owned by Salman Khan,” Sean adds. This is the first outlet in Bengaluru, the fourth in India.

Sean Lee, the founder of Seoul Dak
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

What is on the menu?

Seoul is Sean’s hometown, and dak means chicken in Korean. It is the sauces that set apart Korean fried chicken from the rest. On the menu, the chicken is served with the option of sweet and spicy sauce (”Probably the most popular sauce in Korea, but it is not that spicy for the Indian palate”), hot and spicy, K- BBQ, and ganjang (a soy garlic sauce). The sauces are imported from Korea.

Along with the chicken, there is tteokbokki, a Korean rice cakes dish that is popular in India too. You can also pick up rapokki, a type of ramen with the rice cakes added, soupy ramen bowls, corn dogs, bubble tea, and dumplings. Since I visit in the morning, I pick up a classic bubble tea that is sweet and refreshing. Curious about the desserts, I try the bungeo-ppang. The fish-shaped pastry is stuffed with cream and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The chain plans to expand with more outlets in the city in the coming year, and more in south India. Seoul Dak marks another chapter in India’s love affair with all things Korean.

₹800 for two. At Koramangala, 80 feet road. For more details, call 8976785131