Are you Dreaming of the Perfect Korean Fried Chicken?

Korean Fried Chicken is the number one thing that draws people from all over the world to visit this tiny peninsula the size of the state of Indiana. Okay, maybe I’m just speaking for our family, but there is nothing like Korean Fried Chicken anywhere else on the planet!

It’s perfectly spicy while also balancing a sweetness that punches your tongue around in a fist fight. It’s not only juicy, but crispy in a way that makes you want to lick the coating of each piece before chewing it, and then lick your fingers afterwards too.

You can find compilation lists numbering dozens of different restaurants serving up excellent renditions of this delicacy but you really only need to know two names.

Dreaming of the Perfect Korean Fried Chicken?

1. 달콤한닭강정
2.  BBQ Songdo New Town

Head no further than Dream City in Songdo, South Korea.

How to Get the Perfect Korean Fried Chicken

Traveling from Songdo, take Bus 91 directly from the Incheon Global Campus about nine stops and get off at stop: Songdo Poonglim Iwant 1 Danji next to the park and directly in the heart of Dream City.

What is Dream City?

Dream City is one of the first neighborhoods built in Songdo when the development was first established. Now keep in mind the sand foundation for Songdo was poured just over a decade ago, but Dream City in Korea has the appearance of a rundown slum that the landlords decided was worth the pocket money but not the upkeep.

It’s dirty. It’s rusted. It’s cramped.

Blade Runner

I’ve always envisioned the future as something out of Meet the Robinson’s, but it seems city planners and visionaries envision the future as something much more Blade Runner-ish.

Which is so incredibly interesting because if you speak with the architects themselves, they admit their inspiration has come from Hollywood itself. This begs an entirely different question. Why do architects want to build derelict, slummy cities? That’s what they consider inspiring?

You can’t even cross the street. In between the two large shopping centers is a street that is backed up with cars, vans, buses, and motorcycles. There is no stop light to direct the flow of traffic and the parade of cars driving through never ends. In order to see a window to cross the road, you have to practically stand in the middle of the road itself because the large buses parked on the side of the road for no apparent reason block all view.

Shibuya in Korea?

Conversely, on the opposite side of the shopping center is a mini shibuya crossing. Which only makes sense in The World’s Smartest City. All downtown metropolises should have a shibuya crossing at every single intersection.

But, nevermind all that. One step off the bus and you’ll find this little take-out store front with bright cherry red signs covering the windows. You are right where you want to be.

달콤한닭강정 Sweet Chicken Manager

There is no longer such a thing as Kentucky Fried Chicken. It is Korean Fried Chicken. In Korea you don’t need a fancy restaurant, you just need passion, oil, and a woman frying up her famous recipes for eager patrons.

This is KFC.

A tiny eatery with one table that serves take out sweet and spicy fried chicken. I will forever associate KFC with Korea.

달콤한닭강정
Sweet Chicken Manager (I’m sure that’s right, thanks Google!)
Korean Fried Chicken
Dream City
Phone: 1588-6493

This is the best sweet and spicy Korean Fried Chicken in Songdo. Order the sweet and spicy and/or the Teriyaki Fried Chicken.

Actually, this isn’t the first time we’ve had this particular Korean Fried Chicken! We didn’t realize it until our food came out, but this was the same chicken we were served at the Primary Activity!

Of course we found the best sweet and spicy Korean Fried Chicken in Songdo in Dream City in Korea. Whaddya know! Our dreams came true in Dream City after all.

BBQ Songdo New Town

The second best place for Korean Fried Chicken is at home in your apartment via Uber Eats. I don’t know if BBQ Songdo New Town has a store front, but I know that if you order it on Uber Eats you’ll get it within 10 minutes, and it’ll be hot spicy perfection.

BBQ Songo New Town
Home Sweet Home
Uber Eats
Hours: Sunday thru Saturday 2:30pm – 11:00pm

The only reason we found this place is because all the other food delivery options required a Korean phone number. Thank goodness for that!

Order the Chicken with Honey Garlic Sauce and the Sweet and Sour Boneless Chicken. The standard Golden Olive Fried Chicken is pretty spectacular too. All three offer a slight kick, but hands down, the Honey Garlic will leave you salivating when you come home and long for the land of the morning calm.

Yes, we ordered this almost every night after the kids went to bed. I’m not ashamed and neither will you be once you take the first bite.

We tried so many fried chicken restaurants throughout Seoul, Incheon and Songdo that we’re pretty sure we can call ourselves the experts on this topic. But you tell us, do we have it right?