Matcho-king combo features only drumsticks and wings covered in soy sauce seasoning. (Yoojin Lee/Stars and Stripes)
South Korea’s bounty of fried chicken restaurant chains attracts not only locals but also tourists from around the world.
The BHC chain stands out. Besides its two widely known versions of deep-fried chicken — classic and sweet-and-sour – the chain has several specials on its menu.
Bburinkle and Matcho-king are signature items, and we ordered both during a recent visit along with sides of cheese balls, bburing hot dogs and rose tteokbokki.
Bburinkle is a powdery cheese topping, like the flavor of Cheetos. The crunchy batter is covered with this addictive seasoning, which is almost like biting into a huge serving of chips, but the inside is filled with tender, juicy chicken.
Rose tteokbokki, matcho-king, bburinkle, bburing hot dogs and kaymak cheese balls are placed on the table. (Yoojin Lee/Stars and Stripes)
Pickled radish is served alongside the chicken to refresh the palate. Chewy potato noodles dipped in rose sauce make up the tteokbokki.
Matcho-king is a soy sauce-based fried chicken topped with slices of spicy pepper, adding excitement to the flavor.
BHC has a dark-meat-only option called Combo, while the boneless option is only with white meat, giving customers a choice based on their preference. The Matcho-king combo we ordered included only drumsticks and wings, perfectly coated in sweet soy sauce but still crunchy.
Five kaymak cheese balls are $4 at BHC in South Korea. (Yoojin Lee/Stars and Stripes)
Five kaymak cheese balls and three bburing hot dogs. (Yoojin Lee/Stars and Stripes)
Instead of the original mozzarella cheese balls, we ordered their new side menu, kaymak cheese balls. A staple of Central Asia, kaymak adds rich and creamy flavor to the cheese ball along with its unique yogurt-like taste.
The bburing hot dogs are known for their chewy dough, with a texture almost like cheese. The outside is covered with bburingkle powder, making them good to pair with chicken.
BHC stands for “Byul Hana Chicken,” which means “one star chicken.” Founded in 1997, the brand has grown into a global chicken franchise, starting overseas in Hong Kong.
After opening in Los Angeles in February 2023, the chain has expanded to three locations in the U.S., according to its website.
BHC Chicken promotes its brand by frying only locally sourced chickens in high-oleic sunflower seed oil. With more than 2,200 restaurants in South Korea, BHC Chicken has been a culture of its own among many chicken brands in the country.
BHC Chicken
Location: BHC Chicken Songtan Terminal Branch, 781-9 Jisan-dong Pyeongtaek-si Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Directions: A 3-minute drive from the main gate at Osan Air Base, South Korea.
Hours: Open every day from noon to midnight
Prices: Chicken from 20,000 won to 25,000 won, $14 to $17; sides are 4,000 won to 7,000 won, or $3 to $5.
Dress: Casual
Information: 031-666-5463, parking lot available