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| Deep-fried chicken skin at KFC. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
By Kim Ji-soo, Hong Seo-hyun
Before Koreans en masse favored fried chicken, poultry was mainly boiled or cooked in the "samgyetang" style, in which the chicken is stuffed with sticky rice, ginseng, dates and chestnuts. But even then, it is said that elderly Koreans enjoyed the chicken skin, saying it was the best part.?Now that fried chicken is quickly evolving in Korea, it was only a matter of time before fried chicken skin would start trending as well.
Take KFC's latest menu item, fried chicken skin, which has gained quite some fame since its release in July: it's original, it's delicious, and it's limited ― the three factors that make consumers crave it.?Each serving comes with spicy salsa sauce, pricing at only 2,800 won.
Although originally released exclusively in Indonesia, its release gained popularity on social media amongst Korea's younger generations who keep up to date with the hottest international trends. KFC Korea responded swiftly to release it only two months after it was released in Indonesia. Initially, the new menu item was limited to only six branches; now, it is sold at 40 branches across the country.
"We chose the skin from chicken breasts, because that's the most soft and chewy part. The manufacturing process is quite complicated, so it's all done by hand," an employee from KFC PR said.
Now, fried chicken skin is most popular amongst younger generations interested in trying out exotic food. Since not all branches have the chicken skin on their menu, it's best to check which branches do and whether they have it in stock, beforehand.
Fast food chains are meant to be available to a wide consumer population, but limiting the supply and location has garnered criticism from people who cannot easily access these branches. Rarity may stimulate those who seek uniqueness, but it excludes customers who are tired of coming home empty-handed after waiting.
KFC is not unaware of this fact; nevertheless, the labor-demanding manufacturing process seems to be a barrier to expanded release.?
The release of KFC's chicken skin is a great example of how companies have begun paying attention to the most current trends directly from their consumers.?
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| A slice of barbequed pig skin 'kkeopdeggi,' which has been cut into smaller slices. |
Take, for example, the pork skin known as "kkeopdeggi," popular in old-fashioned Korean barbeque restaurants. Korean manufacturers are now turning it into snack versions, similar to the chicharron. Olive Young also sells a spicy, dried snack version, "Collagen Pop." The snack is crispy and light, with a tang of spiciness. It may not seem different from your usual chips, but "Collagen Pop" contains almost no carbohydrates or sugar; it is made up of mostly protein, just like pig skin.
Convenience stores have also started selling microwavable versions of ready-made pig skin, which ranges from 5,000 won and higher. For busy people who want to enjoy pig skin but cannot afford the time and money to go eat at a restaurant, this is the new and easy option.
Of course, you can always try the original pig skin at most barbeque restaurants. SsangDaepo, a restaurant near Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul, serves two large slices per portion ― each slice the size of one's hand ― for 5,000 won to 7,000 won. It's an affordable dish, and tastes best with rice, or even better, with beer.
At the restaurant, you can also dip the pig skin into two different sauces, before wrapping it up with lettuce. Some barbeque restaurants even offer melted mozzarella cheese with the pig skin.
Compared to other meat, pig skin has a little more chew to it, due to its high level of collagen. Collagen is known to be beneficial to skin health, but beware: not all collagen in pig skin can be absorbed by the human body, thus, it is not the best nutritional source. Yet, people seem to love the unique texture and flavor of pig skin added to their usual barbeque.?‥
