Kyochon hopes new Corn Chicken flavor pops with MZs

Kyochon F&B released the all-new Kyochon Corn Chicken, hoping to generate a loyal base among younger consumers, with a industry-first tender option debuting as well.

Kyochon F&B released its latest fried chicken flavor, Kyochon Corn Chicken, on Thursday. [KYOCHON F&B]

Kyochon Corn Chicken, the company's latest fried chicken flavor, is tasked with some heavy duties — continuing the success of the fried chicken chain's previous hit releases such as the Garlic Soy, Red and Honey series while also making a lasting impression on younger consumers.

Kyochon F&B is not necessarily known for releasing new, innovative or quirky flavors.

Its three most popular chicken flavors — Garlic Soy, released in Kyochon's founding year of 1991; Red, released in 2004; and Honey, released in 2010 — account for over 90 percent of the chickens sold by the company. The recent release, the Black Secret, didn’t take off quite like the past items.

“It’s already been 15 years since we completed our trifecta of fried chickens," Kyochon’s head of the Domestic Business Support Department, President Yoon Jin-ho, said during a press event at the new Kyochon F&B headquarters located in Pangyo, Gyeonggi, on Thursday.

Kyochon Corn Chicken comes in three styles: boned, the new tender style, and boneless. [KYOCHON F&B]

He explained that while the company is “renowned as the No. 1 tasty chicken brand,” it is in need of a new product that make a mark on younger demographics.

Kyochon Corn Chicken, which the company hopes appeals better to the MZ generation, features cornflakes made of 75 percent real corn that has been mixed with a sauce. The company claimed that it provides a more authentic taste than the simple powder seasonings of other companies.

The flavor is based on the corn chicken recipe first introduced on the JTBC variety show “Chicken Fight” (2023), but Kyochon went through a yearlong trial-and-error process to develop and finalize the taste.

“We went through seven different consumer surveys and 4,300 total chickens in the research and development of the item. We want to emphasize that such sacrifice was not wasted,” the president said.

The chicken comes in the usual boned and boneless styles as well as a new tender style — a first attempt in the industry, according to Kyochon F&B. The company emphasized multiple times that it differs from the conventional chicken breast flavor; instead of the dry texture of chicken breast, the whole tenderloin is softer and moist.

During a tasting session for the media, the sample revealed that the whole-tenderloin versions of corn chicken did taste noticeably less dry than chicken breasts. The chicken itself had a distinct corn flavor but landed on the sweet side, almost matching the sweetness of the honey flavor.

The company will offer tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) as an optional side dish to complement the rather sweet corn flavor.

“We don’t necessarily try to follow trends or the products of other companies,” the president said. “We have high standards within the company."

The new flavor may be released outside Korea in the future, but the company plans to focus on the local market first, a spokesperson for Kyochon F&B told the Korea JoongAng Daily.

The Kyochon Corn Chicken is priced at 20,000 won ($14.50), while the boneless and tender versions are priced at 23,000 won.

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]