# Freshly fried chicken was placed on the table, with its surface coated in a rich golden seasoning that immediately caught the eye. A subtle curry aroma soon tickled the nose. The visual and olfactory appeal of the chicken instantly sparked appetite. Upon taking a bite, the crispy texture enveloped the mouth, followed by a savory-sweet flavor from the seasoning. The deep, characteristic taste of curry effectively cut through any greasiness. This was the perfect chicken for a reporter who typically avoids oily foods. Dipping it into the accompanying 'Honey Butter Yogurt Sauce' added a refreshing sweetness to the experience.
The 'Curinkle' (CURINKLE) tasted at BHC's new menu launch media day held at the Seocho University Branch in Seocho-dong, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 28th, was nothing short of "a completely new umami chicken unlike anything seen before."
Curinkle is a sweet and spicy seasoned chicken that harmoniously blends a subtle curry aroma with the creamy richness of butter. Its defining feature is its non-overwhelming profile, allowing consumers to enjoy curry's exotic flavor without hesitation. The balanced taste achieved when paired with the included 'Honey Butter Yogurt' sauce is also exceptional.
Jeon Byeong-jun, Deputy Manager of BHC's Menu Development Team under Dining Brands Group, stated at the event: "Curinkle was developed to showcase BHC's uniquely differentiated seasoned chicken to a wider audience, including curry lovers." He emphasized that "to meet consumer expectations for new flavor-seasoned chicken, we enhanced its taste and quality based on pre-launch consumer evaluations."
He added, "Over the past six months, we fried approximately five chickens daily to create this popular curry-seasoned chicken. It is familiar yet not overpowering, and aims to become a curry-seasoned chicken with no taste preferences against it."
In fact, 'Curinkle' is an expanded universe version of BHC's mega-hit menu 'Puringkle'. Twelve years after Puringkle's 2014 launch, a new menu continuing its legacy has been born. Known as the definitive cheese-seasoned chicken, Puringkle has surpassed cumulative sales of 150 million units as of last month, earning consistent love across all age groups. At the time, actress Jeon Ji-hyun became a national chicken icon by promoting BHC with her signature slogan "Jeon Ji-hyun's BHC."
Curinkle quickly garnered attention for its unique taste and differentiation as BHC's new seasoned chicken immediately after its July 9 launch, selling over 150,000 units within a week. Its initial sales pace exceeded that of last year's popular 'Kwasakking', which achieved cumulative sales of 10 million units one year and five months after its February release. Kwasakking emphasized crispy texture by applying crispy crumbs.
Alongside Curinkle, BHC also introduced side dishes 'Kwasak Potato' and 'Garae-tteok Tteokbokki'. The 'Kwasak Potato' features wedge-cut potatoes coated in Kwasakking's crumble batter, offering both a crispy exterior and fluffy interior. It is the latest addition to the Kwasak series following Kwasak Shrimp. The 'Garae-tteok Tteokbokki' combines chewy rice cakes with a spicy-sweet gochujang-based sauce, creating an ideal pairing with chicken.
Park Won-cheol, BHC Director, stated: "Curinkle is a new concept menu that adds the novel flavor of curry to the seasoned chicken DNA accumulated by Puringkle over the years, delivering both familiarity and a unique experience." He added, "Puringkle has sold 150 million units over the past decade-plus. If Curinkle receives similar consumer interest, it will become another mega-hit menu."
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