Amsa Market chicken shop with a pre-Chuseok queue: Gimssi Chicken

I went to Amsa Jongham Market (암사종합시장) on a Saturday evening right before Chuseok. A cute character sign greeted me right at the entrance. Inside, fruit boxes were stacked everywhere and the place was packed with people out shopping. This was the only chicken shop in the whole market with a line out front!!

Let me introduce the famous dakgangjeong (sweet-spicy fried chicken) spot at Amsa Market, Gimssi Chicken Amsa Market Branch 🍗

Where is Gimssi Chicken Amsa Market Branch, and when is it open?

Gimssi Chicken Amsa Market Branch is on the 1st floor of 21 Olympic-ro 98-gil, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, inside Amsa Jongham Market near Amsa Station on Line 8. At the time of my visit, Naver Map listed the hours as until 10:00 PM, but this can vary by day and season, so I'd recommend calling ahead to check.

• Address: 1F, 21 Olympic-ro 98-gil, Gangdong-gu, Seoul
• Hours: Listed as until 10:00 PM on Naver Map at time of visit
• Parking: Seems to be free along the roadside on weekends

With its yellow background and red signage, it really stands out even inside the market.

The old-school sign at the market entrance

The sign at Gimssi Chicken Amsa Market Branch reads 'Dakgangjeong Specialist' and '15 years of tradition, one of Seoul's top three family dakgangjeong shops.' That 'top three in Seoul' claim is based on the shop's own promotional wording on the sign. A banner also read, 'Carrying on the taste of Pyeongjeong Dakgangjeong, a 15-year fixture of Myeonmok Market.' And there was a big line that said 'Delicious even when it goes cold,' which made me think it'd be great to take home and eat later.

Gimssi Chicken menu and prices on the in-store board

Dakgangjeong comes in medium (₩9,000), large (₩13,000), and X-large (₩17,000), and you can choose mild, medium-spicy, or spicy. Fried boneless chicken is medium ₩8,000, large ₩12,000, X-large ₩16,000.

• Dakgangjeong (mild / medium-spicy / spicy): Medium ₩9,000 / Large ₩13,000 / X-Large ₩17,000
• Fried boneless chicken: Medium ₩8,000 / Large ₩12,000 / X-Large ₩16,000
• Bone-in fried chicken, whole (takeout): ₩9,900
• Old-style whole chicken: Fried ₩7,000 / Sauced ₩10,000
• Wings: 8 pcs ₩8,000, 11 pcs ₩10,000
• Drumettes/sticks: 7 pcs ₩8,000, 10 pcs ₩10,000
• Drumsticks: 4 pcs ₩6,000, 6 pcs ₩9,000, 8 pcs ₩12,000, 12 pcs ₩17,000
• Pickled radish / extra sauce: ₩500

I ordered a medium fried boneless chicken and a large medium-spicy dakgangjeong. I wanted to try both.

Watching the dakgangjeong tossed on the griddle to order

While I waited, I watched the action — a mountain of freshly fried chicken piled on the griddle, with someone right next to it briskly tossing it in red sauce. Several staff members were busy frying, tossing, and packing all at once. There were several customers ahead of me too, and there was even a screen showing order numbers.

How the takeout boxes are packed

They tied the two boxes together with yellow string, and tucked in two toothpicks and a small seasoning packet. The inside of the boxes was lined with foil, which felt like a thoughtful touch to keep the sauce from leaking.

Fried boneless chicken, medium, 8,000 won

The medium fried boneless chicken at Gimssi Chicken Amsa Market Branch is ₩8,000. Open the box and it's packed with golden-brown fried chicken. The batter had a nice bumpy texture that just looked crispy. Cut in half, the meat inside looked pale and juicy. There were also pieces of rice cake mixed in.

Medium-spicy dakgangjeong, large, 13,000 won: how spicy is it?

The large medium-spicy dakgangjeong is ₩13,000, with a glossy brown sauce. Red pepper flakes and sesame seeds were dotted throughout, and the plump rice cakes were soaked in plenty of sauce. Sitting between mild and spicy, medium-spicy seems like an option worth trying even if you're not great with spice. I could see why so many people order dakgangjeong here.

Fried boneless chicken vs. dakgangjeong, box to box

Placed next to each other, the fried chicken and the sauced dakgangjeong look clearly different in color. The fried chicken is nice to eat plain, piece by piece, while the dakgangjeong is great paired with the rice cake.

Is Gimssi Chicken in Amsa Market worth the wait?

Being fried and tossed fresh right there in the market gave it a great sense of immediacy. Prices were also easy on the wallet, starting at ₩9,000 for the medium size. It's a good pick as a snack while out shopping, or to take home for a late-night meal. If you're near Amsa-dong looking for dakgangjeong, it's worth stopping by at least once. I'd recommend it as one of Amsa Market's best dakgangjeong spots!