Suyu Market fried chicken shop in Seoul: mild dakgangjeong takeout

Suyu dakgangjeong, Gimssi Chicken Suyu Market Branch

Why order Suyu Market dakgangjeong for a weekend snack?

I was going to order regular fried chicken for a weekend snack, but I remembered the Suyu Market dakgangjeong I'd had before and decided to go pick it up myself. I also wanted to enjoy the charm that only market-style dakgangjeong has, different from franchise chicken.

Where is Gimssi Chicken Suyu Market Branch and how do you find it?

Gimssi Chicken Suyu Market Branch, known as a Suyu Market dakgangjeong favorite, is easy to find once you enter through the Dongmun 1 entrance of Suyu Market. Walking along the market corridor, the yellow signboard catches your eye right away, so even first-time visitors won't get lost finding the shop.

Gimssi Chicken Suyu Market Branch blends naturally into the atmosphere of Suyu Market. The storefront has a bright yellow sign and a character design that gives it a friendly feel. The sign reads in big letters '15-year tradition, one of Seoul's top 3 family dakgangjeong,' which boosts confidence in the taste.

The cooking area and counter at the front of the shop are kept clean, and the fried chicken lined up neatly is enough to stir up anyone's appetite passing by. The cooking area is open, so I could watch the whole process of frying the chicken and mixing it with sauce.

Menu and prices at Gimssi Chicken Suyu Market Branch

The signature menu is Myeongpum Dakgangjeong, which comes in mild, medium spicy, and spicy, with sizes divided into medium, large, and extra large. Beyond that, a whole bone-in fried chicken and old-style fried chicken are also available, good choices for a family snack or meal. You can get a whole bone-in fried chicken for a cheap ₩9,900. There's also a variety of options including nostalgic old-style fried chicken, seasoned old-style fried chicken, and wings, drumettes, and drumsticks sold by the piece, so there's fun in picking whatever suits your taste.

Ordering the large mild Myeongpum Dakgangjeong to go

What stands out about Gimssi Chicken Suyu Market Branch is that it serves dakgangjeong based on a 15-year-old secret sauce recipe. They say fresh ingredients are prepared every morning and the chicken is fried until crisp and clean.

After some thought, I ordered the large mild Myeongpum Dakgangjeong to go. As soon as I ordered, the staff carefully tossed freshly fried boneless chicken and chewy rice cake in the special sauce. The moment I picked up the takeout box, the weight of it and the sweet chicken smell drifting out from between the box seams were no joke.

How the dakgangjeong tasted at home, and how much you get

Once I brought it home, the generous portion caught my eye first. The chunky pieces of dakgangjeong were evenly coated in sauce and had a glossy, appetizing look. Since it was mild, there was little worry about spice, and the sweet-savory sauce flavor came through first. Even with sauce on it, the coating wasn't overly soggy, and the chicken meat inside was tender, turning more savory the more I chewed.

Maybe because of the fresh ingredients sourced every morning, there was no trace of the chicken's usual gamey smell, just a clean, savory flavor throughout. The coating showed the textbook definition of crispy-outside, tender-inside. The rice cake mixed in was also well seasoned, chewy, and a nice treat. It's great eaten plain, but also just as good spooned lightly over rice like a side dish — the deep sauce flavor works well with rice and I emptied a bowl in no time.

True to the slogan that they're not cheap because they cut corners, but because there's no reason to charge more, I liked that they cut out the markup while adding depth of flavor. Gimssi Chicken Suyu Market Branch, now a new landmark of Suyu Market, is a Suyu Market dakgangjeong spot that nails portion, taste, and value all at once. If you want quality dakgangjeong at an easy price, it's well worth a visit.

Gimssi Chicken Suyu Market Branch