Small-batch wings and drumsticks at Jayang Market: Mr. Kim's Chicken

When I was a kid, I used to go to the market often, holding my grandmother's hand. These days I don't really have a reason to go to markets anymore.

So after a really long time, I went to Jayang Market, and in the middle of the market a delicious chicken smell drifted my way, so I stopped in my tracks and watched them fry chicken.

There were quite a lot of people passing through Jayang Market, and everyone stopped in front of the chicken shop.

Grandmother customers in particular were common — they'd stop while passing by and order in this cool, casual way. The owners were also super friendly, with good service, so I think that's why so many people come. Wandering slowly through the market after a long time, I felt that sense of everyday life, and it was heartwarming.

Where exactly is Mr. Kim's Chicken inside Jayang Market

Mr. Kim's Chicken Jayang Market Branch is located deep inside Jayang Market.

Since it's right in the middle of the market, it naturally catches your eye as you walk by. When I visited, customers kept coming to pick up takeout chicken the whole time.

One owner was frying chicken while the other took orders, and both of them were extremely warm and friendly. There was that cozy, comfortable atmosphere unique to market chicken shops, which made waiting feel pleasant. They fried plenty of chicken, so they were even handing out pieces for waiting customers to try.

While waiting, I was handed a big piece too and tasted it right away. Maybe because it was freshly fried, it was hot and crispy and genuinely delicious. This kind of small gesture feels like the warm charm you only find at a market.

I ordered seasoned chicken, wings, and drumsticks like this

I packed up seasoned chicken along with 2 wing pieces and 2 drumstick pieces.

At first I only ordered the seasoned chicken, but the owner told me wings and drumsticks could also be ordered in small quantities, so I added 2 pieces of each just to try. These days ordering a whole chicken easily runs past ₩20,000, so market chicken really was much cheaper.

Just because the price is cheap doesn't mean the quality or portion suffers. There was no gamey smell at all, and the chicken itself was in great condition.

The seasoned chicken tasted even better freshly fried

At Mr. Kim's Chicken Jayang Market Branch, they fried the chicken fresh for everyone who was waiting, myself included. Even though it came out freshly fried, they drained the oil well so the takeout box didn't get soggy, and it was packed neatly and cleanly. They also put in plenty of sauce, so there was really nothing lacking. I'm the type who scrapes every last bit of sauce when eating seasoned chicken, and usually there just isn't enough.

But here they gave generous sauce, so I could enjoy it deliciously right to the last bite. It says on the sign that even cold chicken tastes good here, and it really was still delicious after cooling down.

I put the leftovers in the fridge, and later when I wanted a snack, I just ate it cold without microwaving it — and it was so good I kept reaching for more.

It wasn't that disappointing kind of chicken with too much oil, a too-thick batter, or too much dry meat.

Fresh out of the box, it was piping hot and delicious, and the meat was tender. It wasn't too greasy, and the portion wasn't lacking either.

This might be the real charm of market chicken

Unless a place is some irreplaceable, legendary restaurant, taste matters, but I think overall satisfaction — cleanliness, friendliness, portion size — matters just as much.

In that sense, Mr. Kim's Chicken Jayang Market Branch was a place I'd want to visit again. The passersby, the elderly folks grocery shopping, the market alley mixed with food smells — that heartwarming atmosphere you can only feel at a traditional market really stuck with me. Living in this rather cold, impersonal society these days, that atmosphere felt so refreshing.

Seeing so many people stop in front of Mr. Kim's Chicken to buy some, I could tell it's already beloved by the local neighborhood. Watching the owners respond so kindly and hand out samples to waiting customers gave me a warm feeling.

Recommended if you love old-style fried chicken or market chicken

Mr. Kim's Chicken Jayang Market Branch definitely has a charm distinct from franchise chicken chains. It keeps the price low while still delivering warm, crispy, freshly fried chicken, and I loved how generous they were with the sauce.

Best of all, since it's inside Jayang Market, it's great for picking up as a snack while browsing around the market.

If you love that distinctive old-style fried chicken or market chicken flavor, it's worth stopping by at least once.

Apparently dakgangjeong (sweet crispy fried chicken bites) is actually the main dish here, so next time I'll have to go back for that.