Kyochon Chicken 교촌치킨 City Hall (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★☆☆

I was ready to call it a night. Most restaurants in Seoul stop taking orders by 8:30–9pm, except for the late-night specialists—mainly fried chicken places that pair well with beer. Growing a little desperate, I even checked a few spots in Myeongdong that I normally avoid, including Myeongdong Kyoja (明洞餃子). None of them were seating new customers.

I headed back toward City Hall near my hotel, wondering if I’d find anything still open. After one last check on Naver, I spotted a Kyochon Chicken (교촌치킨) just a few steps from where I was staying.

Kyochon is one of South Korea’s largest and most well-known fried chicken chains. Founded in 1991 in Gumi, it helped launch the first major wave of Korean fried chicken (KFC) onto the global stage and has never looked back. Today the brand is known for its premium, thin-battered, double-fried chicken finished with natural sauces. With more than 1,300 locations in Korea alone, Kyochon also has a strong international presence across the United States, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, the UAE, and the Philippines.

Half-and-half (Soy sauce and honey garlic) (₩26,000) — Ordering ban-ban (반반) chicken is common here. You get two different flavors in a single order.

The wait was long enough that my mild hunger turned into a serious one. I really like Kyochon’s thin batter, and the seasoning isn’t as heavy-handed as many other Korean fried chicken places, which made me a happy camper.

The set came with a mix of wings and drumsticks. The soy sauce flavor is the classic choice; even without added honey it carries a mild sweetness from the sweet soy glaze. Still, I preferred the honey garlic. The extra sweetness from the honey balanced the savory notes more nicely.

These sets are usually meant for two, so it wasn’t surprising that I didn't manage to finish the whole thing myself. I was careful with how much I ate these days, especially with a few big meals lined up over the next couple of days.

After dinner, I took a slow and deliberate walk back to my hotel. For the first time, I let myself truly slow down and take in the night view around Seoul's City Hall. There was a profound peace in that unhurried pause — a rare moment to let my mind drift away from the constant pulse of city life.

Food Rating: 5.6/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: 55 Taepyeongno 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Myeongdong 

Tel: +82 2-318-1994

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 1:00am daily