Food corporations are rolling out ready-to-cook (HMR) chicken one after another. As the delivery price for a whole fried chicken nears 30,000 won, consumers feeling the pinch are turning to frozen chicken. Once considered inferior to delivery chicken in taste and texture, frozen chicken is quickly taking over home tables on the back of technological advances.
According to the industry on the 11th, CJ CheilJedang's frozen chicken sales topped 12 million bags last year, an all-time high. The key driver of this growth is "Gourmet Sobaba Chicken." "Sobaba" is short for "sauce-brushed crispy chicken." It gained popularity immediately after its Apr. 2023 launch. By the end of its first year, cumulative sales reached 54 billion won, and in Oct. last year, cumulative sales topped 100 billion won, elevating it to a hit product.
The core reason consumers are enthusiastic about frozen chicken lies in technology. The biggest weakness of earlier frozen chicken was that once coated with sauce, the batter quickly became soggy, making it difficult to achieve the crispness of delivery chicken.
To solve this, CJ CheilJedang adopted a method of double-frying the chicken in oil and then applying a thin, even layer of sauce. This preserves a texture similar to freshly fried chicken from a shop, even with sauce on it. In particular, as more households have air fryers, word spread that people can enjoy restaurant-level crispness at home.
Riding this momentum, CJ CheilJedang has strengthened its frozen chicken portfolio by adding four new products, including "Gourmet Sobaba Chicken Red Hot Boneless," Sichuan-style mala chicken, CJ dakgangjeong, and CJ crispy chicken tenders.
In addition to CJ CheilJedang, major food corporations such as Harim and Daesang have moved to expand market share by applying proprietary sauce-coating techniques. Based on technological prowess, they are realizing the "crispy taste" that had been a strength of delivery chicken, emerging as a practical alternative.
Harim launched the frozen chicken brand "Mexican Chicken" in May last year and has steadily expanded its lineup from an initial eight products to 12. A Harim official said, "We briefly deep-fry at a high heat of 180 degrees, remove oil using a vibration method, and then bake once more in a 190-degree oven," and added, "We reduced unnecessary grease so it doesn't get soggy even with sauce, preserving a crispy texture."
Daesang Cheongjeongwon is also selling "Boneless Crispy Chicken," which does not become soggy after cooking even with a special sauce coating. Chicken breast meat is cold-marinated for 16 hours, coated with a batter that creates multiple air layers, and double-fried. On top of that, a thin layer of Cheongjeongwon's special sauce is applied—the secret to its crisp texture.
Another reason frozen chicken is drawing notice is price competitiveness. A franchise whole chicken costs a little over 20,000 won, but delivery fees and other charges push it close to 30,000 won. By contrast, even large packs of frozen chicken can be purchased for around 10,000 won. In fact, on CJ CheilJedang's official mall, a set of four bags of Sobaba Chicken (375 grams each) costs about 27,900 won, meaning you can buy four bags for the price of one whole chicken.
Its ultra-personalized convenience is also contributing to its popularity. With more single-person households, frozen chicken's zipper-bag packaging lets consumers take out only as much as they want to cook—a major advantage. It eases the burden of finishing an entire chicken and avoids the hassle of dealing with leftovers.
It is also released in finely segmented cuts—thigh, tenderloin, wings, and more—aligning with consumer trends of enjoying small portions as a late-night snack or with a solo drink, according to reviews.
A food industry official said, "In the past, frozen chicken served mainly as a 'substitute' when ordering delivery felt burdensome, but it has now evolved into a distinct category with its own technology and convenience." Another official said, "Given its price and convenience, it is establishing itself as another option for consumers and is unlikely to be just a short-lived fad."