Korean culture rides in on mobile technology

People line up to buy fried chicken at a Korean restaurant on Hongquan Road, Shanghai, on Monday. A popular South Korean drama, in which the female protagonist idolizes beer and fried chicken, has made chicken popular again, despite a recent spate of bird flu cases. Gao Erqiang / China Daily

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Avid viewers of the South Korean drama My Love from the Star took note when the female protagonist said she adored "beer and fried chicken" as her favorite food when the first winter snow began to fall.

Barbecue houses and lemonade booths along Hongquan Road in Shanghai's Korean area have become new favorites for Chinese women hungry for a genuine taste of Korea.

"I lined up for three hours simply to get a piece of fried chicken. It was on a work-day afternoon and raining heavily. Like-minded friends often go there every month," said Zhang Yuting, a big fan of Korean culture, who takes trips to South Korea to watch concerts every year.

The droves of people and the long lines are often seeking the spicy side dish kimchi or a spicy broth containing soft tofu, clams and an egg, said Kim Gi-chan, owner of Korean restaurant Gubaowu.

"My store usually closes at 10:30 pm. But I haven't finished work before 3 am every day since January. Fried chicken is the must-order dish for each table," he said.

Zhou Zhou, a student at Beijing Foreign Studies University, who took three exchange programs in Seoul and found popular items there and in Beijing were "strikingly similar", said, "Clearly the shows help popularize street food and spicy stews that are essential to the Korean heart and digestive tract."

The real draw is the crossover between Eastern and Western cultures, said Dai Yunjie, a seasoned concert promoter in Shanghai.

"The performers' synchronized dance moves and hand gestures do have an Asian flavor, but their music is really blended with Western elements, like hip-hop and rapping," said Dai.