Kong Dog, Seoul Stick, GoblinBat. These Korean-style food chains are on the rise with a new food choice: Korean corn dogs. Drizzled in condensed milk, sprinkled with cereal or dunked in marinara, these are not your conventional corn dogs, but they are no less delicious.
A popular street food in Korea, they gained international acclaim over TikTok. According to NBC, Korean corn dogs were one of the biggest food trends in 2021, and within years restaurant chains emerged overseas.
The traditional Korean corn dog batter uses wheat or rice dough as a substitute for cornmeal, and once the dog — or cheese — on a stick is thickly battered and fried, it is sprinkled with sugar and eaten with ketchup and mustard. These chains have flavorfully upgraded the classic corn dog with fun fillings, toppings and sauces. From GoblinBat’s Sweet Nacho dog powdered with cheesy tips to Kong Dog’s Buldak Dog covered in ramen crumbs, they are constantly exploring new flavors.
Senior Daisy Juarez has enjoyed the new variations of corn dogs.
“I like the Cheeto [corn dog] with cheese. It’s different, it’s spicy, which is something that I wouldn’t expect from a corn dog,” Daisy said. “When my cousins came from California, that was the first thing on their bucket list. They said, ‘We’re going to Kong Dog and trying some out!’”
Some chains, like Kong Dog and Seoul Stick, offer other foods and refreshments, like boba tea, french fries and ramen. If you are looking for some variation in your after-school dining, Korean dogs are a tasty alternative.
Kong Dog Review
Dish sampled: Original Kong Dog with sausage, $6.99; Potato Kong Dog with mozzarella cheese, $7.99
Serving 10 different types of corn dogs, Kong Dog offers flavors for everyone. The Original Kong Dog, which is just sausage and sugar-coated batter, is expectedly uninteresting. The sugar coating is an interesting addition to the classic corn dog that contrasts nicely with the otherwise savory and salty palette, but the flavor overall was nothing special. However, the Potato Kong Dog filled with mozzarella cheese was delicious. Crispy and salty, the taste was similar to a sugary hash brown turned mozzarella stick, and made for a filling meal. Kong Dog has locations in Little Italy, Chinatown, the Loop, Lincoln Park as well as the suburbs.
Seoul Stick Review
Dish sampled: Hot Cheeto Dog with mozzarella cheese, $7.99
Coated in Hot Cheeto dust, Seoul Stick’s Hot Cheeto Dog is a great choice for spice lovers. Paired with the melted cheese and crispy batter, the Hot Cheeto Dog is tangy and sapid, and a perfect after-school snack. Seoul Stick is in the Wicker Park neighborhood at 1571 N. Milwaukee Ave. Seoul Stick also offers Stick-Bokki, pan-fried rice cake skewers, and a variety of bubble tea and lemonade flavors.
