bb.q Chicken Celebrates Korean Tourism and National Chicken Wing Day at Times Square Event
July 30, 2024
bb.q Chicken, Korea’s Finest Fried Chicken, hosted its highly anticipated event in honor of National Chicken Wing Day on Monday, July 29 at Duffy Square, just in front of the iconic TKTS Red Steps in Times Square. This event also took place in front of a billboard showcasing the Korea Tourism Organization’s (KTO) tourism efforts while also marking the first time Korean fried chicken was featured on a Times Square billboard.
The event, held in partnership with the KTO included wing samplings, a K-pop flash mob and dance event and mukbangs featuring influencers. The event provided attendees with a unique opportunity to learn about Korean culture and food while sampling signature, authentic Korean chicken wing flavors like Golden Original and Secret Sauce.
With American interest in Korea’s culture and food at an all-time high, this event aimed to capitalize on the growing trend of gastrodiplomacy by turning culinary interest into tourism. The KTO and bb.q Chicken teamed up to promote Korean tourism through K-culture initiatives, emphasizing the connection between food and cultural exploration.
This event occurred after a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) partnership was announced last week between the New York branch of the KTO and BBDOTQ USA (the franchisor for bb.q Chicken in the United States) that aims to promote Korean tourism in the U.S. through K-culture initiatives, including highlighting K-food. The signing ceremony, held at the Korea Center in New York, was attended by key officials including CEO Joseph Kim of BBDOTQ USA and Park Jae-seok, New York branch manager of the KTO.
To commemorate the recent launch of the brand’s loyalty program, bb.q Chicken and the KTO are also partnering to give away roundtrip tickets to Korea – where bb.q Chicken got its start. The sweepstakes will award five lucky winners two roundtrip airline tickets to Korea, along with a $100 bb.q Chicken gift card. To be eligible, participants must fill out the entry form. Bonus entries are awarded when downloading the bb.q Chicken app, visiting the KTO YouTube Page (@ImagineYourKorea) and following @bbqchickenus on TikTok and Instagram.
“We believe that food is the most powerful way to expose people to a new culture, and there was no better way to celebrate National Chicken Wing Day than by sharing our passion for Korean cuisine in the heart of Times Square,” said Andrew Lee, Senior Manager, Marketing, for bb.q Chicken U.S. “The event was more than just a celebration of delicious chicken — it was an opportunity for Americans to experience the vibrant culture of Korea and spark their interest in exploring the beautiful country where bb.q Chicken started. We are thrilled to partner with the KTO to offer this unique experience and promote the rich culinary and cultural heritage of Korea.”
Bb.q (pronounced bee-bee-que) stands for Best of the Best Quality — a promise to only share the best flavors and best ingredients in its K-Food and its signature item, Korean Fried Chicken. Renowned for its commitment to quality and consistency, bb.q Chicken boasts lighter, crispier and more flavorful options than traditional American fried chicken, due to its distinct frying method of cooking chicken “low and slow.” Each team member hand brushes or tosses the brand’s 14 signature sauces like Golden Original, Honey Garlic, Secret Sauce, Gangnam Style, Wings of Fire, Gang-Jeong and Spicy Galbi ranging from sweet to spicy on each piece of chicken, creating the perfect combination of crispy texture and distinctive flavor in every bite.
