Top Sellers Meet and It's Already Sold Out... The Soju-Calling 'I Dosirak' [Tried It]

GS25×Food Company Collaboration Lunchbox
'It Can't Help But Be Delicious' Phrase
High Price Range... Confidence with Reason

"It has to be delicious since the top convenience store and food companies joined hands"

GS25, a convenience store operated by GS Retail, launched a new lunchbox product on the 23rd of last month with this phrase. They expressed confidence in the four lunchbox varieties released in collaboration with food companies Dongwon and Daesang: ▲Dongwon Mat Cham Jeongchan Lunchbox ▲Dongwon Deli Ham Lunchbox ▲Jongga Yeolmu Deumpuk Bibimbap ▲Anjuya Gopchang Anju Lunchbox. How delicious could they be to warrant such a statement? Curiosity surged.

Convenience store GS25 has released Anju Yakobchang Anju Dosirak and Dongwon Mat Cham Jeongchan Dosirak in collaboration with Dongwon. Photo by Seongpil Jo @gatozz

Perhaps due to the grand phrase, purchasing them was not easy. I visited all the local GS25 convenience stores but could not find the products. A sold-out frenzy had occurred from the early launch phase. After visiting five convenience stores, I finally managed to buy two types: Dongwon Mat Cham Jeongchan Lunchbox and Anjuya Gopchang Lunchbox. A GS Retail official also said, "Since the launch, consumer response has been very positive," adding, "The sales volume is high, so it was probably difficult to obtain."

Both products were priced higher than typical convenience store lunchboxes. The Dongwon Mat Cham Jeongchan Lunchbox was 6,300 won, and the Anjuya Gopchang Anju Lunchbox was 6,000 won. Considering that the usual price range for convenience store lunchboxes is 4,000 to 5,000 won, these are about 20-30% more expensive.

However, looking at the side dish composition, the price did not feel unreasonable. They included many items rarely found in lunchboxes, such as stir-fried gopchang (beef or pork intestines), sausages, tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patties), and fried foods.

What is seated on the left is Anjuya Gopchang Anju Dosirak's signature menu, Spicy Pork Gopchang. It has a quite stimulating spicy and salty flavor. Photo by Seongpil Jo @gatozz

Especially the Anjuya Gopchang Anju Lunchbox, developed in collaboration with Daesang, featured the signature spicy pork gopchang stir-fry that, as soon as it entered the mouth, immediately evoked the thought of "drinking snacks." There was no fishy taste, but the seasoning was strong. I paired it with a glass of soju, which instantly erased the bitterness of the soju.

The spicy and salty ("maepjan") seasoning sauce continuously stimulated the tongue, but the stir-fried kimchi and corn softened the flavor. The fact that fried rice was included instead of plain white rice also proves that this lunchbox is meant as drinking snacks. After enjoying the spicy pork gopchang stir-fry and fried sundae (Korean blood sausage) as a side dish with alcohol, finishing with bulgogi is recommended.

Dongwon Mat Cham Jeongchan Dosirak is recommended to be mixed and eaten by placing spicy sesame oil tuna on white rice. Photo by Seongpil Jo @gatozz

On the other hand, the Dongwon Mat Cham Jeongchan Lunchbox focused on a meal rather than drinking accompaniment. Even mixing the spicy sesame oil tuna on top of plain white rice without side dishes made for a great meal. The spicy sesame oil tuna tastes like chili tuna topped with sesame oil. It was not overpowering and paired well with white rice. Personally, I recommend tasting the rice after having a bite of the side dishes. The tuna’s mildness balances the greasiness of the sausages, fish cutlet, and tteokgalbi. However, the fish cutlet was somewhat soggy, so do not expect the crispiness found in specialized tonkatsu restaurants.

The overall evaluation of these lunchboxes is "delicious composition." The advertising phrase "It has to be delicious" is not born out of baseless confidence. Although the price is high, they are suitable as solo meal options. The Anjuya Gopchang Anju Lunchbox is recommended when you want a simple solo drink with a light snack after work, and the Dongwon Mat Cham Jeongchan Lunchbox is recommended when you want to quickly enjoy a delicious meal.