If You Have a High Spice Tolerance, Try the "Buldak Set"... Sold Out Within a Week After Landing at CU [Tasted It]

"You must really like spicy food"?the cashier's warning at checkout
Two bright red Buldak-flavored snacks from CU spark a "swicy" trend
Imnotbul Dakchikin delivers a tongue-numbing heat

"You must be proud of your spice tolerance; these are going to be very spicy."

When I confidently picked up the two products with their bright red appearance and placed them on the convenience store counter, this was the reaction I received. I was warned that the bread and ice cream might be much spicier than expected. Since I usually enjoy spicy food to the point of seeking out "nuclear" Buldak sauce, I didn't pay much attention to the warning at the time.

The products I purchased are two unique Buldak-flavored snacks launched by CU, a convenience store operated by BGF Retail, on August 13. One is "Imnotbul Dakchikin" (which translates to "I'm not Buldak Chicken"), an ice cream shaped like fried chicken, and the other is CU's private brand product "405 Buldak Daribbang." Both are priced at 3,000 won.

Imnotbul Dakchikin (left) and Buldak Daribbang. Photo by Minji Lee.

These products are unconventional snacks that combine the strong sweetness of desserts with a spicy kick. As Buldak sauce has taken the global market by storm, "swicy" foods-a blend of spicy and sweet-are gaining attention as a new gourmet trend. Although it has been less than a week since their release, word of mouth has led to frequent sell-outs at stores. It is recommended to check inventory through the Pocket CU application before visiting a store.

The first impression of Imnotbul Dakchikin was that it looked like a perfectly fried chicken wing drumette. It was covered in what appeared to be crispy crumbs, making me expect a crunchy sound with the first bite. These crumbs are actually corn, fried to capture the Buldak flavor. Tasting the leftover crumbs inside the packaging, my tongue immediately felt a sharp sting. These tiny pieces are the core of the spiciness.

When I split the ice cream in half, a milky white ice cream was revealed inside, wrapped in an orange chocolate coating. Biting into the chocolate and crispy bits that had fallen off the ice cream, the pain on my tongue intensified. My pride in my spice tolerance disappeared in an instant.

To cool my burning tongue, I took a bite of the ice cream itself. This time, a strong sweetness came through. The texture and color were similar to regular milk ice cream, but it tasted even sweeter. It was a pursuit of the ultimate "sweet and spicy" combination. As time passed, the ice cream melted, and the chocolate and crumbs quickly separated. Since the chocolate and crumbs are pressed together by hand, it is recommended to eat it while it's still frozen solid.

Imnotbul Dakchikin (left) and Buldakdaribang split in half. Photo by Minji Lee.

The 405 Buldak Daribbang immediately caught my eye with its bright orange-red color, achieved with paprika powder. Perhaps because I had just endured the spiciness of the ice cream, I expected the red color to deliver a strong kick to my tongue. The crispy crumbs on the outside made it look like a chubby goblin's club. The bread was larger than my palm. At 3,000 won, it felt worth the price.

When I split the bread in half, the filling resembled what you might find in a croquette: corn cheese, egg, and macaroni mixed with Buldak sauce. The amount of filling was neither too much nor too little, and it was evenly distributed throughout the bread except at the ends. The texture of the bread was softer than expected. Since I let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before eating, I thought it might be dry, but even the ends without filling were fluffy.

The spiciness was moderate. With corn and cheese mixed in, even those who can't handle spicy food could enjoy it comfortably. Since it wasn't much different from regular cheese bread, I tried dipping it in Buldak sauce, which made the Buldak Daribbang even spicier and more enjoyable.

Imnotbul Dakchikin (left) and Buldak Daribbang. Photo by Minji Lee.