Is seafood coming for fried chicken's Han River picnic crown?

The reign of chimaek, the iconic pairing of fried chicken and beer, as the undisputed king of Han River picnics may be under threat.

More people are slipping on plastic gloves not for a chicken drumstick but to crack open snow crab legs, as they gaze over Seoul’s main waterway. Chopsticks, meanwhile, are being used not to slurp the customary bowl of ramyeon that follows chicken but to dip thick slices of hoe, or raw fish, into chojang, a tangy dipping sauce made of red chili paste.

While fried chicken and instant ramyeon still dominate picnic mats along the Han River, they are increasingly sharing space with seafood spreads.

Posts of people enjoying hoe platters and snow crab feasts in riverside parks are easy to spot on social media, with hundreds of posts carrying the hashtag "hoecnic," a portmanteau of "hoe" and "picnic."

Many feature seafood platters set against the backdrop of the Han River, with captions such as "A full of romance Hoecnic."

"Many people in their 20s and 30s stop by here [to buy hoe] before heading to the Han River,” said Park Ki-beom, who runs a fish shop at Noryangjin Fish Market in Dongjak District, southern Seoul, a popular stop for picnicgoers bound for nearby Yeouido Hangang Park.

“They usually come with friends or as couples. They usually purchase assorted platters that include seasonal fish such as dodari [halibut] or white trevally.” A seasonal assorted sashimi platter for two typically starts at 65,000 won.

Park said the number of people purchasing hoe for picnics has been slowly increasing over the past two to three years, following a surge of interest in raw fish after bangeo (yellowtail) began drawing attention from younger consumers.

"Also, with numerous delivery platforms now available, more people are ordering it to the Han River."

While raw fish is sometimes avoided during summer due to concerns over easy spoilage, Park said extra ice packs placed inside insulated cooler bags keep it fresh even on hot days.

Snow crab — perhaps the last food one would associate with a picnic because of its hard shell and messy eating process — is another emerging Han River favorite.

"Our usual customers are people in their 40s and 50s, but these days, we're seeing many more people in their 20s who are heading to the Han River," said Shin Kwon-hee, who runs a crab shop at Mangwon Market near Mangwon Hangang Park. Here, pickups overwhelmingly outnumber deliveries

"While it's typical for customers to buy one crab per person for a full meal, younger customers [going to picnics] often pick up a single crab."

A single takeout box includes one snow crab with its legs all pre-cut for easy eating, alongside the body shell packed with rice stir-fried with the crab’s innards.

While Shin said Instagram Reels helped fuel the trend, he also believes many people find the usual chicken picnic "boring" and are looking for something different.

"Chicken may have become a little boring these days. They're looking for new experiences, and having seafood by the Han River feels unique and unusual."

The appeal also lies in its price. Ordering seafood to-go offers a relatively affordable indulgence compared with dining at a restaurant, while still allowing consumers to enjoy something that feels special.

Falling crab prices have also helped boost its appeal. The average auction price of Russian live snow crab in the 20/25-count size category stood at 24,300 won ($16) on Wednesday, down 3,500 won from last year's average of 27,800 won, according to daily auction data from Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market.

At Shin's store, a takeout set with one snow crab costs around 35,000 won, a modest price for a special sunset meal by the Han River.

BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]