Chimaek (치맥; from Korean chikin 'fried chicken' and maekju 'beer'[1][2]) is a pairing of fried chicken (either plain huraideu or spicy yangnyeom) and beer, served as anju (English: food with alcohol) in the evening in many South Korean restaurants,[2] including a number of specialized chains.

There is a historic record that indicates a similar recipe has existed in Korea since at least 600 years ago, but which was long forgotten until the late 2010s.

[3] Modern chimaek is believed to have been invented in late 20th century, but it is hard to pinpoint the exact time and place.

Moreover, the 2002 Korea–Japan World Cup shed more light on the chimaek phenomenon, and the dish has also had a significant impact on Korean drinking culture.

[5] The concept of fried chicken was well known in Korea since the early Joseon dynasty as Pogye (포계) as it appeared in the Sangayorok (산가요록) cookbook written in 1459.

Public parks would often have large screens to watch the games, and people would dress in red (the colour and nickname of the home team) and gather together to cheer for the World Cup, while eating chicken and drinking beer.

[2][12] Since December 2014, Chinese people have been willing to wait an average of three hours in front of a Korean-brand chimaek shop to enjoy the food.