치맥 (chimaek)
"Chicken and beer" — the iconic Korean food pairing of fried chicken and cold beer, considered a national pastime.
- Meaning: "Chicken and beer" — the iconic Korean food pairing of fried chicken and cold beer, considered a national pastime.
- Pronunciation: /tɕʰi.mɛk/ (chimaek)
- Part of speech: noun
- Formality: Casual — for friends, family, and close peers.
- Literal: chicken (치킨) + beer (맥주) compound
What does 치맥 mean?
Chimaek (치맥) means "chicken and beer" — a portmanteau of 치킨 (chikin, fried chicken) + 맥주 (maekju, beer). It names Korea’s beloved ritual of eating crispy Korean fried chicken with ice-cold beer: the default order for friend hangouts, sports nights, and after-work decompression.
치맥 (chimaek) is a portmanteau of 치킨 (chikin, "fried chicken") + 맥주 (maekju, "beer"). It names the cultural ritual of eating Korean fried chicken with ice-cold beer — an act so central to modern Korean social life that the city of Daegu hosts an annual Chimac Festival drawing over a million visitors. The 2014 K-drama "My Love from the Star" (별에서 온 그대) made 치맥 globally famous when its lead actress declared "눈 오는 날에는 치맥인데" ("on snowy days, chimaek!"). The pairing is the default Korean order for friend gatherings, sports-watching nights, post-work decompression, and dating. Korean fried chicken comes in dozens of flavors (양념 spicy-sweet, 간장 soy-garlic, 후라이드 plain). When a Korean says "치맥할래?" ("want to chimaek?"), they are inviting you into the most beloved hangout ritual in the country.
Examples in context
Inviting friends out (치맥하자)
Korean turns the noun into a verb with 하다 (to do).
Ordering at the restaurant
치킨 (chicken) and 맥주 (beer) are ordered as separate items.
The cultural ritual (when to have it)
Endorsing / describing it
치맥in K-pop & K-drama
Han River chimaek picnics
Spreading a mat on the grass along Seoul’s Han River with delivered fried chicken and convenience-store beer is a signature Korean summer-night scene — chicken chains even deliver straight to the riverside parks.
Sports nights & the World Cup
During the World Cup or a Korean baseball game, friends gather over 치맥 to watch together; "치맥 하면서 축구 보자" ("let’s watch football over chimaek") is almost a reflex invitation.
My Love from the Star & the Daegu festival
The 2014 K-drama 별에서 온 그대 sent chimaek demand soaring across Asia when its heroine craved it on snowy days, and Daegu’s annual 치맥 페스티벌 (Chimac Festival) now draws over a million visitors.
When to use 치맥
- Inviting friends to fried chicken + beer
- Describing typical Korean weekend nights
- K-drama food scenes / cultural references
- Restaurant reviews of Korean fried chicken places
When NOT to use 치맥
- Formal restaurant settings — 치맥 implies casual
- When ordering specifically: say 치킨 (chicken) and 맥주 (beer) separately
- In writing about non-chicken-and-beer combos
치맥 vs. similar terms
Korea’s two iconic food-and-drink compounds
| Compound | What it is | Core mood | Where it shines |
|---|---|---|---|
| 치맥 (chimaek) | 치킨 + 맥주 (fried chicken + beer) | Fun, casual, celebratory | Friend hangouts, sports nights, Han River picnics |
| 소맥 (somaek) | 소주 + 맥주 (soju mixed into beer) | Bonding, sometimes obligatory | Company dinners (회식), reunions |
Related terms
More in Food & drink
Iconic Korean food and drinking compounds with K-drama food-scene fame.
"Soju and beer" mixed — the Korean boilermaker, a soju-into-beer bomb shot famous at company dinners and friend gatherings.
Spicy stir-fried rice cakes — Korea's most beloved street food, a chewy red dish made with cylindrical rice cakes in gochujang sauce.
Spicy seafood noodle soup — the bright-red Korean-Chinese dish that's the fierce rival of 짜장면 in every Korean-Chinese restaurant.
Korean sashimi — fresh raw fish served sliced, with sides like ssamjang, raw garlic, and lettuce wraps.
Frequently asked questions
What does 치맥 (chimaek) mean?
치맥 (chimaek) is the Korean compound word for "fried chicken and beer" — a portmanteau of 치킨 (chikin, fried chicken) + 맥주 (maekju, beer). It is one of the most beloved Korean food pairings and is considered a national social ritual.
Where did the word 치맥 come from?
치맥 emerged in the 2000s as Korean fried chicken culture exploded with the rise of chains like BBQ Chicken, Kyochon, and Bonchon. The word combines 치킨 + 맥주 in the standard Korean shortening pattern (first syllable of each word). The 2014 K-drama "My Love from the Star" globalized it.
Why is 치맥 so culturally important in Korea?
치맥 is the default Korean hangout: friends after work, students after class, dates, sports-watching, K-drama-binging — all gravitate to chimaek. The city of Daegu hosts an annual Chimaek Festival (대구 치맥 페스티벌) drawing over a million attendees. It signals casual togetherness more than any other Korean food pairing.
How is 치맥 pronounced?
치맥 is pronounced [tɕʰi.mɛk] — "chee-maek." Two syllables, both short. The "chi" has a strong aspirated "ch" sound; the "maek" rhymes with English "make" but ends with a clean -k.
Does chimaek have to be fried chicken?
Yes — the 치 in 치맥 is specifically 치킨 (Korean fried chicken). Any other food with beer is just "그 음식 + 맥주." That said, Korean fried chicken itself comes in many styles — 후라이드 (plain), 양념 (sweet-spicy), 간장 (soy-garlic) — and all of them count as chimaek.
What does 치맥하자 mean?
치맥하자 (chimaekhaja) means "let’s do chimaek" — Korean turns the noun 치맥 into a verb by adding 하다 (to do). It is a casual invitation to go eat fried chicken and drink beer together. The polite form is 치맥해요 (chimaekhaeyo).
Further reading
External references for cross-checking the information on this page.
- Chimaek — Wikipedia
The Korean fried-chicken-and-beer pairing, including its global spread.
- Korean fried chicken — Wikipedia
The fried chicken style at the heart of chimaek culture.
More Korean slang?
Browse the full Korean Slang Dictionary or read the deep-dive: Korean Slang Ultimate Guide.