Why Koreans gotta love chicken on September 9
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Seo Kang-jun, top, and Cha Yu-ram with fried chicken on September 9, also known as "Goo-Goo Day" / Courtesy of Instagram
It may not be well known about Korea -- not even within Korea itself -- but every September 9 the government encourages people to to eat chicken.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs named that day“Goo-Goo Day” -- “goo” being the Korean pronunciation of the number nine -- in 2003, when avian influenza hit the nation. This was the government’s effort to prevent declining sales of chickens and eggs because of the epidemic.
Celebrities promoted the day on Wednesday by posting photos of themselves online eating chicken, including carom player Cha Yu-ram and actor Seo Kang-jun. Netizens also found chicken ads from past years of popular celebrities eating chicken and posted them online.
Stores selling chicken, including major food chain Emart and fast-food chains like KFC, advertised special sales for their chicken products, especially for Sept 9.