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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.
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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.
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