This story is part of a series celebrating soccer cultures around the world—and the communities shaped by them. Read more 2026 World Cup coverage here. In Seoul, soccer is as much about the game as what’s on the table. And what’s on the table is chimaek, that beloved pairing of fried chicken and beer for which South Korea has become so known. “Who doesn't love chicken?” says food writer and recipe developer Irene Yoo, recalling a recent late night in Seoul.