The Korean fried chicken market is fully saturated in Toronto, which is why the Korean chain BHC Chicken leaned into K-Culture during the grand opening of its flagship location at The Well in downtown Toronto earlier this month.

Known as Korea’s #1 fried chicken brand, BHC Chicken partnered with Toronto-based agency BLKW to introduce a taste of Korea’s fried chicken and vibrant culture to Canada. “Differentiating from other Korean fried chicken was the key concept they embraced,” Wain Choi, founder of BLKW, tells strategy. “It’s the soul of Korea. [It’s] more than just chicken; it’s the embodiment of authentic K-Culture.”

Leading up to the grand opening, BHC Chicken enlisted influencers to explain staples of the Korean dining experience, including Chimaek (chicken and beer), Somaek (soju and beer) and Karaoke, or Norebang in Korean, Choi explains.

The opening itself included “a cultural showcase,” complete with a five-person band, K-Pop music, dancers and an MC. Influencers captured the festivities with glimpses of the food, entertainment and K-Culture vibes in their social media content.

“It’s not every day you help launch a brand introducing something entirely new to Canada,” Choi said. “We wanted to celebrate BHC’s authentic roots – and honestly, who can say no to some amazing Korean fried chicken?”

BHC Chicken first launched in North America with a location in Los Angeles’ Koreatown.

David Song, CEO of BHC Chicken, said the chain is more than a Korean fried chicken spot. “It’s an invitation to experience authentic K-Culture right here in Toronto,” he said in a press release. “[The grand opening] was one of BHC’s best launches yet and we’re confident we have the right strategy to expand quickly across Canada and North America.”

BHC Chicken’s goal is to expand to other Canadian cities like Montreal and Vancouver, Choi says.

BLKW also handled the design of all the BHC merchandise, from T-shirts and tote bags to flyers, invitations and coupon cards. BLKW secured the partnership with BHC after winning a competitive pitch among three agencies. Once selected, the agency expanded the team by bringing in PR expertise from Mint.