[Tried and Tested] 'Matdashi' Sauce Awakens Memories for Man in His 40s... McDonald's 'G-Dragon Burger'

Spicy-Sweet Gochujang with Butter and Cheese
A Familiar Korean Flavor with a Unique Twist
Limited-Edition Peace Minus One Merchandise Also in Demand

A man in his 40s took a bite of McDonald's 'McCrispy Gochujang Butter' burger and looked puzzled. Without a word, he peeked inside the burger and took another bite. It reminded him of his military service over 20 years ago. He said that the burger's sauce tasted like 'Matdashi,' a mixed seasoning sauce familiar to those who have served in the Korean military. 'Matdashi' is a sauce made by adding various seasonings to gochujang (Korean red chili paste), typically mixed with rice.

This unexpected review came as he found the flavor of a seasoning from his military days in a new menu item. For the reporter, the bold, spicy-sweet sauce was the first impression. Even though they ate the same burger, her husband was reminded of long-standing memories, while the reporter enjoyed the novel combination of gochujang and butter.

Provided by McDonald's.

McDonald's Korea launched the 'McCrispy Gochujang Butter' and 'McSpicy Gochujang Butter' burgers on September 17. The key aspect of the product is the gochujang butter sauce, developed under the leadership of McDonald's Korea right from the planning stage. The familiar Korean gochujang is enhanced with butter. Menu items featuring this sauce, developed in Korea, are now sold in 13 Asian markets, including China, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

The 'McCrispy Gochujang Butter' combines a Cajun thigh fillet patty with gochujang butter sauce and Colby Jack cheese. Korean-style seasoning and cheese add a new dimension of flavor to the chicken burger. The name alone piqued curiosity about just how spicy the gochujang would be, and how well it would pair with butter.

Upon tasting it, the reporter found that the crispy battered chicken thigh patty harmonized with the spicy-sweet sauce. The more she chewed, the more she experienced the juicy chicken and the nutty flavor of cheese, with the richness of butter smoothing out the spiciness of the gochujang. While the sauce was familiar, pairing it with a chicken burger instead of rice made for a refreshing change. It felt like enjoying a familiar Korean flavor in a completely new meal.

Peace Minus One limited edition goods set of three, McDonald's hamburger packaging, and coffee.

The packaging also left a strong impression. On the wrapper, the flower symbolizing G-Dragon's fashion brand Peace Minus One appeared alongside the McDonald's logo. Normally, after taking out a hamburger, she would have ignored the wrapper, but this time, it caught her attention. The signature fast-food wrapper combined with a fashion brand's design sensibility made discovering the new burger more fun. Looking at both the taste and the packaging together, it felt like traditional Asian flavors were dressed in modern sophistication. The spicy-sweet gochujang sauce, G-Dragon's image, and the familiar McDonald's packaging blended into one cohesive atmosphere.

The 'G-Dragon goods' unveiled alongside the burger also caught consumers' attention. On September 28, McDonald's partnered with Peace Minus One, established by G-Dragon, to release three types of limited-edition merchandise. The vintage cap is priced at 12,000 won, the shoulder bag at 20,000 won, and the pin set at 10,000 won. The experience of eating the burger was enhanced by the excitement of owning trendy fashion items. With gochujang butter sauce combining with Peace Minus One's design, the campaign showcased Korean taste and fashion together. Especially popular is the cap. The 'McDonald's Vintage Cap' is a recreation of the 1980s American McDonald's uniform hat, which appeared in G-Dragon's 'Too Bad' music video.

A McDonald's representative stated, "Although it varies by location, it has been confirmed that the merchandise has sold out at most stores."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.