It’s been 16 years in the making – but the day has finally arrived. Kellogg’s Korea has, after almost two decades of public outcry, released it’s highly anticipated new breakfast cereal. Welcome, Green Onion Chex (파맛첵스)! I tried it, and lived to tell you all about it.
When it comes to food, it seems South Korea gets all the fun things. Some of these things have had me scratching my head, while others are a delicious creation that makes me happy to be an expat in Seoul. I’ve had the churrodog (a mashup of a churro and a hot dog), the boba tea pizza, and countless other fast food items that stick around for a limited time only.
However, when I heard that Kellogg’s Korea was releasing a Chex breakfast cereal that was supposed to taste like leeks, I couldn’t resist grabbing a box. What was even more confusing is that the product has been 16 years in the making.
Buckle up, as the history of Green Onion Chex is a wild ride.
History and Controversy
The year was 2004. Kellogg’s Korea, in an effort to promote their chocolate Chex cereal, announced a “presidential election event” where citizens would choose the president of Chex Choco World.
There were two candidates for citizens to choose between. The chocolate Chex cereal character ‘Cheki’ went head to head with the other Chex cereal character, ‘Chaka’.
Cheki campaigned on a promise to make the cereal have a smoother and richer milk chocolate taste. While his competitor, the grumpy faced villain Chaki, promised to put green onion into the cereal.
In what should have been a clear race, the public had one month to vote for the candidate of their choice who would go on to be President of the Chex Choco World.
However, the internet did what it does best – and Chaka, the green onion loving underdog, received more votes than his competitor. But in a surprising twist of fate, organizers said that many of the votes for Chaka were fraudulent – and they were therefore dismissed. This meant that Cheki was crowned the winner.
But the story doesn’t stop there! Oh no, no, no! For 16 years, citizens have demanded Kellogg’s to release the nontraditional flavor, citing the unfair election. They even went as far as to create fan art and mock ups of what the mysterious product may look like.
And now, after almost two decades of waiting – Kellogg’s has finally, for a limited time, released – green onion flavored Chex.
But…How does it taste?!
The product came out on July 1, 2020 in various stores around South Korea. It obviously became a viral hit around the country, and stores and on-line shops sold out of the green box.
I was able to score a box for approximately 6000 KRW($4.99 USD). The box featured an elated looking green Chaki character, while the chocolate loving Cheki looks on in disbelief.
The cereal is a light green color, and looks like the Chex cereal we all know and love. It is sticky to the touch, and doesn’t have any strong smells. The box states that it should be eaten with milk, so that’s exactly what I did.
The taste was…wild. At first, it’s the sweet and comforting flavor of Chex we all grew up on. However, the next few seconds are just wave after wave of flavors. The sweetness turns into a savory flavor. They definitely nailed the green onion flavor. Is this was democracy tastes like? If so – I need to rethink my political views.
I know what you’re thinking…’Yeah, of course it’s bad with milk! But how about eating it as a savory snack?’ Great! I thought that too!
For a snack, it’s much better and almost palatable. The combination of the sweet and onion flavor is still a bit off-putting, but after a few bites, I grew accustomed to it.
Is this a product I would buy again? Nah.
Am I glad I tried it? Of course.
To see my entire review, head over to my YouTube channel and watch the video!
Green Onion Chex (파맛첵스) is available for a limited time only in South Korea! Pick it up while you can!
Tastes Seoul Good 