US fast-food chain Popeyes has set a date for its South Korean launch, opening its first store next month after an absence in the market of almost two years.

Popeyes South Korea’s operator NLC, owned by Silla Group, said the first location will be located near Gangnam Station in Southern Seoul. The company secured the master franchise right from Popeye’s owner Restaurant Brands International in March with the ambition to roll out hundreds of stores in the country during the coming years.

Popeyes operated in South Korea for 26 years under a franchise agreement with TS Food & System, a part of TS Corporation. The chain opened more than 200 stores in the country before going into hiatus in 2020, citing
citing financial difficulties and low sales as the primary reasons.

“Chicken is one of the largest and fastest-growing categories in the South Korean QSR segment,” said MoonKyung Lee, senior MD at Silla Group’s F&B Division. 

“Popeyes is an exciting addition to the Silla Group’s F&B portfolio and is expected to become one of the key drivers of growth for us. It will also contribute significantly to the economy by creating hundreds of new jobs over the coming years.” 

The South Korean comeback follows Popeyes’ expansion into Singapore last month through a franchise agreement with Singapore-based restaurant company Fei Siong Group.

Established in New Orleans in 1972, Popeyes has more than 3400 locations across more than 25 countries.