Lately, the proverb “all good things come to those who wait” has seemed more apt than usual for Torontonians. For better or for worse, mask mandates have been cancelled. After a long snowy winter, spring is finally on its way. And the world’s most famous and coveted Korean corn-dog-on-a-stick has at long last arrived in Toronto.
It sure took a while. Myungrang HotDogs made their inauspicious debut way back in 2016, at a small market stall near Korea’s Pusan National University. As much as they were made for devouring, these dogs were also born to go viral. Whether studded with punk-ish fried potato cubes or sporting a dark Goth hue courtesy of squid ink, the visuals were great. Moreover, the panko-covered rice flour batter that coats the dogs gives astounding on-camera crunch (no sound effects necessary).
Korean vloggers went wild, with one popular host’s taste drive of the hot dogs eventually racking up over 15 million views on YouTube. Online likes translated into real-world love. Within a month, Myungrang’s founder had effortlessly recruited 150 eager franchisees in Korea alone. Soon after, other locations began to spring up around the world.
In 2018, Myungrang arrived in North America, launching its first outpost in Duluth, Georgia of all places. Four years and 650 locations later, Myungrang has finally opened its first-ever Canadian store––at 199 College Street.
Aside from their irresistible click-ability, Myungrang’s dogs set themselves apart from your average corn dog in myriad ways. First and foremost is the fact that many of the dogs don’t actually have sausages inside. A top seller is the Whole Mozzarella dog, in which you bite into a steamy, gooey, sticky cylinder of melted cheese that can be stretched to astounding lengths before you pop it in your mouth. It’s so popular that it also comes in Potato and Sweet Potato versions.
Then there’s the aforementioned Squid-Ink dog, which aside from its midnight black batter, features a sausage cut into four curls, the effect of which is downright squidly.
Also deliciously outside the box are the variety of sweet and savoury, squeezable and sprinkleable condiments that go way beyond the hot dog accompaniments. We’re talking cheese mustard, honey butter and sweet chili sauce for dipping and dousing and powdery parm and sugar for dusting.
Myungrang’s hot dogs are sold individually or, for the gluttonous, numerous, and/or indecisive, in boxed combo sets of five. Also on offer is tteobokki, another beloved Korean street food standard consisting of rice cakes simmered in a spicy sweet and sour sauce, ideal for dipping your dog.
That it’s all so fun and vibrant is part of the plan; Myungrang is Korean for bright and cheerful. The first Canadian location of Myungrang is located at 199 College Street and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
