Singapore’s Korean food scene has officially entered its “medicinal chicken soup” era.
JIHO Samgyetang SBCD has opened at 18 Cross Street, marking the Korean brand’s first Southeast Asian outlet and bringing its 35-year-old hanbang-style samgyetang recipes to Singapore for the first time.
For people unfamiliar with samgyetang, it is basically Korea’s answer to restorative chicken soup.
Except instead of just tasting comforting, it also comes loaded with traditional herbal ingredients believed to help with fatigue, circulation, energy and overall recovery.
Which honestly sounds very aligned with Singapore’s permanently tired workforce.
Founded in 1991 by Dr Lee Ji-ho, JIHO has built a strong following in Korea around hanbang cuisine, where herbal medicine principles are integrated directly into food.
The Singapore menu includes six different samgyetang variations, with the two signature bowls being:
• Healthy Samgyetang ($29.80++)
• Spicy Samgyetang ($32.80++)
The Healthy Samgyetang uses a patented blend of Korean traditional herbs alongside kalopanax bark, an ingredient traditionally associated with restoring energy and relieving fatigue.
Meanwhile, the Spicy Samgyetang adds Cheongyang chilli peppers, chives and enoki mushrooms into the broth for something much fierier.
Basically, one heals you gently.
The other heals you aggressively.
There are also more specialised variations including:
• Beauty Samgyetang with ingredients traditionally associated with skin nourishment
• Perilla Samgyetang with blended perilla seeds
• Mung Bean Samgyetang
• Black Garlic Samgyetang using 60-day-aged Namhae garlic said to contain significantly higher antioxidant levels
And because Singaporeans apparently do not enjoy struggling with chicken bones during lunch hour, JIHO also serves Samgyejuk versions where the broth is paired with boneless chicken and rice porridge instead.
One of the more unique menu items is the Knife-cut Samgye Kalguksu ($29.80++), which combines handmade knife-cut noodles with full chicken and samgyetang broth.
Beyond chicken soup, there is also:
• Cheonma Duck Health Soup ($119.80++)
• Squid & Minari Salad ($29.80++)
• Cockles Bibimbap
• Seafood Pancake
• Japchae
The brand currently operates more than 80 outlets across Korea, Sydney, Shanghai and now Singapore, and has won the Korea Franchise Award for 12 consecutive years since 2014.
Honestly, with Singapore’s obsession over wellness, immunity and Korean food all colliding at once, this place feels dangerously timed.
Address:
18 Cross Street, B1-01
Singapore 048423
Website:
https://www.jihofood.com