From lunchbox meals to kimbap and sandwiches, ready-made food can be easily bought from convenience stores that can be found in just about any street corner in Korea.

However, there are some differences to the ready-made food preferred by different genders. Females apparently prefer eggs while men prefer chicken as the main ingredient in such food, according to recent data from the nation’s leading convenience store chain CU.


Some 68.3 percent of CU’s egg-based ready-made food, including its egg sandwich and ham egg muffin, were purchased by females, according to CU’s analysis of sales data from 2013-15.

Meanwhile, some 64.4 percent of chicken-based ready-made food, such as CU’s chicken burger and mayonnaise chicken balls, were bought by males over the same period, CU’s data showed.

“While females who are interested in dieting and beauty prefer to eat a lighter meal, males tend to choose a heartier meal,” a CU official said in explaining the preferences.

By Sohn Ji-young (jys@heraldcorp.com)