South Koreans have waited 16 long years for a savory, crispy bite that would satisfy their taste buds and right an infamous wrong. This week, they finally could fill a bowl with the cereal they wanted all along: green onion-flavored Chex.
Kellogg’s Korea's limited-edition flavor released this week, complete with a catchy ad and an apology for the wait, has taken on surprising cultural significance for an odd culinary experiment.
In 2004, the company advertised a public vote for a new product: chocolate-flavored Cheki or green onion-flavored Chaka.
Journalist Raphael Rashid poses with two cereal boxes, including the new green onion flavored Chex cereal, in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday, July 1, 2020. The cereal has become a sensation in South Korea after 16 years of delay in its release. (AP PhotoJuwon Park)
Chaka led by an overwhelming margin, but duplicates were said to mar the online vote and Cheki was declared the winner.
Many South Koreans saw the outcome as more than a marketing mishap.
“It’s kind of representative of bigger issues in South Korean society,” said Raphael Rashid, a Seoul-based freelance journalist who writes about South Korean politics and culture. “South Koreans are used to or have experienced, you know, like years, if not decades, of dictatorship.”
The new green onion flavored Chex cereal is seen in its packaging in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday, July 1, 2020. The cereal has become a sensation in South Korea after 16 years of delay in its release. (AP PhotoJuwon Park)
The chocolate victory was “kind of reminiscent” of that, he said.
It brought to the surface long-buried memories for Yoon Gunhee, who voted in the infamous election.
She said she was around 13 or 14 when she discovered an advertisement for the flavor election on the back of a cereal box.
“At the time, I was young so I voted for chocolate,” said Yoon, a freelance game graphic designer. “Green onion really didn’t sound appetizing.”
She remembered people around her voted for the green onion flavor because they found it funny.
Yoon said she was amused this week by the light-hearted commercial for green onion Chex — featuring a popular South Korean singer declaring, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry that the green onion flavor arrived so late” and “the promise must be kept,” with scientists in white gowns in a laboratory laboring to develop the perfect flavor. The video has racked up over 900,000 views on YouTube.
Yoon said she would like to buy it “at least once.”
“The rigged voting at the time was such an unpleasant experience,” she recalled. While the memory was a small one, she was reminded of it whenever she saw a box of Chex.
“I think I will be able to sort out my feelings after eating green onion flavored Chex,” Yoon said.
South Korean Twitter has been rejoicing by uploading photos of their Chex. Some, feeling adventurous, sprinkled green onion cereal pieces as garnish on South Korean signature dishes including kimchi and spicy ramen noodles.
Like Americans, South Koreans typically eat their cereal with milk, but some say green onion Chex tastes better alone or with a drink like beer or soju.
Rashid positioned himself to be among the first to try it and acquired a box online. On Thursday his face turned sour when he got his first taste.
It has an “artificial onion background taste,” he said, reminiscent of onion ring snacks that are popular in Korea.
“It doesn’t taste great,” Rashid said, rinsing his mouth between bites. “And I think Kellogg knows that it probably doesn’t taste great either.”
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Carson Beck scrambled for a 3-yard touchdown with 18 seconds left, and Miami will head back home for a shot at its first national championship since 2001 after beating Mississippi 31-27 in an exhilarating College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday night.
The 10th-ranked Hurricanes (13-2) had their vaunted defense picked apart by the sixth-ranked Rebels (13-2) in a wild fourth quarter, falling into a 27-24 hole after Trinidad Chambliss threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Dae'Quan Wright with 3:13 left.
Beck, who won a national title as a backup at Georgia, kept the Hurricanes calm amid the storm, leading them down the field for the winning score — and a shot at a national title on their home field at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 19. Beck is 37-5 as a starter, including two seasons at Georgia.
The sixth-seeded Rebels lost their coach before the playoff, but not their cool.
If anything, Lane Kiffin’s decision to bolt for LSU seemed to harden Ole Miss’ resolve, pushing the Rebels to the best season in school history — and within a game of their first national championship game.
Ole Miss kept Miami within reach when its offense labored and took a 19-17 lead on Lucas Carneiro’s fourth field goal, from 21 yards.
Malachi Toney, the hero of Miami’s opening CFP win over Texas A&M, turned a screen pass into a 36-yard touchdown that put Miami up 24-19.
Chambliss' TD pass to Wright put the Rebels back on top, but improbable run came to an end when the defense couldn't hold the Hurricanes.
But what a run it was.
With Pete Golding calling the shots after being promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach, and most of the assistants sticking around, the Rebels blew out Tulane to open the playoff and took down mighty Georgia in the CFP quarterfinals.
They faced a different kind of storm in the Hurricanes.
Miami has rekindled memories of its 2001 national championship team behind a defense that went from porous to nearly impenetrable in its first season under coordinator Corey Hetherman.
The Hurricanes walled up early in the Fiesta Bowl, holding Ole Miss to minus-1 yard.
One play revved up the Rebels and their rowdy fans.
Kewan Lacy, the nation’s third-leading rusher, burst through a hole up the middle for a 73-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter — the longest run allowed by Miami’s defense since 2018.
The Hurricanes seemed content to grind away at the Rebels in small chunks offensively, setting up CharMar Brown’s 4-yard touchdown run and a field goal.
Miami unlocked the deep game just before halftime, taking advantage of a busted coverage for a 52-yard touchdown pass from Beck to Keelan Marion.
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Miami wide receiver CJ Daniels (7) catches a pass while tackled by Mississippi cornerback Chris Graves Jr. (32) during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Miami running back Charmar Brown (6) runs the ball against Mississippi linebacker Tahj Chambers (26) during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Mississippi cornerback Chris Graves Jr. (32) tackles Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. (4) during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) celebrates after a two-point conversion during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game against Miami, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Miami quarterback Carson Beck scores a touchdown during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game against Mississippi, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Miami quarterback Carson Beck, right, prepares to hand off to running back Mark Fletcher Jr. during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Ohio State Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Mississippi head coach Pete Golding runs on the field at halftime during the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football playoff quarterfinal game against Georgia, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
