KFC Arabia’s Korean BBQ Twister launch goes off script with Wonho Chung at the helm
KFC Arabia has launched its new Korean BBQ Twister with a campaign that asks: what happens when you give a bilingual comedian full creative control over your menu launch? Chaos. Delicious, culturally-aware chaos.
The brand partnered with Wonho Chung, the world’s only Arabic-speaking Korean comedian, to introduce Korean flavors to the region. But instead of playing it safe with a standard endorsement, they let Wonho become the overconfident “expert” who meddles with the recipe, rewrites the messaging, and even attempts to rebrand KFC as “Korean Fried Chicken.”
Spoiler: the kitchen staff lock him out.
The campaign, created with TBWA\RAAD, tackles a real paradox: how do you localize a global food trend without losing authenticity, or your brand identity? The answer: lean into the tension with humor and self-awareness.
“Korean flavors are dominating global food culture, but we didn’t want to just borrow the trend, we wanted to make it ours,” said Ahmed Arafa, Chief Marketing Officer at KFC Arabia. “Wonho gave us the perfect way to bridge cultures while staying unmistakably KFC.”
Derek Green, Chief Creative Officer at TBWA\RAAD, added: “Korean BBQ is everywhere, which means every brand will try to own it. We could’ve played it safe, but KFC doesn’t do safe. We handed creative control to a comedian who speaks both languages, literally and culturally, and let him go too far. That’s where the magic lives.”
The campaign rolls out across digital, social, and in-store, targeting young, trend-driven audiences and loyal Twister fans looking for their next go-to order.
Credits
Joe Lahham – Managing Director
Catherine Bannister – Chief Strategy Officer
Derek Green – Chief Creative Officer
Frederico Roberto – Executive Creative Director
Peter Guindy – Associate Creative Director
Mahmoud Elshahat – Associate Creative Director
Seif Rashwan – Art Director
Omar Ibrahim – Art Director
Farida Abdelaal – Senior Arabic Copywriter
Smithesh Krishnan – Senior Designer
Ahmed Hamza – Senior Account Director
Richard Rao – Account Director
George Oghgassian – Account Manager
Layla Adib – Account Executive
Aya Abdulfattah – Senior Producer
Ramez Rahal – Senior Strategic Planner
Tony Kayouka – Head of Social and Content
Hamza Khan – Senior Social Media Manager
Rand Hilal – Social Media Manager
Jana Jamaleddine – Content Creator
Rony Skaf – Head of Digital and Innovation
Rabih Chehayeb – Senior Digital Account Manager
Karim El Khoury – Senior Digital Account Executive
Diala Toska – Digital Account Executive
Production – Good People:
Khaled Zaki, CEO
Maged Nassar, Director
Omar Khalil, Executive Producer
Judy Lamaa, Producer
Riyana Khatib, Producer
Omar Hindi, Line Producer
Diane Hitty, Production Manager
Maroon Sayah, Production Coordinator
Sara Lasheen, Director’s Producer
Christelle Younes, Assistant Director
Pierre Mouarkech, DOP
Joseph Kfoury, Focus Puller
Christopher Keshichian, Steadicam Operator
Rawan Bazerji, Art Director
Ghiwa Rechmany, Wardrobe Stylist
Rabih Ahmar, Sound Engineer
Elie Khater, Makeup Artist
Alia Elsawy, Food Stylist
Rita Gerges, Casting Director
Amr Mekky, Editing
Karim Mira – LZRD, Grading
Snap Arts, Online
Fady Garas – Barbershop, Sound Design And Mix
Wael Alaa, Music Composition
Hussein Aziz, Head Of Postproduction Department
Luna Mahgoub, Postproduction Manager
Mohamed Fayed, Post Producer
