A cross-section of what appears to be a breaded chicken drumstick shows that it actually contains white ice cream inside.

A crispy coating belies the cool, ice cream interior of I’m Not a Buldak Chicken. (Yoojin Lee/Stars and Stripes)

Crispy on the outside, it looks exactly like a fried chicken leg.

But with the first bite, the taste and sensation of cold vanilla ice cream may surprise you.

This “fried chicken” treat sparked curiosity on social media and went viral this year in the United States. South Korean convenience store chain CU recently joined the trend by launching its own version for 3,000 won, or about $2.10.

The product comes in two flavors — the original I’m Not a Chicken and the spicy I’m Not a Buldak Chicken.

I recently tried the buldak version. The word means “fire chicken” in Korean, and the spicy flavor has become a global phenomenon in recent years.

This “chicken” could easily fool anyone. The red, crispy coating — made of cereal flakes — helps it look like a fried chicken drumstick and even carries a faint aroma of southern-fried spice.

When I bit into the crunchy coating, its texture reminded me of deep-fried chicken skin. Inside, though, was a firm “drumstick” of vanilla ice cream.

What appears to be a breaded chicken drumstick sits on a cardboard tray.

This snack from South Korean convenience store chain CU may look like a spicy chicken drumstick, but it’s actually ice cream. (Yoojin Lee/Stars and Stripes)

What appears to be a breaded chicken drumstick is sealed in plastic.

This snack from South Korean convenience store chain CU may look like a spicy chicken drumstick, but it’s actually ice cream. (Yoojin Lee/Stars and Stripes)

The ice cream was not creamy, but more like a hard popsicle with a low milk concentration.

And it really was spicy.

Popularized by Samyang’s spicy noodles, the buldak flavor has expanded beyond noodles. Buldak-flavored popcorn, almonds, dumplings and sauces have become popular. Social media challenges and celebrity endorsements have helped spread the trend, and Samyang’s noodles are now exported to more than 100 countries.

Still, it’s hard to imagine a spicy flavor paired with ice cream, a dessert known for being sweet and refreshing. Yet I’m Not a Buldak Chicken offers a creative, cross-cultural taste experience.

Whether as an experiment or a challenge, it’s something new to try.