South Korean fried chicken chain Genesis BBQ Co. said Tuesday it has recently opened six new shops in the United States as part of efforts to tap deeper into the American market.

Genesis BBQ said it launched three stores in Aurora, Denver and Inglewood in the US state of Colorado. A new shop was also opened in North Quincy, Massachusetts, with two more outlets starting operations in Walnut and Rowland Heights, California.

Genesis BBQ now has 150 shops in 19 US states, up from 100 at the end of September last year, with the number of its stores in North America reaching 250.

"Genesis BBQ has seen rapid growth in the US as American consumers are becoming increasingly interested in Korean foods and pop culture," the company said.

Genesis BBQ, which began making forays into overseas markets in 2003, currently operates around 500 shops in 57 countries. (Yonhap)