SEOUL, South Korea — As the summer heat approaches, a culinary tradition in South Korea is fading, making way for new dining preferences. The dish at the center of this change is bosintang, or dog meat soup, which has long been consumed during the hottest days of the year, known as Boknal.
On a recent Thursday, just days before Chobok, one of these hot days, a 58-year-old man named Park stood at the entrance of a bosintang restaurant in central Seoul’s Jung District. Hesitant, he expressed a nostalgic desire for samgyetang, a chicken ginseng soup instead. “Nowadays, people look askance at bosintang,” he said, revealing a growing discomfort in openly discussing the dish.
The changing sentiments surrounding bosintang can be traced back to a significant legal reform enacted in August 2023, which prohibits the breeding, slaughtering, and distribution of dogs for human consumption. While penalties are not enforced until February 2027, the mere passage of the law has significantly influenced public dining habits. Restaurant owners have noted a sharp decline in bosintang orders, as patrons seem to gravitate instead toward alternative dishes like samgyetang.
Jin, 74, owns a bosintang restaurant and lamented the dramatic shift in customer preferences. Once a bustling market filled with various bosintang establishments, Gyeongdong Market in Dongdaemun District now hosts only a few surviving restaurants, as many have shifted focus or closed entirely after government compensation for their cessation of operations.
Longtime fans of the dish voiced their disappointment. During a visit to a goat stew restaurant in the same market, 78-year-old Bae Jung-won questioned whether societal changes would lead to restrictions on other meats as well. “If more people start raising goats, will they ban goat stew next?” he asked, reflecting on the broader implications of changing food cultures.
The decline in bosintang’s popularity has also impacted the dog farming industry. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, over 620 dog farms shut down within six months of the law’s implementation, representing 40.5% of all dog farms in the nation. The government anticipates further closures as compensation incentives are scaled back.
With slaughterhouses for dogs in Seoul now extinct—following the closure of facilities in Gyeongdong and Seoul Jungang markets—vendors are struggling to keep the remaining traditional dishes alive. Kim, a 68-year-old meat seller from Gyeongdong Market, noted, “If someone asks for bosintang, I just direct them elsewhere.”
As the demand for dog meat declines, consumers are increasingly opting for other traditional summer dishes like ori baeksuk (boiled duck) and jangeotang (eel soup). Among these, yeomsotang, a black goat soup, is gaining traction for its similar flavor profile to bosintang.
Recent statistics indicate a marked increase in goat meat imports, rising nearly 35% in the last year. By May 2024, imports had already exceeded the total for the previous year, illustrating changing consumer habits in real-time.
Despite resistance from some factions, including a constitutional petition filed by individuals opposing the dog meat ban, many industry experts believe that the decline of bosintang reflects a broader transformation in societal attitudes toward animal consumption. Chae Il-taek, director of the Korean Animal Welfare Association, stated that the implementation of the ban represents a pivotal moment in reexamining human-animal relationships in the country.
As Korea moves forward, the long-standing tradition of bosintang appears unlikely to regain its former prominence, as evolving public opinion increasingly favors animal welfare and alternative culinary experiences.
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