For decades, the hottest 'Sambok' days of summer have always been one of the busiest times for dog meat restaurants in South Korea, where diners have the custom of seeking out traditional health-boosting dishes to endure the sweltering heat. But starting next February, Korea will fully ban the breeding, slaughter, and sale of dogs for consumption, gradually pushing the long-standing summer practice of eating dog meat soup into history.
With the countdown to the ban underway, the number of dog farms in Korea has already plummeted by over eighty percent, and dog meat restaurant business is also far from what it used to be.
According to Korean media reports, since Korea passed related legislation in 2024, the local dog meat industry has rapidly shrunk.
Data from the Ministry of Agriculture shows that the total number of dog farms nationwide has dropped sharply from 1,537 in August 2024 to just 272 by this May, a decrease of about 82%.
With supply decreasing, wholesale prices of dog meat have soared, and some restaurants have been forced to raise menu prices by around 30%.
Many dog meat soup restaurant owners say their customer numbers have dropped significantly, and sales are now less than 10% of what they were before the legislation passed.
With only about half a year left until the full implementation of the ban, some business owners are still deciding whether to switch to other dishes or close down completely.
“Believe It Can Strengthen the Body”
According to a survey released before the 2024 legislation was passed, among 2,000 respondents, more than 90% said they had no intention of eating dog meat in the future, over 80% supported the ban, and nearly 95% said they had not eaten dog meat in the past year.
Ryu Jun-sam, 69, who tasted dog meat soup on the 14th, said he had been eating the dish since his twenties. 'I am truly disappointed; the reason everyone kept coming back to this dish was because we believed it could strengthen the body, but now it will be prohibited.'
He said: 'I also love dogs. But I still feel it's a pity. If given another chance, I would still want to eat it again.'