In Korea, some savour last season of legal dog meat
SEONGNAM — For decades, the three days of summer considered the hottest of the year were among the busiest for South Korea's dog meat restaurants, as diners sought traditional stamina-boosting foods to endure the heat. The third "boknal," or hot day, of 2026 on Friday carried an added sense of finality. It was the last before a nationwide ban on the breeding, slaughter and sale of dogs for meat…
Seongnam, South Korea - In the final days before a nationwide ban takes effect, dog meat restaurants are facing a dwindling clientele. The third boknal, or hot day, of 2026 passed on Friday, marking the last before the ban on breeding, slaughtering, and selling dogs for meat takes full effect in February 2027. Moran Market in Seongnam, once the country's premier hub for dog meat, saw lunchtime crowds filling the alleyways lined with restaurants, but many have since shifted to alternative dishes like black goat stew.
The few customers still ordering dog meat stew are overwhelmingly elderly, according to Kim Yong-book, head of the Moran Market Merchants Association who has operated in the area near Seoul for over 40 years. "It's really desolate now," he lamented, noting that the bustling trade hub has become a "town of old people." The ban marks the end of a long decline in dog meat consumption, driven by rising pet ownership and changing attitudes toward the practice.
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- In Korea, some savour last season of legal dog meat koreatimes.co.kr
