Korean Traditional Eat - Bosingtang 보신탕

I know I am going to get quite the criticism for this blog, but yes, I ate dog in Korea. It is a Korean staple and I love dogs, but at the end of the day, it is a taboo food and I decided to give it a go. Being that there are so many dog meat places in Seoul, finding a good one to try this at was very much needed. 보신탕 (Bosingtang which is dog meat soup, 補身湯 in Chinese) is also known as Gaejangguk 개장국 where dog meat is the primary ingredient. This Korean traditional eat is known to increase virility among men and women, but more favorable for men of the older generation.

The meat is cooked up for quite a while, boiled with vegetables that varies from restaurant to restaurant. The main ingredients include green onions, perilla leaves, dandelions, and spices of Doenjang (된장),  Gochujang (고추장), and more perilla seed powder. There are a handful of Bosingtang restaurants in Seoul, a lot of which are filled with men drinking soju which is believed to compliment the soup. 

Ironic to say, those who run this kind of restaurant usually comes from China, another country that actually consumes a lot of dog meats. In addition to this, Vietnamese people are also known for the consumption of this delicacy. Although a lot of Asian countries consume dog meat, each country differs the way they cook up this special dish. 

In Korea, dog meat is cooked up as a soup which is cooked up with other vegetables. For those who are looking to immerse themselves in the real taste of dog meat, getting the dog meat as chunks will help you truly taste the true flavor of dog meat. From a personal taste, it is a contrast between lamb and pork. Honestly, I would probably not have it again, only because of the concept behind the delicacy in regards to how it is cooked before serving and such. Nonetheless, it's a bucket list check off.

If you are brave enough, I definitely suggest going with a Korean friend who actually enjoys it. It is difficult to find a good restaurant in Korea and the Koreans know the real deal. They know where to go because their parents go. Do not expect every Korean to eat dog meat though because there are a handful who are against it. In fact, most Koreans do not enjoy dog meat. They only go for the sake of their parents who enjoy it. It may be ironic to say that criticism comes from Koreans as well and they're the ones who consume it a lot!

Life in Korea - Doggy Cafe

A doggy cafe is exactly how it sounds, it's a cafe full of dogs running around and playing with you. It is the perfect compliment for coffee and animal lovers. For the most part, the dogs are of all ages, all different kinds. It is a great place to go to for people like me who are in love with dogs, but cannot have one. There are a few cafes in Seoul, Sunnyne Cafe, the one I visited is located in Hongdae.

Upon entrance, the dogs will run towards you, bark and go crazy, but once you simply sit down on a seat by the door, they will stop. After that, you will be guided to a seat where you can order a drink. Drinks are a little higher priced than coffee shops because it covers the entrance fee to interact with the dogs. They usually do not exceed the price of $10 so you are still getting your money’s worth.

You can play around with the dogs for as long as you want and most of them are extremely friendly. They will jump and run towards you once you sit down. Like people, there are different kinds of dogs which include more interactive and hyper ones, calm ones, and those who don’t care to interact with others.

Most of them will climb on you, on your clothes and bags latying around, jump on the table and such. Don’t worry about them stealing your drink or knocking it over because it’s least likely to happen. They are usually well behaved and are disciplined by trainers (in a good way) when not.

Doggy cafes also allow for you to bring your own pup to interact with the many new friends that are there. Some cafes also provide grooming services and other care taking items on the menu which allows you to leave your dog to get pampered and play around once done.

It’s definitely a place to go if you are an animal lover. You can have a blast of fun playing with all kinds of dogs and you’ll be surprised at how quickly time passes.