Dog meat sold in Gyeongdong Market, Seoul, South Korea (Warning, Imagery)

[onehandle]

[IMG][/IMG]

Up to 30% or more of South Koreans eat dog meat in their lifetimes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_meat_consumption_in_South_Korea

Abnormal behavior in the modern world. Should we be able to pick out Snoopy at our local animal control, take man's best friend home, and toss him on the grill?

[badtoworse]

1. I'm surprised it's only 30%

I've been told by people who have eaten it that it's actually pretty good.

[davidpdx]

7. See my post #6

Most of the younger generation is against the practice. Plus I believe dog meat is eaten more by males (I'll have to double check that one with my wife though).

[msongs]

2. it's just cultural, after all people in the USA eat cows and people in India don't, mostly nt

[prefunk]

3. Are you surprised by this?

It's not a secret, and it's been part of the culture there for a very long time.

[HipChick]

4. That's a Hot Dog

Why should be impose Western ideals on everyone else? Fido fillet

[pinboy3niner]

5. Shipped right to your door!

[davidpdx]

6. A few thoughts having lived in South Korea for over a decade

First I don't agree with the practice, but it is a cultural one much like the Japanese and Whales.

The dogs are not regular breeds, but a special breed.

The number of people eating dog meat has been decreasing as it is more of a practice of the older generation (my FIL's generation). Most of the younger generation in Korea thinks it is wrong and are not interested in consuming dog meat.

My prediction is as those who are in the older generation 65+ pass on, this is going to be less and less common. Granted that is going to take some time. Nothing changes here in South Korea over night.

The places that dog meat are being sold are generally traditional markets (like the one in the OP) or restaurants (which I have been seeing less and less of). It is not sold in grocery stores.

I have been to Gyeongdong Market as I lived near there until about 3 1/2 years ago when I moved across town.

I just want to dispel some of the myths out there about the practice.

[pinboy3niner]

12. I saw it on visits to Vietnam

My Vietnamese friends told me it's popular among some in the North, but not in the South. After the war, when a lot of northerners were sent to the south, the custom spread there to serve that influx.

I stayed in the South, where I saw it just once on one of my visits--a skinned whole dog carcass (large dog) hanging in an open-air market or restaurant. I didn't take a picture, as it was not something I wanted to have or to share.

[davidpdx]

13. I didn't know that about Vietnam

I have a friend who lives there and might go visit sometime in the near future. I've been to Thailand, but not any of the other countries near by. If I saw it, I don't think I'd take a picture either. Personally it is disturbing, but as someone who has tried to integrate into the culture (not completely successfully) I don't openly criticize it.

Koreans also tend to drink a lot, which is another thing I'm not into.

[pinboy3niner]

15. Where does your friend live?

On my month-long visits I stayed part of the time with a family in Vung Tau and part with a poor family in Cholon, the Chinese ethnic district of Saigon (it was re-named Ho Chi Minh City after the war, but the people there never stopped calling it Saigon).

From those bases I toured around the South, loading a hired van with my friends and their kids and having a grand time.

If you don't drink, you should be fine. Lots of people want to host an American visitor, to have you over for a visit or dinner. I learned very quickly that when they invite you to drink and they promise, "Just one!" they're lying through their smiles.

For an American, they will bring out the special bottle of rice liquor with the cobra and 12 other snakes in it that they've been saving for a special occasion. And with or without the snakes, that stuff is powerful!

If you have an opportunity to do that trip, go for it! There is plenty to see and do and lots of wonderful people to meet. (Some of my most memorable times there were those I spent with my former enemies, but that's another story...)

[davidpdx]

16. He lives in Saigon

It sounds like you had a hoot. Thanks for the warning about "just one drink". I'll have to come up with some excuse like I'm allergic. The hard stuff is what I worry about. I'm also a picky eater so likely they'll have some dish with fish, which I just can't stand. I joke that the only reason I've survived here is Costco.

[azurnoir]

24. snake juice

when I had it it did not have 12 snakes it had a baby cobra and a baby sea snake and I think a tigers heart, also it had a bunch of medicinal herbs (I have no idea what they were) and you drank by the thimble full it's powerful stuff too

[Arugula Latte]

8. And probably most of the people who think this is horrible eat factory-raised pigs, which are

smarter than dogs.

I wouldn't eat either animal. Nor cows. Nor goats or sheep.

[Spider Jerusalem]

9. And they eat horsemeat in France and the Netherlands

I am not especially bothered by this.

[davidpdx]

20. If you really want to see GD fall apart

Start a poll "Which would you rather eat Mr. Ed or Lassie?"

[Travis_0004]

27. Can I add flipper and make it a surf and turf

[jberryhill]

10. What is "abnormal" about humans eating animals?

[aikoaiko]

11. Calling this abnormal behavior is beyond the pale.

You should self delete

[Codeine]

14. Why is eating a dog worse than eating a pig?

Americans obsess over bacon while forgetting that pig are sensitive, emotional, and intelligent animals -- more intelligent than dogs, in point of fact. Can you give me one reason why it is morally wrong to eat dogs but not pigs?

Frankly, I eschew all meat and animal foods simply because I can't bring myself to kill or torment a living creature in order to eat its flesh or consume liquid pumped from its body on an industrial scale. But if you're willing to accept that munching on a chicken, cow, or pig is okay, then I think you really have to accept that it's also okay to eat a dog.

And, to be pedantic, if 30% of Koreans are eating dog then it is - by definition - not abnormal behavior.

[davidpdx]

17. I think that 30% number may be a bit high actually

It seems like it is only really common with the older generation. My wife said her dad got her to try it when she was young and that pissed her off (she was an unruly child from what I've been told, which is funny because she's very mellow now).

I personally would never try it, but am not going to go around telling people they are wrong to eat it.

[VScott]

25. A dog has personality..

[Lancero]

18. It's a cultural diffrience

In the US we see eating dogs as a evil sin because to us dogs are a family pet.

But at the same time, other countries see our eating beef or pork as a evil sin do to how their country - Their culture - see's cows or pigs.

Each country has diffrient ideals about diffrient animals.

Calling a countries cultural choice in food 'abnormal' and saying that it has no place in 'the modern world' is racist to the core.

[Egnever]

19. So?

It's not a new trend lol.

[pinboy3niner]

21. At the end of the Vietnam War, U.S. military dogs were left behind in Vietnam

Their handlers feared what might happen to them.

A good friend was a Scout Dog handler who served with my Army Division (101st Airborne) there. His dog survived mortar wounds, but died in-country, as my friend only learned decades later from another handler.

My friend still tears up thinking about that dog. His name was Orion...

[NuttyFluffers]

22. been there, fun market! lots to see.

by the way, dog meat is actually farmed with controls like any other meat animal. these aren't pets repurposed. plenty of Koreans have dogs as pets, often carrying them as fashion accessory while they leash and walk their cats. surreal but seen it so often i got used to it.

lovely, lively place, you should visit!

[azurnoir]

23. Seriously I've seen USDA approved dog meat in Asian grocery stores in the US

in St Paul MN to be exact, it's USDA stamped labeled as dog and quite expensive

[ForgoTheConsequence]

26. It's bad because they're not white.

Unless you're a vegan you have no room to shame people on this.

[MineralMan]

28. Abnormal behavior? Really?

It's not abnormal in that culture. People in different parts of the world eat all sorts of things that we wouldn't eat in the United States. Vice-versa, too. Abnormal can only be measured within a culture.

People in Andean countries eat guinea pigs, which are kept as pets here in the US.
We used to eat a lot of rabbit meat in the US. Today, we don't eat so much of it. Yet, you'll find it in some restaurants. It's not abnormal to eat rabbit. In fact, if you see it on the menu, I encourage you to try it. Very tasty.
People eat a variety of rodents throughout the world. We eat very few rodents in the United States. Are we abnormal for not including rodents in our diets?
We eat cattle. In India, that's uncommon culturally.
In China, eating sea cucumbers is common. We don't like them here, generally.

Eating dog meat would be very unusual in the United States for typical Americans. Would it be "abnormal?" Well, maybe, based on one of the meanings of that world. Certainly it would be unusual and not part of the normal diet. Are dogs eaten in the United States? I wouldn't be surprised. There are lots of Americans from cultures where they are eaten, so I'm sure it happens.

I think we need to be careful when applying the word "abnormal" to cultures other than our own.

[onehandle]

29. Our culture and economy was built 100% on the consumption of slaves.

I think we need to be careful when applying the word "abnormal" to cultures other than our own.

[MineralMan]

30. Indeed. It's a loaded word that may backfire unexpectedly.

[Rex]

33. Maybe that is what they meant, abnormal compared to other parts of the world.

Like the French eating horsemeat...not a lot of people do, but they do. Abnormal by American standard, normal by French standards.

[NeoGreen]

31. I spent the year of 1987 in Korea...

...assigned to the USAF Red Horse squadron stationed in Osan, AFB.

(FYI: an AF Red Horse squadron is nominally equivalent to a Navy Sea Bee unit)

Around March/April 1987 a select number of the RH1 contingent, of which I was the most junior member, went "out in the country" for about 1-week of training/repairs at an unpaved South Korean forward air strip that had seen better days. I was in a group of surveyors and engineers that included, one Master Sergeant, Two Tech Sergeants, one Staff Sergeant and myself (a Senior Airman). The Staff had been in Korea for two years and had a fairly basic vocabulary and was essentially our interpreter.

At the time, "out in the country" to me and my cohorts meant leaving the envelope of US influence that is pervasive in the immediate vicinity of any major US base. This means, no one spoke any form of English (halting or otherwise), no signs included English characters and there was no comfort of the subconscious "back-up" you take for granted.

You are wholly a stranger in a strange land.
You were happy when someone understood your request for Pap and Mul.
You were happy when you determined that "that building over there is a Hotel" even if it did not have European/American style toilets, running water or heat.
You did not think it was odd when 10 or so M48 tanks made their way through the middle of town at ~1am.
(it was notable to me since tank movements are not a frequent occurrence on an AF base)

In a short time, we were getting along well with the people at the local eating establishment (it was my understanding that the local Korean unit(s) that they normally serve had moved out while we completed our training/repairs and that the businesses stayed open for us during the week) and were unexpectedly expanded our repertoire of meals from what was supposed to be beef based Bulgogi but was likely not beef based Kulgogi.

The Staff Sgt didn't let us know until we came back that there "might" have been a mix-up in what we ordered.

We had thought that at the time we were just eating a fresher cow.

I wasn't upset by the thought in the least. I've eaten worse.

All in all it was a fantastic learning experience.
Before the trip I had purchased a English/Korean dictionary and within a week I was sounding out basic text.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

32. pigs are really smart and we eat them all the time.

Dogs are not endangered or anything like that, so besides cultural imperialism I am not sure what all the fuss is about.

(yes, i have a dog. i love her, you can't eat her. i had a fish as a child, which also I would not let you eat, doesn't mean we have to give up fish as food.)

[Sunlei]

34. culture, and an animal 'easy' to breed/manage even in horrible, over crowded conditions.

As income rises the beef imports also rise, beef imports are up ~ 30-50% in NK & China.

Soon enough we won't see streets full of skinny people and scared street dogs there anymore