Buzz
Considered a culinary icon of the Land of the Morning Calm, “Dwaeji gukbap” (commonly known as “pork soup”) is a must-try dish when traveling to South Korea and visiting Busan.
If you're accustomed to elaborate Korean cuisine that seems like artistry on a plate, the dish Dwaeji gukbap stands out for its simplicity. The broth, simmered from pork bones, and thinly sliced pork, served with scallions, white noodles, and chili paste, alongside basic condiments like coriander leaves, onions, shrimp paste, and kimchi.
Koreans still share stories about the origins of this special dish. Dwaeji gukbap emerged in the 1950s in South Korea. At that time, the country had just escaped 36 years of Japanese rule (in 1945), facing poverty and devastation, compounded by the invasion of North Korea (1950). The U.S. military came to aid South Korea and chose Busan as its military stronghold.
The U.S. military had ample supplies, but it wasn't enough to feed all the people, as Busan was flooded with refugees fleeing from the North. The locals had to scavenge for food in the waste dumps of the U.S. military, where they found many pork bones. While Koreans traditionally made a similar dish with beef bones mixed with rice, there were only pork bones available. And thus, the pork soup was born. Today, this dish has become a symbol of Busan's culinary culture.
Source: Dulich.vn
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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourNovember 24, 2015
