Koreans tend to associate weather and weather changes with different types of food, so as you may know during rainy days Koreans they eat Jeon 전 (Korean pancake) with Makgeolli막걸리 (Korean traditional rice wine).
But did you know there are specific days according to lunar calendar designed to be the hottest days of the year. These are called Boknal(복날) or Sambok(삼복) as in total there are 3 days designerd to be the hottest of the year. Each year these 3 days are during mid July to mid of August with 10 days interval between them. These three days are called chobok 초복(first), jungbok (second) 중복, and malbok 말복 (third). The concept was introduced from China during Qin Dinasty (BCE 221 – BCE 206).
The meaning of bok (伏)
This year, according to lunar calendar, Chobok(초복) was on July 16th, Jungbok(중복) on July 26th and the last one Malbok(말복) will be on a national holiday, Liberation day on August 15th.
As a tradition, to fight the heat waves, Korean since long time ago, tend to traditionallly eat hot food. This tradition is called “Iyeolchiyeol” (이열치열), which means ‘to controlling/managing heat with heat’. Spicy and hot food makes our body to sweat and through sweat is believed to release the heat inside the body and cool down. The most popular dish, which is know to cool down the body is Samgyetang (Ginseng chicken soup).
Source: https://blog.naver.com/hh5288/222816162557
Samgyetang is known to be relaly healthy and good for nutrition, so Korean they eat this dish to stay healthy during the summer heat.
Another dishes that are eaten during this days for nutrition are jeonbokjuk (Abalone porridge), yukgaejang (spicy beef soup), seolleongtang (ox bone soup).
Spicy beef soup Source: https://blog.naver.com/jikji25/222838890829
Abalone porrige
Ox Bone Soup
Source: https://blog.naver.com/love-motion/222838551852
Another type of nutrition food popular during these days are Grilled eel and black goat.
Grilled Eel
Source: https://blog.naver.com/krystalcui/222788835208
But, as people may have different taste, a lor of Koreans also prefer to eat cold food such as watermelons or naengmyeon (cold noodles) during hot days, As summer is also the holiday season from work, a lot of Koreans they spend their vacation at valleys or mountains where they can enjoy the water streams and eat healthy cold food for energy.
Source: https://blog.naver.com/rma1380/222809612569
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