Dog is a delicacy in Korea and I knew it would be rude to decline the invitation. Before I went to the restaurant I did some research and here are some incredible facts about dog meat in Korea for you to chew on:
- South Korea consumes over $1 billion in dog every year
- Lean meat is considered better for dog soup
- Fatty dogs like Siberian huskies are better for making medicinal dog wine
- Medicinal dog wine is made by distilling the dog in a double boiler
- The penis is added to the wine for greater stamina
- Dog is not legally classified as a food in Korea
- Traditional methods of slaughter to get more adrenaline into the flesh: clubbing to death or hanging
- Most common method used today: instant electrocution
- Dog meat is believed to improve male virility and cool people in the summer
- An informal way of referring to dog soup in Korea is myeong myeong tang or 'bark bark soup'
- As a solution to the city's problem with its thousands of stray dogs, a city counilor in New Dehli said "maybe we can send all the stray dogs of Delhi" to Korea, where people enjoy eating them
- Millions of dogs are put to death at US animal shelters every year
Nutritional Value of Dog Meat
The real question is, but is it good for you?
| Dog meat Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy 260 kcal 1100 kJ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: Yong-Geun Ann (1999) |
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Best Dog Meat Prank
In 1994 multimedia artist/prankster extrodinairre posed as Kim Yung Soo of Kea So Joo, INC. and sent the following letter to 1,500 dog shelters around the US in order to expose the "hypocrisy, intolerance, and prejudice harbored by so-called animal rights humanitarians, as well as gullible and racist media, towards other cultures":
Dear Executive Director,
Excuse my English Please, Thank You. First congratulation on all your good work with animal. We support. We would like to help your company make money, so we like to offer help so you make money. Dog shelter kill million of dog, cost money. Dog shelter cremate dog cost money. Dog shelter need money to operate. Where it get money? Hard to get money.
Many people like to eat dog. People need to eat dog. Where to they get dog? Some people they raise dog to eat. Some steal dog, make some people angry, hurt some people. That not right.
We like make proposal to your dog shelter to sell us dog. You save money, you make money. We buy all dog, regardless of size or color. We prefer big, young, strong dog but we take all dog from your dog shelter. We cook dog in America. We can dog in America and sell some dog in America in Asian market place. Lot people in America eat dog. Most dog we ship oversea. Lot people eat dog. Many country eat dog. Korea, China eat dog, Philippines, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia eat dog. Dog is healthy for you. This way your cost of business is less. You make more money, more people happy. You get cleaner air. No burn up dog. No waste dog. People pet no disappear. Everybody happy.
Cause we understand some people no like idea to eat dog. But they make trouble for people who like eat dog. Those people called two face. Those people eat cow, rabbit and mice, squirrel and frog and every thing else, but still give us trouble. But dog is good food. Dog is good medicine, make sick people strong, make old people young, make penis hard, make sex good again. Our business getting very big. Need more dog. We are prepared to offer you 10 cents per pound per dog. We pick up dog every day, so you also save on feeding dog. We like very much to speak with you and make deal. Please tell us how many dog available in your business. We have deal already to do same with dog shelter in New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts. We hope to be eventually in big city cross America. You can join us now, save money and continue doing your good job. We do big business together. We have big business already with many dog breeder and many dog hospital. Dog no suffer, we have quick death for dog.
Looking to hear from you soon,
Kim Yung SooPresident
Kea So Joo, Inc.
Learning to Eat Dog In Korea
I knew that dog was eaten in Korea and wasn't surprised when my co-teacher asked me if I wanted to go to out for it after work.
"Do you like dog?" he asked me.
"I love dogs," I replied. "I had 4 of them growing up. They're my favorite animals."
"You ate four whole dogs?"
"What? No, I didn't eat the dogs. I raised them as pets."
"Oh, I see. Well, in Korea, we like to eat dog. Have you ever had spicy dog soup?"
I do not have anything morally against eating dog so I figured, what the heck. The dog soup, called boshintang, was actually very good. I did, however, think about the dogs I had growing up as I chewed on the meat. During my year in Korea I went out for dog 3 or 4 times and the more I had it, the better it tasted. Eating dog is no different than eating cows, chickens, pigs, or any other animal...it's all in the eyes, or mouth, or the beholder.
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How could someone eat dog?
I have 3 dogs and they are part of the family. I can't believe someone could actually eat a dog...It's like eating a person!
Eating Dog
Eating dog is no different than eating beef or pork. Hindu's in India don't eat cows, Muslim's and Jew's don't eat pigs, and you don't eat dogs. It all just a matter of preference.
You're wrong. is not
You're wrong. is not preference nor a cultural thing. Koreans ate dog before because they were poor and didn have enough food. Now they dont have to eat dog. then are you saying you are "ok" with chinese eating animals in danger? i feel bad for farm animals (thats why i dont eat meat anymore) too. but a dog is different. Have seen how they kill a dog? a dog that could be a pet? and please dont tell me i no nothing about koreans eating dog. i am korean and ive seen dog breeds going to the butcher or restaurants. people dont have to eat dog or cat in this century specially a wealthy country like korea. END!
Who is wrong?
I understand your feelings and appreciate your opinion. You are right that people do not "have to" eat dogs - they do so because they choose to. Eating dog is a preference in the same way that eating cow is a preference. There is no difference.
Just because dogs are popular pets (I had 3 growing up and love dogs more than any other animal) doesn't make eating them worse than eating a cow, pig, or chicken. Or a cat for that matter.
In a wealthy country such as Korea, people don't HAVE to eat any kind of meat. Like everywhere else, it is a matter of choice, just as many people in India choose not to eat cow and many people in the Middle East choose not to eat pig.
How the dog is killed is another story. Burning a dog to stimulate adrenaline before death to make it taste better is wrong. I am told that nowadays most dogs are slaughtered with electrocution...
of course what you eat has
of course what you eat has to do with your culture. That doesn't mean people with the same culture all eat the same foods. But your culture does have an influence in what you eat. In korea, dogs aren't as "loved" and adored as they are in north america. That's probably what makes it okay for some people to eat dog meat. They don't eat dog meat because they "have to". Obviously, I don't HAVE TO eat cows and pigs and chicken, but I choose to. It's a personal choice, reflecting on my culture.
and you said that the dog could be a pet. I could be wrong, but I'm almost sure that most dogs that are used for dog meat are not "pets".
and how is a dog different from cows and pigs? Maybe from your perspective they are different, but from some people's perspective all animals are the same.
How can you say Koreans "are
How can you say Koreans "are not poor anymore?" They are in poverty, except for the rich 1 or 2% at the top. I personally could not bring myself to eat dog. This is animal that eats its poo and the poo of other animals. It's the same reason I won't eat pig. That and I like dogs and would not eat them.
It's the same reason - not all Chinese eat animals in danger. This is done the world over. Rich people with nothing else to do with their money. I blame these people.
Perhaps it really is cultural? Think about this. If Koreans were poor for such a long time that eating dog became habit for them, doesn't it make sense that they would continue to do it until shown otherwise?
Dog as a delicacy
Dog is a delicacy in many cultures, not just Korean. It's also eaten in the Philippines and Vietnam. I'm sure some Western cultures may also have eaten dog at one time or another. It's again a matter of cultural perspective.
The penis is added to the wine for greater stamina
Classic...truely classic.
Kea So Joo, Inc.
The name of the company is also a play on words since the dog wine that you refer to in your "incredible facts" is called 'Kea So Joo' in Korean. Actually, it is spelled Gae Soju.
Dog food
hey you think i can get some and feed it to my pitbull? I'm traning him for dog fights!!
Americans eat dogs too
Here is a story about two people in Hawaii who kidnapped someone's dog from a golf course and ate it.
"What You Eat"
You eat what you were taught to eat, thus, it's a cultural thing (culture is taught). You also eat what is available in your environment. Now, I say those who don't prefer this or that would prefer this or that if it was all that was available. There's nutritive value in most things, even humans.
It is not a culture thing
It's definatley nothing to do with culture- that is a total cop out!!! My culture is to eat cow, bullock, bull, pig, chicken, lamb, sheep, etc......!!! I was brought up eating them but now I am a vegetarian and quickly becoming a vegan!!!! So, it is not about culture it is about making your own choices. People can't give out though if they think it is wrong to eat frogs, horses, fois gras, cats, dogs etc......... when they eat cow, pig......because they are all living creatures!! and a pig is actually cleverer than a dog and proven that chickens are just as clever as cats and dogs!!! Anyway, there may be nutritive values in most things but that doesn't make 'em healthy-eating meat isn't a healthy option and as so called evolved species we should have compassion not ignorance and allow the rest of the species to live!!
culture
I think that it's better not to eat meat, but I think your choice to not eat meat is a cultural thing. Making choices has to do with culture.
Your argument backs up the idea that among those that choose to eat meat, the choice of meat is a cultural thing.
What you eat
I disagree with you, it is a cultural thing as to what you eat, with the exception that everyone usually begins with mother's milk. After off the breast, then the kind of milk given is the choice of the mother, often according to what is available. When a baby begins on soft foods and graduates to harder foods, it is once again given to him by the mother. The choice only comes in for example when one is given let's say peas and spews it out in preference for let's say carrots. The culture provides the foods and how they are prepared and as one grows up he picks and chooses. The only way you can throw culture out the window when it comes to foods is if one is in a starvation mode and has the will to live by eating things formally anathema to him or her. Remember the movie "Alive;" those who lived ate the human flesh.
Vegetarianism
Does not eating meat make people angry or something? Compassion is not just whether you eat animals or not, its how you treat other people too - I seriously doubt that yelling at someone is going to make them "see the light" and stop eating animals...
"Moral high ground"
People who take the "moral high ground" are little different from those who they consider immoral.
Well it depends on the
Well it depends on the persepective. If your reason for not eating meat is that it causes animals pain, then ya eating meat will make them angry. The way I see it, it's the circle of life...we are all animals and some do eat meat. You don't see lions eating grass. No, I'm not gonna be angry for eating meat. Personally, we really don't need that much meat anyway to get enough for the daily intake. ONE McDonald burger is already 48% of a day's intake. Of course, everyone has a different tolerance for the types of meat they eat. I've never tried toads...but I've had them in soup...was pretty freaked out by that. But when I was even younger, I had snake soup...and I just thought it was chicken or something. The soup did taste good though. So yep this is cultural related.
Im a Dog and I find this
Im a Dog and I find this whole page deeply depressing....love the site though..any chance of a post on the lost art of cat munching?
Cats as food
This still goes on at restaurants in China (mainland) that wish for greater profits. If you stew it for a very long time with seasoning, it's impossible to know what meat it is, with the exception, that faster moving animals tend to have muscle fibers that are much more stringy and tougher.
The real question: Is it good for you?
The ratio of 19g of protein to 20.2g of fat, I should think is not good for you. The fact is that animal fat is not good for you at all, however, most of us seem to eat a fair share of it.
Dog Eaters
I think part of Americans feeling that eating meats from animals such as dogs or cats is unnatural simply because those animals are carnivores like us, not prey animals like cows, chickens, ect. An exception here is horse, which of course is still used for dogfood.
I've lived on a farm all my life and I've raised and named baby calves that ended up in the freezer, and I've raised my own chicken and duck. It's all a way of thinking.
i personally don't eat dog
i personally don't eat dog meat. i am korean and most koreans don't eat dog meat. however, if one chooses to eat dog meat, well then it's their business. what bothers me just as much as how they raise and kill the dogs is when one culture thinks that their way of life is right and the only way. the way westerners raise and kill chickens, cows, etc. is just as horrific. if you are against it, then just don't do it.
Actually eating dog is the
Actually eating dog is the most disgusting and cruel thing you could possibly do. Maybe if they treated the dogs like real livestock it would be different, but they beat them, feed them garbage, and stuff 10 or more in small cages. Furthermore, many (all that I have seen) of the cages don't even have solid floors, they only have the cage metal bottom. I have recently "adopted"/paid a ton of money for a little puppy that was to be sent to the dog market and sold. She had been stuffed in a cage with her mother, 6 siblings, and 4 other random dogs. She had many infections, round worms, and skin problems. Not to mention the cuts on her feet from the cage "floor" and how malnurished she was due to the fact that there was one bowl for all of these dogs and she was so small she never got any of the "food" given to them. She is so sweet and finally healthy, however she is petrified of anyone who is Korean and just recently stopped eating her own feces (the feces that was at one point filled with worms).
So next time you think it's a good idea to eat dog (wether it's part of Korean culture or not) think about the risks your putting yourself up against; worms, E.Coli, infection, etc. The fact that they call these "meat dogs" dunkay (which translated to dung dog, due to the fact that they eat their own feces for food because they don't get enough) seriously should make you turn up your nose. I understand that many animals are not treated fairly, even cows, pigs, and other animals that are eaten in every country, but this is the most disgusting one I have seen yet. The smell at a dog farm or even around a dog that some people have as a pet that they keep outside is absolutely disgusting and they don't smell all that different when they are being cooked.
They say that since they feed the dog kimchi, meat, etc, then they are healthy for old/dying people because they have the same internal make up as humans.....well if anyone has even taken any science course you will know that this is ridiculous because they would not have the same internal make up because they have eaten human food.
(I'm not even going to get into the whole method of killing situation)
okay, you probably saw the
okay, you probably saw the worst case scenario and painted the entire picture in your head that ALL dogs in korea that are being held for dog meat are treated that way. There's obviously worse facilities, and better facilities. There's animal cruelty everywhere. not just for dogs.
Why Dogs???
I feel that at least Dogs shouldn't be eaten...We already eat everything, why dogs...I am sure you'll agree to it too....
Cultural bias
Western bias talking.
We in the west likely look disgusting to people who strongly shun beef, or pork, or even dairy products.
wow
You know its the same thing with america........All the food is processed......also some animals were being fed with dead animals......also the workers dont even clean there hands while cutting meat..........theres alot of time in america that ppl died from food poisoning becasue of meat and eating dog is a choice....if ur aganst it its ur choice....
"Maybe if they treated the
"Maybe if they treated the dogs like real livestock it would be different, but they beat them, feed them garbage, and stuff 10 or more in small cages."
Err.... that's exactly how livestock are treated in the USA. Haven't you seen PETA ads or read Fast Food Nation? I would say it's equally immoral to abuse any sort of animal before killing them. I'm not a vegan or a vegetarian. I know chickens have their beaks cut off and are thrown in small pens filled with their own feces. I also know I love hot wings. If I was upper middle-class I'd buy only free-range or what have you, but I'm too poor. I'm also too fond of meat to give it up (selfish, maybe).
Dogs aren't any different. Don't be a hypocrite; if you eat meat, don't judge others who eat different types of meat.
Meat...
...is meat. I have had dogs my whole life. Dobermans, in fact. I love dogs. Any sign of dog cruelty, and I would very likely brutally murder the individual perpetuating the crime.
However.
Dogs are made of meat. So are cows. So are horses. So are squirrels.
So are you.
Just because a dog had the presence of mind to get in good with humans early on does not mean they are not delicious. They are not people. They are not members of your family, they are members of your PACK. In nature, a dog will eat a dog.
So why not you?
Shut yer smug, superior, overtly moralistic pie holes, and have a hot dog today.
Dog eating philosophy
My philosophy for eating animals is if I could personally kill it then I can eat it. I think anyone who eats anything that they couldn't personally kill for food is a coward and a hypocrite. I couldn't kill a dog just to eat it but with the right tools I would happily (and respectfully) kill and eat pretty much all other animals.
So people who love dogs and eat dogs are either cowards or pretty strong people. If you can kill humans for food then do it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISyfQodfl0o