When the weather gets hot, most people naturally look for something cold. An iced drink, cold noodles, or anything that can help them cool down sounds like the obvious choice. That is why many foreign visitors are surprised when they discover one of Korea’s most popular summer foods is actually a steaming hot bowl of chicken soup.
The dish is called Samgyetang. And every summer, millions of Koreans eat it on purpose.
The reason comes from an old Korean concept called iyeolchiyeol (이열치열), which roughly means “fight heat with heat.” The idea is simple. Instead of avoiding the heat, you face it directly. Many Koreans believe that eating hot, nourishing food during the hottest time of the year helps restore energy and makes it easier to endure the summer heat. Whether that sounds logical or not, it has been part of Korean food culture for generations.
This tradition is especially connected to three specific days during summer known as Chobok, Jungbok, and Malbok. Together, they are commonly called Boknal (복날), the three hottest periods of the year.
As summer approaches, conversations about Samgyetang start appearing everywhere. At work, it is common to hear a coworker say, “It’s getting hot these days. We should get something nourishing. How about Samgyetang for lunch?”
The same thing happens among friends. “Want to go get some Samgyetang? We need to build up our energy before the heat gets worse.”
For many Koreans, Samgyetang is one of the first foods that comes to mind when the weather starts becoming unbearably hot.
On Boknal, Samgyetang restaurants are often packed. Places that are normally quiet can suddenly become difficult to get into, and long lines are not unusual. That alone shows how seriously many Koreans take this summer tradition.
So what exactly is Samgyetang? It is made by stuffing a whole young chicken with glutinous rice and slowly simmering it with ingredients such as ginseng, garlic, and jujubes. Different restaurants often add their own ingredients and recipes, creating slightly different versions of the dish.
One thing that surprises many first-time visitors is the small glass of ginseng liquor that is often served before the meal. Just like the complimentary side dishes found in many Korean restaurants, this small drink is usually free. The flavor varies from place to place, but it is often slightly sweet with a noticeable ginseng aroma. After drinking it, you can feel a gentle warmth spreading through your body. It almost feels like a small ritual before the main dish arrives.
A few minutes later, the Samgyetang appears. The soup arrives in a heavy stone bowl with steam constantly rising from the surface. Even though it may be one of the hottest days of the year, the bowl in front of you is still boiling.
If it is your first time seeing it, you might wonder, “People actually eat this in summer?”
The soup is usually seasoned to your own taste with salt. The chicken itself is extremely hot, so most people pull pieces off and let them cool on a small plate before eating. Many Koreans start with a chicken drumstick dipped lightly in salt. The meat is tender, simple, and comforting.
After eating most of the chicken, the final stage begins. Inside the chicken is the glutinous rice that has been slowly cooking in the broth. Many Koreans mix the rice directly into the soup, creating something that feels almost like a rich rice porridge. A spoonful of Samgyetang followed by a bite of fresh kimchi or kkakdugi is a combination many Koreans know well.
Before long, the bowl is nearly empty. And after finishing the last spoonful of soup, something interesting happens. Your forehead is covered in sweat. Your body feels warm. And despite the summer heat outside, many people say they feel refreshed, lighter, and surprisingly recharged. That feeling is one reason why Koreans continue to return to Samgyetang every year.
Of course, things are changing. Many younger Koreans no longer feel that Boknal must be celebrated with a traditional bowl of Samgyetang. Some people simply choose a different kind of chicken.
There is even a growing joke that Boknal is no longer “Samgyetang Day” but simply “Chicken Day.” As a result, some people eat Samgyetang for lunch and finish the day with chimaek, Korea’s famous combination of fried chicken and beer.
Even so, Samgyetang remains one of the most recognizable symbols of a Korean summer. To foreigners, eating a boiling hot bowl of chicken soup in the middle of summer may seem strange. To many Koreans, however, Samgyetang is much more than a meal. It is a seasonal tradition that signals the arrival of Korea’s hottest days and a ritual that has helped people get through them for generations.
If you happen to visit Korea during the summer, I recommend trying a bowl for yourself. You may discover that you feel very different after finishing it than you did before taking the first bite.
Now I’m curious. What is the go-to food or drink in your country for surviving a brutal summer heatwave?
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