Tag: pork

Samgyeopsal Day: The Most Delicious Marketing Ploy You Never Knew You Needed
Move over Valentine’s Day; there’s a new Hallmark holiday in town—only instead of candy hearts, we get sizzling strips of pork belly. March 3rd is Samgyeopsal Day in South Korea, and yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like: an entire day dedicated to grilling fatty pork in all its glistening glory. If you’re surprised this is a thing, trust me—it’s as real as Korea’s obsession with four seasons once was.
The Pork-Backed Origin Story
Samgyeopsal Day didn’t spontaneously manifest from the communal soul of Korean culinary tradition. Instead, it was created back in 2003 by the Paju Yeoncheon Livestock Corporation—essentially the pig industry’s way of shouting, “Hey, we exist, please buy more pork!”
- Why March 3rd? “Samgyeopsal” literally means “three-layered meat,” so the date 3/3 is a neat pun. Marketing genius, right?
- Why do Koreans love it? Possibly because there’s a built-in excuse to eat more pork—and who doesn’t like a reason to binge on BBQ?
As cynical as that might sound, the holiday worked. It boosted domestic pork sales, propped up farmers, and before you knew it, it became an actual, if unofficial, tradition. Now we’re all telling our friends, “Happy Samgyeopsal Day!” like it’s the Year of the Pig or something.
From Pariah Meat to National Staple
Believe it or not, pork wasn’t always the superstar in Korean dining. Beef was traditionally held in higher esteem, but supply issues in the 1980s nudged the government to push pork onto the dinner table. Add in some corporate powerhouses like Samsung and Lotte getting into meat processing, plus scientific hog-raising methods (think less barnyard funk, more succulent slabs), and you’ve got the recipe for a “pork renaissance.” By the ’90s, samgyeopsal was the new normal for big nights out.
Why Does This Holiday Even Matter?
- Economic Kudos: Pig farmers thrive on this annual sales boost. If Hallmark can bankroll Mother’s Day, pig farmers can do the same for Samgyeopsal.
- Cultural Phenomenon: Samgyeopsal’s popularity soared with “hoesik” culture (post-work gatherings), where coworkers bond over soju and sizzling pork.
- Food Soul: Despite its marketing-engineered roots, the communal act of sharing grilled pork belly has genuine warmth. Like a good kimchi jjigae, it’s become a comfort food staple that feels authentically Korean—even if it started as a PR campaign.
How Koreans Celebrate Samgyeopsal Day
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1. Restaurant Promotions
  Expect your social media to blow up with “Samgyeopsal Day 50% OFF!” ads. If you’re a carnivorous bargain-hunter, this is your Christmas in March.
2. Home BBQ Feasts
  Got a portable grill and a decent ventilation system? Invite some friends, grab soju, and fill your house with the sweet smell of sizzling pork belly (just hope your neighbors don’t mind).
3. DIY Lettuce Wrap Stations
  A key part of samgyeopsal’s charm is how interactive it is: get your ssamjang, garlic slices, kimchi, and fresh lettuce (or perilla leaves), then wrap ‘em up. It’s build-your-own taco, Korean-style.
4. Creative Takes
  Feeling fancy? Try gochujang marinades or a drizzle of sesame oil, salt, and pepper. The combos are endless, and so is the potential for Instagram food porn—just keep it real, yeah?
5. Themed Sides and Culture
  There’s more to a proper feast than pork. Japchae, kimchi, or even a little cucumber banchan bring texture, color, and that comforting sour-spicy contrast Koreans can’t live without. Throw on some K-pop, or do a mini history lesson about why we’re doing this in the first place—beyond just “3/3.”
Craving a Real Samgyeopsal Party?
Book The Ultimate Korean BBQ Experience

Fun Ways to Celebrate at Home
- Host a Korean Drinking Game Night: You’ve got the soju, you’ve got the pork. Add a few rounds of “Baskin Robbins 31” or “Titanic” (the soju-floating-in-beer-cup game), and watch the night unfold.
- Fusion Feast: Feeling adventurous? Wrap your grilled pork in tortillas for a “K-Mex” twist, or stuff it into kimbap for a bizarre but surprisingly tasty roll.
- Solo Samgyeopsal: Who says you need company? Fire up your grill pan, binge some K-dramas, and enjoy the privacy of not having to share.
Is Samgyeopsal Day Overhyped?
Of course it is. But so is Black Friday. We’re talking about a day conceived as a marketing gimmick that morphed into a borderline national celebration. Yet, here we are, excitedly marking it on the calendar. In a sense, that’s Korea’s magic: turning a PR stunt into something that actually feels meaningful by weaving it into the social fabric—food, friends, and family.
Final Thoughts
If you think Samgyeopsal Day is just another corporate-manufactured holiday, well, you’re not wrong. But it’s also a delicious excuse to gather around the grill and enjoy the smoky scent that’s as comforting to Koreans as fireworks on the Fourth of July are to Americans. Sometimes, that’s all the reason we need.
So, on March 3rd, do what Koreans do: celebrate a silly date that turned into a cherished tradition—and partake in that warm, interactive fun of sharing grilled pork belly with good company. Just be sure to crack a joke about how you’re doing your patriotic duty to support local farmers by chowing down on one more slice. Ssamjang optional—but highly recommended.
Happy Samgyeopsal Day, Everyone!
Put on your stretchy pants, gather your favorite humans, and toast to the “three-layered meat” that’s wrapped this country’s heart in smoky, savory goodness for decades. Marketing ploy or not, it’s time to feast. Enjoy!
March 3, 2025
Dwaeji Bulgogi (Grilled Korean Spicy Pork)
There is just something about pork smothered in spicy, sweet sauce, grilled over fire. The combination of fire grilled smokiness, mild pork, and honey-like spicy sauce is irresistible.
Lately, I have been craving dwaeji bulgogi 돼지불고기 (grilled korean spicy pork) ssambap 쌈밥 (lettuce wrap). Sometimes dwaeji bulgogi is called dwaeji bokkeum 돼지볶음, especially when it is pan-fried rather than grilled over fire – but the preparation and marinade is the same for both.
You will need to go to the market – preferably a Korean market – and get a few things:
Great garlicky spicy pork dish for Korean food lovers
June 12, 2011
Tip: Pork Tenderloin Ain't So Pricey
We were at the Anyang Central Market the other day, and I was in the mood to grab a rack or two of ribs. I noticed that pork tenderloin was priced at W700 per 100 grams. Doing some calculations, that comes out to W3,171 per pound. A quick glance on U.S. prices, and pork tenderloin sells from $2.63 to $3.99 per pound. So it’s right around the same.
Nonetheless, it’s a really good deal compared to other meats in Korea, and I hadn’t had a Sunday roast in a long time. So we got half a full loin.
Now, I used an oven for this one, which I know many expats don’t have, but there are many slow-cooked stove top tenderloin recipes out there, and I’m also sure you could pull this off in a toaster oven, as long as you have some type of meat thermometer.
I first got some coarse ground salt and mixed it with some black peppercorns I had pounded in a mortar. I cut a slit through the middle of the loin and stuffed it with some rosemary and lemon thyme I had just picked up at a flower shop (W2,000 per plant). I rolled the tenderloin to coat it with the salt and pepper and roasted it at 300C for 15 minutes before taking it down to under 200C for some slow roasting.
Pork tenderloin runs into the danger of drying out. The nasty stuff gets killed off at 59C, and pork starts really drying out at 77C, so I took it out of the oven when the thermometer said the center of the meat had reached 68C. The outside of the meat is always hotter than the inside, so it still continues to cook the middle after taking it out of the oven. I let it rest for 20 minutes before slicing, and it was PERFECT!
You can easily make a yuja-omija sauce like the one I made for the duck a few months ago. The executive chef at the Novotel in Daegu has come up with an awesome and bold sounding Doenjang Cream sauce for pork, which will show up in May’s issue of 10 Magazine. I myself had a bottle of Apple Chipotle Glaze from America sitting around and used that instead. Oooh, so good!
I served it with some Rosemary Potatoes, a side dish (maybe Tuscan inspired) that was served at an Italian restaurant I used to work at. Just clean and cut up some potatoes and onions, toss them in olive oil (I use a lot), salt, pepper and fresh rosemary leaves. Roast them in the oven at 200C until tender.
Today’s Korean
Tenderloin (an-shim) 안심
Please give me 600 grams of pork tenderloin. (Dwaeji an-shim yuk baek gram juseyo.) 돼지안심 육백 (600) 그램 주세요.
April 5, 2010
Another Reason to Love Korea
Pork belly and oysters.
Came home and this was dinner. Oh, and I also have a new camera.
Wanna see?
Can’t wait to put this bad boy into the field.
October 21, 2009
Raw… Horse… Meat!
My apologies to Andrew Zimmern and the crew of Bizarre Foods. I had no idea this existed until this week.
I called my friend Soo-jung to tell her the Bizarre Foods episode was coming out. She’s the one who introduced me to fermented skate and subsequently ate it with Andrew on the show. She told me we should meet up this Friday with her golf buddies.
“You ever have horse meat?”
I met her friends at a little second floor restaurant in a building I regularly go to for buying ESL books. Never noticed it before.
When I sat down, her friends were already eating some pork. Yet a plate of Mr. Ed was also sitting out, ready for grilling. Now, if I didn’t tell you it was horse meat, you’d drool. Look at it.
Deep red. Lean. Full of iron.
When grilled, I dipped it in a little vinegared pepper sauce.
The taste?
I was expecting something gamey, like lamb. But it was like a straightforward beef. I was struck by how tender it was. I didn’t ask what part of the horse it came from, but my guess is the tenderloin. Strong red meat flavor. But I had to be more certain. There’s only one way to find out.
Mmm… horse sashimi!
Look how little fat is there! It tasted like the reddest tuna and was almost as soft. Not much chewing going on there.
Yet being as clever as Koreans are, I couldn’t resist the horse meat being transformed into one of the greatest dishes of Korean cuisine…
Yuk Hui 육회.
I’ve said before that Yuk Hui beats the pants off of any Parisian steak tartare. In this case, the horse meat is sliced into ribbons and mixed with sesame oil, big chunks of raw garlic and pine nuts served on a bed of julienned Korean pear.
Fruity. Nutty. Garlicky. Many layers of flavors with that rich iron beefiness. The mouthfeel was chilly, soft and slippery with the sesame oil. It was so slippery that it was hard to chew without it just sliding down my throat.
I ate so much of this, that Soo-jung’s golf friends just put the plate in front of me to finish.
Then came another great surprise.
Samgyeopsal 삼겹살.
But Joe, that’s not anything special.
Yes, but this is Ddong Dwaeji Samgyeopsal 똥 돼지 삼겹살, the famous “poo pig.”
I was disappointed–okay, relieved–to again confirm that none of these pigs fed off of human feces, like the name implies. It’s more of a name given to the black pigs of Jeju Island.
The owner had sat down with us and told me that there is such great competition amongst Jeju pig farmers that they really take care of their pigs. They’re free range and live like pigs are supposed to live. Happy pigs.
See that? That’s a happy pig.
Sweet, sweet pork. Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet pork. The juices from the fat explode flavor all over the mouth. Americans have no idea what real pork should taste like–well, ones that depend on the bland pork from the local megamarket.
So, Friday night’s dinner was Jeju Halla Pork.
And happy Jeju horse.
Heh, didn’t know horses had fingers.
Update:
I went back to the building and found out the name. Look in the comments for directions. Or rather, go out exit one. Pass NC Department Store. Cross the street and cross left, in effect, going diagonally. Look for a Family Mart. It’s on the second floor of that building with this sign.
April 25, 2009
Eun Jeong Made Kimchi
Can you believe that this was Eun Jeong’s first time making kimchi?
I’ve already made kimchi three times in the past couple of years. Back when I made my Zen’s Signature Kimchi two years ago, she discouraged me from doing so because it was a lot of work.
So, I don’t know where she got this bug to make it this year. And, no, we’re not expecting. It’s now Kimjang, the kimchi making season. We were supposed to do it together this weekend, but brining the cabbage took a lot longer than anticipated. She ended up making it while I was at work on Monday.
Before leaving for work, I told her the flavors I liked in kimchi, ginger, jeotgal (that fishy stuff) and fruitiness (preferably from Korean pears). She incorporated some of my requests and ended up with a damn fine kimchi. She was so proud of herself and said it was so easy that I have a feeling that we won’t be shopping for E-Mart kimchi anymore. Good idea in this economy.
Monday evening, we had a little kimchi celebration feast with the foods that we each love during winter. She made a Doenjang Jjigae with Naengi.
Pork and kimchi are always great together. The things that look like French fries are a batch of Hangjeongsal. Only the best.
I mentioned that I also love oysters in my kimchi, so she got them separately. I dressed them with a lot of fresh lemon juice (almost a ceviche) and Alabama Sunshine hot sauce. Eun Jeong’s never been a fan of shellfish, but this has converted her. She bought more oysters last night so I could make it again. And I’ve said before, the oysters in Korea are the best I’ve ever had, and I come from near the oyster rich region of Appalachicola.
Needless to say that meals like Monday night make me feel privileged to live in Korea. You can’t eat like this anywhere else–especially on our current budget.
December 4, 2008
Hangjeongsal 항정살: The Perfect Pork
I’m surprised that I haven’t heard many people talk about this, much less know what this is.
The biggest complaint about Samgyeopsal and its variations is its greasiness. Diners dab their meat with tissue paper before, saying that there is such a thing as too much pork fat.
That’s an absurd thought in my world, but I’ve been known to have the odd absurd thought myself.
Next time you’re at your butcher or House of Dwaeji (that’s “pig” for you English speakin’ folk) try a bit of Hangjeongsal. It’s the perfect balance of both worlds. It has marbling similar to a beef rib-eye steak, just enough fat to soak up flavor but not so much that it gives your mouth a lube job. It has a firm bouncy texture and contains no tiny bones.
So, where does this magical meat come from?
I asked the usual suspects, and they didn’t know. So the usual suspects accompanied me to the butcher to find out. It comes from the front of the neck. It’s also a bit pricier than other cuts because there’s so little of it per swine. Yet the price isn’t astronomical. I think it’s because people haven’t discovered it. Or rather, it hasn’t been recognized by fancy restaurants–kind of like how monkfish was considered a trash fish ten years ago but is so revered in culinary circles these days.
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UPDATE 2018
It’s pork jowl. Mystery solved.
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Just look at it.
October 13, 2008
Grilled Pork WITH SKIN (Ggeobdegi Ogyeopsal 껍데기 오겹살)
Yeah, we know Samgyeopsal. Now get ready for Ogyeopsal. The “sam” in Samgyeopsal means “three,” as in “three layered pork.”
So Ogyeopsal loosely means “five layered pork.”

What’s the fifth layer?
Well, if you’re a little vigilant, it’s the prize in the cereal box for pork lovers: the skin. Not all Ogyeopsal has skin, though. Yet if the menu says “Ggeobdegi Ogyeopsal 껍데기 오겹살,” it definitely will have it.
Oh, crispy goodness.
April 4, 2007