The Summer in Korea starts in June and lasts until September, the temperatures is about 22° C to 32° but you can feel hotter because it is very humid. From the beginning of July to early September, South Korea experiences its monsoon season bringing heavy rains or typhoons, the rainy season is called Jangma (장마) in Korea, so don’t forget to bring umbrella or rain coat during your trip. Check-out What to wear and prepare for your Korea trip.
We know that the planet is warming now, and it affects the environment over the world such as Australia fires and sea levels. The climate change also changing the weather in Korea, the Summer starts earlier and it gets hotter, even the agricultural products loss.
As the weather is getting hotter, how can we cool down during Summer in Korea? Korean people traditionally eat Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup) during the hottest days. You may feel strange that how can we eat a hot soup during the hottest days? This is a Korean traditional culture^^ The 3 hottest days of a year are Chobok (초복 beginning of Summer), Joongbok (중복 middle of Summer) and Malbok (말복 last day of Summer), it is one of the seasonal divisions of the year in the lunar calendar.
Korean people spent the 3 hottest days eating Summer food or visit the cool places such as beach or valley. One of the famous Summer food is Samgyetang. Samgyetang is a special ginseng chicken soup. This is the most healthy food in Korea. Usually Korean people eat it with rice. Especially during summer, they eat this soup because they believed eat the hot soup is ”fighting the heat with heat”. If you do not like the smell of ginseng, you can try the DakGomtang (Chicken soup without ginseng).
Another soup is Baeksuk, it is similar to Samgyetang that Korean always eat during Summer, the Baeksuk is made with chicken or pheasant with plenty of water for several hours. However, the term generally indicates dakbaeksuk (chicken baeksuk) or chicken stew, whose recipe and ingredients are similar to Ginseng chicken soup. While Ginseng chicken soup is made with ginseng, various herbs, chestnuts, and jujubes, dakbaeksuk consists of simpler ingredients, such as chicken, water, and garlic. The chicken can be stuffed with glutinous rice.
When the cooking is finished, salt and sliced Welsh onions are added to the bowl according to taste. If the baesuk is not stuffed with glutinous rice, it is usually eaten with cooked rice. Check-out our best Seoul private tour, our guide will bring you to try this dish.
Read more: Summer tours 10 best things to do in Korea in Summer
