Seoul Hounds Dog Meat Vendors For Cleaner Chow

I think there is a common stereotype that a lot of Asian cultures have dog as an Asian cuisine. Well, the fact is, there are some select groups and places in China, Vietnam and in Korea that do eat dog. If you ask me, I don’t have a problem with that – meat should be meat except for eating your fellow human being. Though I can see how people in general would find it difficult to ear a domesticated pet. In today’s Wall Street Journal, the newspaper reports that “Seoul Hounds Meat Vendors For Cleaner Chow:”

“…A century ago, when South Korea was a poor, closed and largely agrarian society, dogs were more commonly eaten than other animals. Big animals like ox were valued for their ability to carry loads and people could be penalized for eating them. Dog, which is typically lighter and sweeter-tasting than beef, is also eaten in China and Vietnam. No official estimates exist on the size of South Korea’s dog-meat industry. A 2006 survey by KBS-TV, one of the three main national networks, found that one in three respondents had eaten dog meat. It also found that consumption patterns were no different between people who had dogs as pets and those who didn’t. Only 9% of respondents thought it should be banned.”

Apparently, the Korean government started to ban dog-meat restaurants in the mid-1980s because of worries about the image they would send during the 1988 Olympics the city hosted. Although dog mean is still officially banned within the city of Seoul (and legal outside of the city), you can still find dog being served and can be easily found in the city, though not openly advertised.

The article goes on to describe how restaurant owners would like the dog meat industry to become regulated, giving a legitimacy to the cuisine and increasing the cuisine’s image, popularity and consumption. Personally, I wouldn’t mind at least trying dog at least once (I wonder if it tastes like chicken? 🙂 ). Dog food has a whole new meaning to me now! Has anybody out there ever tried dog?