At 12:30 p.m. on the 30th, which is Jungbok (the hottest day of summer), Kim, a person surnamed Kim, who was leaving a famous Bosintang restaurant in Seoul after having lunch, said, 'I was surprised to see many empty seats even though I came without a reservation on a dog days.' He added, 'The waiter asked if I would eat black goat, which felt unfamiliar.'
Several factors appear to be at play in this phenomenon. The so-called 'dog meat consumption termination law' passed the National Assembly early last year. If the 3-year grace period is exceeded, it will be fully implemented and punish sales of dog meat. Additionally, the population of companion dogs is steadily increasing. In such a situation where both the supply and demand of Bosintang are likely to decrease, franchises that can be considered 'substitutes' for it, such as black goat, are also emerging one after another.
◇Black goat soup pushing out Bosintang… franchises also emerging in succession
On the morning of the 29th at 11 a.m., the representative of a black goat restaurant near Jongno 5-ga Station in Jongno District, Seoul, said, 'Sales have increased by more than 20% compared to previous years this year,' and added, 'Even on weekdays, the restaurant is full during lunch hours.'
The dining industry is also rapidly entering the black goat franchise market. According to the Fair Trade Commission, three new black goat franchises have been registered this year alone. Born IF, known under the 'Bonjuk' brand, opened its first and second locations this year under the name 'Bon Black Goat Ginseng Chicken Soup.'
Along with this, the breeding and distribution of black goats are also increasing. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the number of goats raised nationwide increased by over 70% from 242,787 in 2013 to 423,430 in 2023. By 2023, there were only two black goat auction houses nationwide, but five were newly established just last year.
◇More than 600 dog farms closed after the passage of the dog meat consumption termination law
The National Assembly passed the 'Dog Meat Consumption Termination Law' in February last year. This law completely bans the breeding, slaughtering, distribution, and sale of dogs for consumption purposes. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, from August 2024, right after the law passed, 623 out of 1,537 dog farms nationwide (about 40%) closed between now and February this year. An additional 315 farms are expected to close by the end of the year.
C, who operates a Bosintang restaurant in Jung-gu, Seoul, said, 'It's almost impossible to find dog meat in the metropolitan area, and I barely receive supplies from the provinces.' D, who runs a Bosintang restaurant in Jongno District, Seoul, commented, 'As rumors spread that the government is stopping it, even though it's the dog days, customers have suddenly stopped coming,' and added, 'If they just forbid it without any measures, what else can we say but to close our business?'
◇One in four households has pets… 'Companion dogs are family'
As the culture of considering companion dogs as family spreads, resistance to consuming dog meat is also growing. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' third comprehensive animal welfare plan, by 2024, 28.6% of all households will have pets, with approximately 5 million of them being companion dogs.
Office worker Jo, aged 24, said, 'When I was younger, my family used to eat dog meat every dog days, but after raising a companion dog, I switched to black goat stew.'
Professor Lee Young-ae from the University of Incheon stated, 'As interest in animal welfare increases, resistance to consuming dog meat has grown,' and added, 'As substitutes become more diverse, the meaning of Bosintang is also changing.'