"It's truly a high-protein, low-fat food. I highly recommend it."
The winter diet food chosen by Davichi member Kang Min-kyung is gwamegi. Among idols who prioritize body management, including singer Kwon Eun-bi, gwamegi is regarded as a staple winter menu.
As the year draws to a close, the peak gwamegi season has begun in earnest. Gwamegi dried in the winter sea breeze tastes best around now. Made by drying Pacific saury or herring in cold winds, gwamegi is known for its chewy texture and nutty flavor. Some dislike the fishy taste and smell, but aficionados said, "That uniqueness is gwamegi's charm."
Gwamegi is a long-standing specialty of the Pohang area. The Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam notes, "Every winter, herring were said to be caught first at Jujin (注津, today's Yeongilman estuary), and only after first offering them to the state did all towns begin fishing. People gauged the year's abundance by the size of the catch." The 18th-century scholar Lee Gyu-gyeong's Ojuyeonmunjangjeonsango includes the expression "yeongwanmok," a smoked-herring dish.
According to Pohang City, the etymology of gwamegi comes from Gwanmokcheongeo (貫目靑魚), meaning herring skewered and dried on a spit. Around Yeongilman, the word "mok" in gwanmok was pronounced "megi," so people said "gwanmegi," which later settled as "gwamegi."
How is gwamegi made? Overnight temperatures drop and the fish freeze, and when the sun comes out during the day, they thaw, repeating the cycle. In this process, impurities are removed and umami concentrates. It is closer to natural aging than simple drying.
It is also rich in nutrients. Gwamegi made from Pacific saury is abundant in the polyunsaturated fatty acids EPA and DHA, which can help with blood pressure control and preventing cardiovascular disease.
It is also high in aspartic acid, which is involved in relieving hangovers, making it a popular bar snack. Its calcium content is five times that of beef, which is good for bone health.
However, people with "gout" should be cautious when consuming gwamegi. The purines in gwamegi produce uric acid during metabolism and can worsen gout symptoms.
The representative production area for gwamegi is Guryongpo in Pohang. More than 80% of the nation's gwamegi comes from here. Annual gwamegi sales are estimated at 60 billion won. Including the draw of festival tourism and employment effects, the regional economic impact reaches the 400 billion won range.
Pohang Mayor Lee Kang-deok said, "In Pohang, we are continuously working to produce high-quality gwamegi," adding, "We hope people will consume a lot of gwamegi to help revitalize the local economy."
☞Gwamegi kimbap recipe
1) Season the rice with perilla oil and salt, and wash the aged kimchi, removing all moisture.
2) Place the rough side of the seaweed facing up, spread a thin layer of rice, and lay seaweed-based greens first to absorb moisture.
3) Lay long strips of aged kimchi and scallions, add gwamegi, roll tightly, and brush the outside with perilla oil.
4) Wet the knife with sesame oil or water, slice with a sawing motion, and serve with chojang alongside garlic and chili peppers.
Tip: Use less rice, plenty of seaweed-based greens, and 2–5 pieces of gwamegi are enough.