In Imja, Sinan, South Jeolla, people pick three representative seafoods and call them the "Imja three delicacies." The Imja three delicacies are croaker, salted shrimp, and pomfret.
Pomfret is one of the representative summer seafoods. Catches increase from May along the SuNAM coast, including Imja and Heuksan in Sinan and Mokpo. At this time, ahead of summer spawning, pomfret is packed with fat.
The name of the pomfret, classified in the Perciformes family Stromateidae, is derived from the Chinese character for "soldier" (兵). It was named because its habit of moving in schools resembles a procession of soldiers. It is like an "army" in the sea.
Pomfret, a white-fleshed fish, is mild and has relatively little fishy smell. The head and mouth are small, but the body is plump. It has few fine bones and little innards, with plenty of flesh. For this reason, it is often enjoyed grilled or steamed. Like gizzard shad, it can be chewed with the bones, so it is also eaten raw sliced together with the bones.
Like hairtail, pomfret does not live long and dies if it comes up to the surface. For this reason, fishing boats flash-freeze pomfret as soon as they catch it to keep it fresh.
In the Honam region, including Mokpo, pomfret is called by various names. Large pomfret is called "deokja," and small pomfret is also called "byeongchi." Large pomfret is good for braising, while small pomfret is good eaten thinly sliced with the bones after removing the fins and innards.
Pomfret is high in protein and rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which also help cardiovascular health and maintaining immunity. Fresh pomfret has bright red gills. It is best to choose ones whose silvery scales remain relatively intact and whose pupils are clear.
There is also "deokdae," a fish that looks just like pomfret. Both are species in the Stromateidae family and are not easy to distinguish by appearance. If the wavy pattern starting from the head continues to the tail, it is pomfret; if it continues only to the pectoral fin, it is deokdae. The taste also differs subtly. Pomfret is mild, while deokdae is fatty and nutty. For this reason, people say pomfret is good grilled or braised, and deokdae is good for sashimi.
In the past, pomfret was caught in large numbers and was among the fish you could eat cheaply. In the short story "Pomfret Sashimi" by novelist Lee Sun, pomfret appears as a fish that even a family in economic ruin could eat without burden.
But in recent years, pomfret catches have dropped sharply. Starting in the 2010s, overfishing by Chinese trawlers caused domestic catches to plummet. As production fell, it became a prized fish, and ordinary people no longer find it as accessible as before.
On June 12–13 next week, BTS will hold a world tour concert in Busan. On the same days, the "Island Pomfret Festival" will be held in Jido, Sinan. There are expectations that ARMY from around the world will enter the country to see BTS. Will the ARMY in the sea—the schools of pomfret—also bring a good catch for the festival?
An official from Sinan County said, "The Island Pomfret Festival is a practical summer festival where local residents and tourists come together," adding, "It will be a great opportunity to experience both the healthy taste of pomfret in season and the nature and culture of Sinan at the same time."