Chobok falls on the 15th. People eat various boknal stamina dishes to beat the heat, but the most popular dish is samgyetang. According to the Samsung Card Blue Data Lab, sales of samgyetang on chobok increase up to 4.5 times compared with weekdays.
Why do so many people look for samgyetang on boknal? The saponin (ginsenoside) component of ginseng, together with chicken protein, boosts stamina and helps relieve fatigue in the body. In particular, saponin, the key component of ginseng, activates immune cells, suppresses the accumulation of lactic acid that causes physical fatigue, and helps blood circulation. Heo Jun wrote in Donguibogam, "Its nature is warm, its taste is sweet or slightly bitter, and it is not toxic. It is used when the energy of the five viscera is lacking, calms the mind, brightens the eyes, and improves memory."
Among common misconceptions about ginseng, there is a prejudice that "people with a lot of heat should not eat ginseng," but research has found that this is not true. In animal experiments by a research team at Konkuk University Glocal Campus, the group that consumed red ginseng showed reduced activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which induces a rise in body temperature, and increased activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, which regulates homeostasis, confirming that changes in body temperature were stably maintained within the normal range. This means ginseng does not raise body temperature; rather, it helps restore balance and calm a body exhausted by the summer heat.
◇ A differentiated ginseng culture, push for inscription on UNESCO cultural heritage
Our ancestors called ginseng "sim." In the medical book Gugup Gani Bang Eonhae, compiled in 1489, it was written as "insam (人蔘)" and translated into Korean as "sim." Heo Jun also wrote "sim" in Korean right below "insam (人蔘)" in Donguibogam. This is also why, upon finding wild ginseng (sansam) in the mountains, people shout "Simbwatta."
Ginseng is not cultivated only in Korea. China's ginseng is called "jeonchilsam," Japan's is "jukjeolsam," and the United States' is "hwagisam." To distinguish it from these, Korea's ginseng is called "Goryeo ginseng." When written in Chinese characters, Goryeo ginseng uses "蔘" (insam sam), while China and Japan use "參" (seoksam), which is another difference.
So distinctive that it is separately called Goryeo ginseng, ginseng is regarded as a uniquely Korean culture beyond an ingredient. NongHyup, together with the Korea Ginseng Association and others, is working to have ginseng cultivation culture inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
A NongHyup official said, "Inscribing ginseng culture on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is more than leaving a record; it is a grand project to protect and pass down to future generations our community culture of cultivating and consuming ginseng," adding, "We will recreate its cultural value so that consuming ginseng becomes a 'process of consuming a healthy culture,' beyond simple nutrient intake."
◇ Ginseng produced across the country… how to best enjoy it
A leading theory holds that ginseng cultivation in Korea originated in the Goryeo era around Mohusan in Dongbok-myeon, Hwasun-gun, South Jeolla Province. Today, ginseng is grown in various regions. Representative production areas include Geumsan in South Chungcheong, Punggi in North Gyeongsang, Hongcheon in Gangwon, and Jangsu in North Jeolla. Ginseng grown on Ganghwa Island in Gyeonggi and in Jangheung, South Jeolla, is also well regarded in the market.
What is a good way to eat ginseng? When adding it to samgyetang, remove the rhizome head and scrub it clean with a brush before use. If you stuff the chicken cavity with glutinous rice and one fresh ginseng root and simmer it for a long time, the nutrients of ginseng permeate the entire broth and also remove the chicken's gamy odor.
During work hours when fatigue hits, steep thinly sliced ginseng in warm water and drink it to recharge quickly. If the bitterness is burdensome, add honey. After washing fresh ginseng, dice it and marinate it in honey—this "ginseng honey preserve" is an excellent nutritious snack for children in their growth period.
Kang Ho-dong, head of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, said, "Ginseng honestly cultivated in our land is a sturdy shield that protects a healthy summer," adding, "We will do our best to manage production thoroughly and adhere to safety standards so we can produce ginseng that consumers can trust and seek out."