End of an Era: South Korea Says Goodbye to Dog Meat Soup, Leaving Elderly Loyalists Hungry

South Korea is set to impose a comprehensive ban on the sale of dog meat dishes in February 2027. Restaurants in Moran Market have switched to alternatives, and the elderly, loyal customers, are painfully parting with the traditional dish. Restaurant owner Lee Kang-chun recounts tears as his older customers leave empty-handed.

South Korea is set to impose a comprehensive ban on the sale of foods made from dog meat, with the prohibition taking full effect in February 2027. The law, passed by parliament in early 2024 and promoted by impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, provided a three-year transition period. According to government data, more than 5,600 businesses were affected by the legislation, and most breeding farms have already closed. In Moran Market in Seongnam, once a bustling hub for dog meat trade, many restaurants have switched to serving black goat stew and other substitutes. The few customers who still order bosintang are mostly elderly. Kim Young-bok, head of the merchants' guild, describes the place as a 'city of old people.' Lee Kang-chun, a restaurant owner in the business for 37 years, expresses mixed feelings: he supports ending dog meat consumption for the country's global image, but finds it hard to see his customers in their 80s and 90s disappointed. Yoo Jin-sam, 69, who has eaten the stew since his twenties, has come to terms with the decree, while Kim Jin-suk, 71, says he has no regrets. The change comes amid a rise in pet adoption and a shift in animal welfare perceptions, and a survey conducted before the law showed more than 80% of the public supported the ban.