South Koreans are flocking to restaurants to consume traditional dog meat dishes during the final summer heat wave before a nationwide ban takes full effect in February 2027. Government data shows more than 5,600 businesses will be affected, while shifting public sentiment heavily favors the prohibition.
For decades, these sweltering days marked peak business for the country’s dog meat restaurants. But this year’s seasonal festival serves as the last chance for patrons to order bosintang, a traditional dog meat stew, before the government’s sweeping legislation takes complete effect.
The Decline of Moran Market and Changing Culinary Traditions
At the Moran Market in the city of Seongnam—once recognized as the most famous center for dog meat commerce in the country—the landscape is shifting rapidly. Many long-standing establishments have already replaced their primary offerings, pivoting instead to black goat stews and alternative menu items. Among the vendors is a business owner who operated in the market for 37 years. The vendor noted that while the phasing out of dog meat aligns with modern national identity and changing social attitudes, it remains a bittersweet transition given that regular patrons aged 70 to 90 have consumed the dish for decades.
Government figures indicate that more than 5,600 businesses face direct impacts from the legislative overhaul. Despite the broad economic footprint across the supply chain, the majority of dog farm operations have already closed their doors ahead of the official deadline.
Legislative Timeline and Public Sentiment Shift
The systematic dismantling of the industry gained substantial momentum under the administration of former President Yoon Suk-yeol and former First Lady Kim Keon-hee. In January 2024, the South Korean parliament passed legislation explicitly banning the breeding, butchering, distribution, and sale of dogs for human consumption. Lawmakers built a three-year grace period into the statute, setting the final enforcement date for February 2027, at which point violators will face prison sentences and financial penalties.
Public polling demonstrates a profound generational and cultural shift regarding the practice. A survey conducted prior to the passage of the 2024 law revealed that more than 90 percent of 2,000 respondents reported no intention of consuming dog meat in the future. Furthermore, over 80 percent of those surveyed supported the legislative ban, and nearly 95 percent confirmed they had not eaten dog meat at all during the preceding year.
State Support and the Enforcement Horizon
As the final deadline approaches, authorities have pledged financial and administrative assistance to farmers, distributors, and restaurant owners compelled to shutter or convert their operations. Although the government promised support to ease the economic disruption, the rapid closure of breeding facilities underscores how quickly the commercial sector is collapsing under the weight of the new legal framework.
When the full ban takes effect in February 2027, a dietary practice that defined South Korean summers for generations will formally end, leaving remaining diners to finish their final bowls of bosintang as an era concludes.
