Is Jeju Island’s Fatty Black Pork Doomed? The Battle Over Tradition and Tourism
Table Of Content
- Black Pig: A Quick Revisit
- Tradition Vs Tourism: The Black Pork Controversy
- The Extreme Aftermath: Further Speculations of Black Pork Controversy
- The Path To Revival
- The State Interference
- Black Pig Extinction: Mother Nature’s Poetic Justice
- Will the Jeju Island Fatty Black Pork crisis come to an end?
Has Jeju’s famous tradition, Black Pork, become its black sheep? The soaring negative comments of tourists have taken the tourism industry in Jeju into a whirlwind.
Jeju Island was once named the most popular honeymoon destination in the 2000s and the most popular weekend getaway in South Korea.
Jeju’s picturesque geographical and botanical surroundings have contributed to its soaring tourism business. However, in 2024, the tourism business witnessed a drastic downfall.
Korean visitors dropped from 13.8 million in 2022 to 11.86 million in 2024, and among all the causes that influenced this downfall, the reasons highlighted the most were poor services and culinary disasters.
Well, Well! The mighty Halla has fallen, or has it? Without further ado, let’s find out.
Black Pig: A Quick Revisit
Be it the crusty college goers or the tired corporate workers, Soju and Samgyeopsal have always been the most celebrated duo. Samgyeopsal, or black pork, is Jeju’s native delicacy, attracting thousands of people from around Asia.
Even though the contemporary craze of Samgyeopsal is admirable, it’s always good to know where it all started.
Hop in because we are taking a trip down memory lane!
Kim Tae-kyeong, a fellow meat marketer, reported in his book Start of Samgyeopsal that this food has been enjoyed in Korea since the 1960s and 1970s. Still, it gained significant popularity in the 1980s.
When the country faced a beef shortage, the government encouraged pork and chicken consumption through various policies, elevating these proteins in the national diet.
Of course, the entertainment industry, particularly K-Drama, has popularised the dish, giving it a global fandom.
Tradition Vs Tourism: The Black Pork Controversy
Since I have already explained how black pork, or Jeju black pork, or Samgyeopsal, has such a rich history, I think it’s time I addressed the elephant in the room—well, in this case, the pig.
Recently, amidst the buzzing criticism regarding Jeju’s various drawbacks, an anonymous tourist posted a picture of Samgyeopsal and asserted that he was being charged for “98%” fat, which he did not wish to pay.
This news created a hurricane amongst Jeju’s natives and global fanbase, who equally had critical opinions regarding the unfortunate downfall of its culinary and hospitality industries.
Here comes the hygiene issues related to this controversy. The restaurant in question, Dol Dam Black Pig, has faced serious other accusations of using meat that smelled rotten and even had a strange colour.
Therefore, this raises the steamy question: Is the Korean tradition being abused by the Jeju natives? Or is it just a particular food chain’s fault, and there’s nothing more unruly behind this?
The Extreme Aftermath: Further Speculations of Black Pork Controversy
Many hotel and restaurant owners have mentioned that after this controversy, the few customers who still decided to pay a visit checked the meat thoroughly for excess fat and returned it if they found something unsatisfactory.
As soon as this controversy sparked, several other restaurant owners expressed their dire opinions on this particular restaurant’s callous practice.
People are not okay with the fact that there is a huge trust issue regarding the standard of the Jeju pork, and it is affecting their business.
The surge in demand for overseas travel due to COVID-19 being classified as endemic has sharply declined the number of domestic tourists visiting Jeju.
This black pork controversy has worsened the situation. Domestic tourists comprise around 90 percent of Jeju’s tourism industry, significantly shaping its economic landscape.
Their decline has affected revenue across accommodations, restaurants, and local golf courses.
The Jeju Tourism Association reports that 4.58 million domestic tourists have visited Jeju since May 22, 2024. This is a decrease of 8.4 percent compared to last year.
This presents an opportunity for us to analyze the factors contributing to this change and explore potential improvements moving forward..
Domestic tourists peaked at 13.8 million in 2022 but dropped to 12.66 million in 2023.
Although 98% might be the reason for the downfall, before further speculation, we have to consider that Samgyeopsal is traditionally a fatty dish.
Samgyeopsal, because of its high fat and oil content, is always served with appropriate side dishes to balance it out. One such common side dish is fried anchovies; their salty taste cuts out the extra fat in the pork and evens it out.
So many questions, and no answers whatsoever.
The Path To Revival
Seogwipo City recently conducted an on-site survey to gather insights from representative pork-specialty restaurants.
The survey targeted approximately 70 establishments near popular tourist attractions.
The survey aimed to promote adherence to the pork belly quality control manual established by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs while evaluating the sanitary conditions of food ingredients, including pork.
This approach helps ensure higher standards in food safety and quality. After the incident, it was highlighted that premium meat sourced from Jeju Island was offered in well-known pork belly restaurants nationwide.
The State Interference
On May 2nd, Jeju Governor Oh Young-hoon informed reporters that the hygiene-related department acknowledged the necessity of enhancing guidance and supervision regarding the issue.
He mentioned that an internal review was underway and that efforts to raise public awareness will intensify to prevent similar problems.
However, it was important to recognize the complexities in regulating businesses and the unique aspects of the local food culture.
His remarks sparked a public discussion about the implications of food culture and its effects on customer service.
This underscores the importance of constructive dialogue around cultural perceptions and community engagement.
To improve the various other aspects that were affecting Jeju’s tourism business, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and the Korea Heritage Service organized a campaign called Visit Jeju Heritage 2025, which will last four seasons until November 16.
Black Pig Extinction: Mother Nature’s Poetic Justice
Amongst all this news, what always goes unnoticed is the bigger and much more important news.
While the tourists complain about 2% meat, the rare breed of Black Pig, native to Jeju, has reached the blurry lines of extinction.
Unknown to many diners, the Jeju black pork commonly served in restaurants is crossbred, not the purebred Jeju black pig, which is an endangered species.
Various attempts are being made to ensure the Jeju Black pork survives the extinction. From traditional fermentation methods to genetic conservations, the Jeju natives leave no stone unturned to keep their tradition intact.
Will the Jeju Island Fatty Black Pork crisis come to an end?
Time and again, every single famous tradition has come across its own set of criticisms. While criticism gives us a chance to enhance ourselves, when our traditions face a crisis, it usually hints at a radical change.
Now, the real question remains: Is Jeju’s tradition under threat? What remains at the end of this crisis?
The joint efforts of the natives and the state government have shown us a ray of hope. Will Jeju witness better days ahead? That is an answer only time will tell.
Well, this is my verdict. Until we have the real answer, what do you have to say?
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