Korean Garlic Culture – Why Koreans Eat So Much Garlic
1. The Bear, Garlic, and the Dangun Myth
In a previous post, we talked about the Dangun myth, the famous Korean founding story where a bear and a tiger entered a cave hoping to become human. Do you remember that part of the story?
If you have not read the Dangun myth yet, you may enjoy starting with that story first.
👉 Read the Dangun myth here
Hwanung told them that if they stayed away from sunlight for 100 days and ate only mugwort and garlic, they would become human. In the end, the bear endured the long and difficult time. She became a woman, known as Ungnyeo.
Koreans often say, half-jokingly and half-affectionately, that we are descendants of that patient bear. Perhaps that is why garlic still feels so familiar and comforting to many Koreans today.
Illustration created for bookicooki.
2. Korean Garlic Consumption in Numbers
When someone asks, “Do Koreans really eat that much garlic?” these numbers are usually the first thing that comes to mind.
- Korean annual garlic consumption per person: about 6.2 to 7.4 kg
- Garlic consumption in the United States and some European countries: about 0.9 to 1 kg per person
According to 2021 data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and a 2022 report from the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), Koreans consume far more garlic than many Western countries. Even on a global scale, Korea’s garlic consumption is considered very high.
Garlic is important in Italian cooking too, of course. But in Korea, garlic is often treated less like a small seasoning and more like a vegetable that can be eaten generously.
When you think about kimchi, stews, stir-fried dishes, marinades, and dipping sauces, it is actually harder to find Korean foods that do not use garlic.
3. Samgyeopsal, Pickled Garlic, and Raw Garlic in Everyday Korean Food
When I was young, I did not really understand why adults enjoyed eating raw garlic. The taste felt too sharp and strong to me.
But over time, I began to understand its appeal, especially when eating samgyeopsal wrapped in lettuce. A small piece of raw garlic inside the wrap adds a sharp, spicy bite that somehow makes the whole meal feel complete.
My husband also could not eat raw garlic at first. But after he began eating it with bossam, or boiled pork, he slowly started to enjoy the taste. Now it feels quite natural to him.
Korea also has pickled garlic, often made by soaking garlic and onions in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. In the West, cucumbers may be the most familiar pickled food. In Korea, garlic can become a pickle too.
Earlier this year, we planted garlic in our rooftop garden. My husband pulled out some of the young garlic before it fully matured and made pickled garlic with it. The fresh garlic had a crisp texture, and my parents-in-law especially enjoyed it.
Moments like this make garlic feel like more than just an ingredient. It becomes something that connects generations around the table.
4. Garlic Chicken, Doenjang Jjigae, and Different Ways Families Use Garlic
One of my favorite garlic dishes comes from a small local chicken shop in the neighborhood where my friend lives. It is not a famous franchise, but their garlic chicken is unforgettable.
When garlic is added to the batter and fried with the chicken, it becomes surprisingly soft and sweet. The sharp flavor disappears, and the garlic turns almost mellow, like roasted chestnuts or sweet potatoes.
This kind of chicken tastes best when it is eaten right at the shop. Delivery is convenient, but freshly fried garlic has a fragrance and crispness that changes quickly as time passes.
Although garlic appears in many Korean dishes, there are exceptions. My mother once told me that doenjang jjigae, Korean soybean paste stew, does not always need minced garlic.
I still do not know the exact reason. But when I make doenjang jjigae the way she taught me, the deep, earthy flavor of the soybean paste comes through more clearly. So even now, I usually leave minced garlic out of my doenjang jjigae.
5. How Is Black Garlic Made?
Koreans’ love for garlic does not stop at cooking. Some people also drink black garlic extract as part of their health routine.
Black garlic is not a special black variety of garlic. It is made by aging regular white garlic for a long period of time under controlled heat and humidity.
Usually, garlic is kept at around 60 to 80°C for more than two weeks. During this process, the Maillard reaction takes place, gradually turning the garlic dark.
After aging, the strong spicy flavor becomes much milder. The texture turns soft and chewy, and the taste becomes sweet. For some people, black garlic feels more like dried fruit or jelly than garlic.
In Korea, black garlic is often sold as juice, extract, or health food.
6. Garlic, Always Somewhere in a Korean Refrigerator
When I was younger, I often helped my mother crush garlic using a small household mortar and pestle. There was something oddly satisfying about pounding the garlic and hearing that steady sound.
These days, ready-made minced garlic is easy to buy, so many households simply keep a container of it in the refrigerator. Still, it is hard to imagine a Korean refrigerator without garlic in some form.
For Koreans, garlic is more than just a cooking ingredient. From an ancient myth to everyday meals, garlic has stayed close to Korean life for a very long time.
If you ever travel to Korea, try a dish with plenty of garlic in it. The flavor may feel stronger than expected at first, but it may also become surprisingly familiar before you know it.
Coming Up Next
If Koreans eat so much garlic, why don't they smell like it?
It’s a mystery that fascinates many travelers: How do Koreans consume massive amounts of garlic and spices yet remain virtually free of body odor? While researchers point to a unique genetic trait, Korea’s deep-rooted hygiene habits also hold a piece of the puzzle.
👉 Discover the "No-Smell" Gene Secret