Why Do Koreans Celebrate Boknal? Korean Summer Traditions, Samgyetang, and Health

Boknal (복날) is a traditional Korean summer custom centered around the three hottest days of the year. Known collectively as Sambok (삼복, 三伏), these days have long been associated with eating nourishing foods such as samgyetang, chicken soup, eel, and loach soup to restore energy during the hottest part of summer. Although Boknal is not a public holiday, it remains a familiar seasonal tradition that can still be seen in Korean restaurants, supermarkets, workplaces, and family gatherings every summer.

What Is Boknal? Understanding Korea's Three Hottest Days

If you visit Korea in the middle of summer, you'll probably hear people say, "Today is Chobok." For Koreans, it's a familiar phrase that signals the arrival of the hottest season. For many visitors, however, it raises an interesting question: Why do the hottest days of the year have special names, and why does everyone suddenly start talking about food?

Boknal (복날) refers to three specific summer days called Chobok (초복), Jungbok (중복), and Malbok (말복). Together, they are known as Sambok (삼복, 三伏), and they usually fall between mid-July and mid-August. Traditionally, these are considered the hottest and most humid days of the Korean summer.

The Chinese character bok (伏) literally means "to lie down" or "to submit." It reflects the idea that even people must yield to the overwhelming heat of midsummer. Rather than marking a festival or holiday, Boknal represents a season that Koreans have long regarded as the most physically demanding time of the year.

Unlike holidays with fixed dates, Boknal changes every year because it follows the traditional East Asian calendar. That's why many Koreans check the dates of Chobok, Jungbok, and Malbok whenever summer begins.

What Does Boshin Mean? Korea's Traditional Way of Restoring Energy

To understand Boknal, it helps to understand another Korean concept: boshin (몸보신).

Rather than referring to a specific food, boshin means restoring your strength by eating nourishing meals. Koreans often use this expression when someone feels exhausted, is recovering from illness, or simply needs extra energy during a demanding season.

Long before air conditioners and refrigeration became common, surviving the Korean summer was much more difficult than it is today. Farmers spent long hours working outdoors under intense heat, making fatigue and loss of appetite common challenges.

Instead of avoiding heavy meals, people believed that eating nutritious foods helped their bodies recover and endure the rest of the summer. In that sense, Boknal meals have always been about more than satisfying hunger—they represent wishes for health, strength, and well-being.

Like preparing kimchi before winter or getting ready for the rainy season, celebrating Boknal reflects Korea's long tradition of adapting daily life to the changing seasons.

Popular Foods Eaten During Boknal

The food most closely associated with Boknal is samgyetang (삼계탕), a whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice and slowly simmered with ginseng, garlic, jujubes, and other ingredients. On Boknal, it's common to see long lines outside samgyetang restaurants as families, friends, and coworkers gather to enjoy a meal together.

Samgyetang, however, is only one of many foods enjoyed during Boknal. Different regions and families have their own traditions, and the focus has always been on restoring energy rather than eating one specific dish.

Traditional samgyetang ingredient kits sold in Korea

Ready-made samgyetang ingredient kits sold in a Korean supermarket for families preparing Boknal meals at home.

Popular Boknal Food	Why Koreans Eat It
Samgyetang	A nourishing chicken soup made with ginseng, garlic, glutinous rice, and medicinal ingredients.
Baeksuk	Simply boiled chicken, often shared with family as a comforting meal.
Grilled eel	Popular for restoring energy during the hot summer months.
Chueotang	A hearty loach soup enjoyed in many parts of Korea.
Yukgaejang	A spicy beef soup believed to help people sweat and regain their strength.

Since I've already shared the history, ingredients, and recipe for samgyetang in a previous post, I'd like to focus here on Boknal itself—the tradition that brings these foods together every summer.

From Bosintang to Samgyetang: How Boknal Food Culture Has Changed

When talking about Boknal, it's impossible to completely ignore Bosintang (보신탕), a traditional Korean dog meat soup that was once considered one of the seasonal foods some Koreans ate during Boknal.

Today's Korea, however, looks very different.

As more people consider dogs part of the family and awareness of animal welfare has grown, public attitudes toward dog meat have changed dramatically. Reflecting this shift, the Korean National Assembly passed a law in 2024 to phase out the breeding, slaughter, distribution, and sale of dogs for human consumption, with the ban taking full effect in 2027.

As a result, modern Boknal is now overwhelmingly associated with foods such as samgyetang, baeksuk, grilled eel, and chueotang, while bosintang has become part of the historical story of how Boknal traditions have evolved over time.

Why Do Koreans Eat Hot Food on the Hottest Days?

One of the questions visitors ask most often is surprisingly simple:

"Why would anyone eat hot soup in the middle of summer?"

In Korea, there is a traditional saying called Iyeol Chiyeol (이열치열, 以熱治熱), which literally means "fight heat with heat." The idea is that eating hot food and allowing the body to sweat naturally can leave you feeling refreshed and help you recover from the exhausting summer heat.

Today, most Koreans don't think of this as medical advice. Instead, it's understood as a long-standing food tradition that has been passed down through generations. Some people still insist that summer doesn't feel complete without a bowl of steaming samgyetang, while others prefer cold noodles, watermelon, or other refreshing foods.

Even so, samgyetang remains the dish many Koreans think of first when Boknal arrives—not simply because it's delicious, but because it has become a symbol of how Koreans have welcomed and endured the hottest days of summer for generations.

Is Boknal a Public Holiday? What You'll Actually See in Korea

Chicken display in a Korean supermarket during Boknal

A supermarket chicken display during Boknal. Many Korean supermarkets create special displays for whole chickens and other ingredients used in traditional summer meals.

Boknal is not a public holiday. Schools, offices, and businesses all operate as usual. Even so, it's surprisingly easy to tell when Boknal has arrived because the atmosphere changes across Korea.

Around lunchtime, coworkers often ask one another, "What should we eat for Boknal today?" Some companies organize group lunches at samgyetang restaurants, while others simply encourage employees to enjoy a nourishing meal. Supermarkets place chickens, ginseng, garlic, and other ingredients together in eye-catching displays, and TV programs begin sharing tips on staying healthy during the summer heat.

Growing up, Boknal always felt like a familiar part of summer in my family. My father would prepare samgyetang using a native Korean chicken and a variety of medicinal herbs. After we finished the chicken, we would add rice to the rich broth and make a comforting rice porridge. It was one of those simple family traditions that quietly marked the middle of summer.

Later, when I started working, I noticed that the tradition continued in a different way. My company would arrange meals at a nearby samgyetang restaurant for employees, but the restaurant was always so crowded on Boknal that we often avoided the busiest lunch hours. Looking back, I realized it wasn't just about eating chicken soup—it was about taking a break together and reminding one another to stay healthy through the hottest part of the year.

Although Boknal isn't celebrated with parades or festivals, moments like these show how deeply it remains woven into everyday Korean life. For some people, it's simply lunch with coworkers. For others, it's a family meal or a phone call reminding parents to take care of themselves. Either way, Boknal continues to bring people together every summer.

Do Young Koreans Still Celebrate Boknal?

Like many traditions, Boknal has changed over time.

Many younger Koreans no longer feel that they must eat a particular dish on Boknal. Some still enjoy samgyetang, while others choose grilled eel, barbecue, cold noodles, or even dessert instead. The menu has become more flexible, but the idea behind the tradition remains surprisingly familiar.

Rather than following an old custom simply because previous generations did, many people now see Boknal as a seasonal reminder to slow down, eat well, and take care of themselves during Korea's hottest weeks.

In that sense, Boknal has become less about tradition itself and more about sharing a meal and wishing one another good health.

Why Does Boknal Still Matter Today?

Every country has its own way of dealing with summer.

In Korea, people have long marked the hottest days of the year not by avoiding them, but by facing them together—with nourishing food, shared meals, and small expressions of care for family, friends, and coworkers.

Today, not every family cooks samgyetang at home as they once did. Even in my own family, we sometimes order fried chicken instead. Looking back, I think that's part of what makes Boknal interesting. The menu may change, but the habit of eating something special and checking in on one another has remained.

If you happen to visit Korea in July and notice long lines outside samgyetang restaurants, you're seeing more than people waiting for a popular meal. You're witnessing a tradition that has helped Koreans welcome the hottest days of summer for generations.

More than anything else, Boknal reminds us that food is often about more than eating. Sometimes it's a way of caring for the people around us—and that may be the tradition that has lasted the longest.

Frequently Asked Questions About Boknal

Q. Is Boknal celebrated on the same date every year?

No. Boknal follows the traditional East Asian calendar, so the dates change each year. Chobok, Jungbok, and Malbok usually fall between mid-July and mid-August.

Q. Is Boknal a public holiday in Korea?

No. Schools, businesses, and offices operate as usual, but many people celebrate by enjoying a nourishing meal with family, friends, or coworkers.

Q. Do Koreans have to eat samgyetang on Boknal?

Not at all. Although samgyetang is the best-known Boknal dish, many people choose grilled eel, baeksuk, chueotang, yukgaejang, or any meal they associate with restoring energy.

Q. Do younger Koreans still celebrate Boknal?

Many do, although the tradition has become more flexible. Some people continue to follow the custom, while others simply treat it as a seasonal occasion to enjoy good food and spend time with family or friends.

Q. Is Boknal still changing today?

Yes. Modern Boknal reflects changing lifestyles and social values. While some traditional foods have disappeared from everyday practice, the tradition of sharing nourishing meals during Korea's hottest days remains very much alive.

COMING UP NEXT