A warm Ghibli-style illustration showing a foreign family enjoying traditional Korean samgyetang together inside a cozy Korean restaurant during summer.

Don’t Miss These Foods in Korea #46. Samgyetang: Why Koreans Eat Hot Ginseng Chicken Soup in the Middle of Summer

If you visit Seoul during the summer, one thing will surprise you very quickly: Korean summers are intense.

July and August in Seoul are filled with heavy humidity, blazing sunlight, and heat rising from the pavement. Even walking a few minutes around the Han River or climbing out of a subway station can leave you sweating immediately.

Naturally, many foreign travelers expect Koreans to eat cold food during this season.

But something interesting happens every summer in Korea.

Instead of looking for iced meals, long lines begin forming in front of restaurants serving steaming hot chicken soup.

That dish is called Samgyetang.

Samgyetang is one of the most iconic Korean summer foods and one of the best foods to try in Seoul if you want to experience Korean culture beyond K-pop and tourist attractions.

For many travelers, it becomes more than just a meal. It becomes a small window into how Koreans take care of themselves — and each other.

1. What Is Samgyetang?

A steaming bowl of samgyetang represents Korea’s traditional summer wellness food culture with tender chicken and rich comforting broth.

Samgyetang is a traditional Korean ginseng chicken soup made with:

• a whole young chicken
• sticky rice
• garlic
• jujubes (red dates)
• Korean ginseng

The chicken is slowly simmered for hours until the meat becomes incredibly tender and the broth develops a rich, comforting flavor.

At first glance, many foreigners think:

“It’s just chicken soup.”

But after trying it, most realize it feels very different from Western-style chicken soup.

The broth is deeper, more herbal, and surprisingly relaxing.

Some travelers describe it as:

• “comfort food”
• “healing food”
• “a wellness meal”
• “the Korean version of recovery soup”

In fact, one of my foreign friends hesitated the first time we entered an old samgyetang restaurant near Gwanghwamun because of the strong ginseng aroma.

But after a few spoonfuls, he looked genuinely surprised and said:

“This feels much lighter and more comforting than I expected.”

Then he quietly finished almost the entire bowl.

That moment stayed with me because it perfectly captured many foreigners’ first reaction to samgyetang.

2. Why Do Koreans Eat Hot Soup During Summer?

This is usually the biggest cultural mystery for foreign visitors.

Why would people eat boiling hot soup during the hottest season of the year?

The answer comes from an old Korean idea called:
“Fight heat with heat.”

In Korea, the hottest days of summer are known as:

• Chobok
• Jungbok
• Malbok

These are traditional “boknal” days associated with restoring energy during extreme heat.

During this season, samgyetang restaurants become incredibly busy.

Inside these restaurants, you will often see:

• families sharing meals together
• office workers sweating over hot soup
• elderly locals drinking small cups of ginseng liquor
• steam filling the entire room

It does not feel like a tourist performance.

It feels like real Korean summer life.

And honestly, that atmosphere is part of what makes samgyetang special.

When you walk into an old restaurant in Seoul during boknal season, you can hear bubbling stone bowls, smell ginseng and garlic in the air, and feel the energy of people trying to recover from the exhausting summer heat.

It becomes more than food.

It becomes culture.

3. The Hidden Charm of Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup

Ingredients such as Korean ginseng, garlic, and jujubes give samgyetang its signature flavor and wellness-focused identity in Korean cuisine.

One of the most surprising things for foreign visitors is the appearance of samgyetang itself.

A whole chicken arrives in a steaming stone bowl, and inside the chicken is sticky rice stuffed with herbs and garlic.

For many first-time visitors, it looks both fascinating and slightly intimidating.

But that unusual presentation is also part of its charm.

The rice inside absorbs the rich broth and becomes soft and creamy, almost like risotto.

Meanwhile, the chicken becomes so tender that it easily falls apart with chopsticks.

The ginseng flavor is probably the most divisive part.

Some people immediately love the earthy herbal aroma.

Others initially say:

“It smells medicinal.”

But interestingly, many travelers begin to appreciate the flavor after a few bites because the soup feels warm, calming, and surprisingly clean.

That is why samgyetang is often connected to Korean wellness culture.

For centuries, Korean food culture has emphasized:

• balance
• seasonal eating
• herbal ingredients
• restorative meals

And samgyetang represents all of those ideas in one bowl.

4. Samgyetang Became Famous Through K-Drama

Interestingly, samgyetang also became internationally famous through K-dramas.

One of the most memorable examples appeared in
Descendants of the Sun starring
Song Joong-ki and
Song Hye-kyo.

In Episode 12, Captain Yoo Si-jin and Sergeant Seo Dae-young carefully prepare samgyetang for Kang Mo-yeon and Yoon Myung-joo.

The scene left a strong impression on many international viewers because it showed something deeply Korean:
caring for someone through food.

In Korean culture, samgyetang is often eaten when:

• someone feels exhausted
• a family member is sick
• students are stressed before exams
• people need energy during summer

So the scene was not simply about cooking.

It symbolized concern, comfort, and emotional care.

After the drama aired, many overseas fans began searching for:

• Korean chicken soup
• Korean ginseng chicken soup
• Samgyetang in Seoul
• Korean healthy food

Even today, some travelers still visit samgyetang restaurants saying:

“I saw this in a Korean drama.”

That alone shows how deeply Korean food culture and K-drama culture are now connected.

5. Samgyetang Feels Surprisingly Emotional

One reason samgyetang remains memorable is because it carries emotional meaning in Korea.

When Koreans say:

“Let’s go eat samgyetang.”

it often means:

“Take care of your health.”

Parents buy it for their children during stressful periods.

Coworkers treat each other to samgyetang during hot summers.

Older family members recommend it when someone looks tired.

In other words, samgyetang is not simply about flavor.

It represents care.

That emotional layer is something many foreign travelers notice unexpectedly while visiting Korea.

Especially inside older restaurants in Seoul, there is a quiet atmosphere that feels very different from trendy cafes or busy tourist areas.

The sound of bubbling soup, the smell of ginseng, and the slow pace of the meal create an experience that stays in your memory longer than expected.

6. How to Eat Samgyetang Like a Local

If you are trying samgyetang for the first time, here is how locals usually enjoy it:

1. Taste the broth first
2. Dip the chicken lightly in salt
3. Eat the sticky rice inside the chicken
4. Pair it with kimchi or kkakdugi
5. Eat slowly and enjoy the warmth

Many Koreans say:

“Your body feels warmer afterward.”

And surprisingly, many visitors agree.

7. My Personal Recommendation in Seoul

If you want to try authentic samgyetang in Seoul, I personally recommend visiting an older local restaurant instead of a modern franchise chain.

One place that both locals and foreign travelers consistently recommend is
Tosokchon Samgyetang.

Located near Gyeongbokgung Palace and Gwanghwamun, this restaurant has become famous among international visitors while still being respected by Seoul locals.

What makes it memorable is not only the food itself, but also the atmosphere:

• the traditional hanok-style entrance
• the long summer waiting lines
• the rich broth
• the generous sticky rice filling

During lunchtime, you can often see:

• Korean office workers
• local families
• tourists from Japan, Europe, and Southeast Asia

all eating together in the same crowded room.

It feels like a small snapshot of modern Seoul.

On rainy summer days, walking through the old streets near Gwanghwamun and eating a steaming bowl of samgyetang afterward can genuinely make you understand why this dish has survived for generations in Korea.

📍 Google Maps : Tosokchon Samgyetang Location

Final Thoughts

For many travelers, samgyetang starts as:

“that Korean chicken soup.”

But after experiencing it in Seoul during summer, it often becomes something much more memorable.

It represents:

• Korean summer traditions
• wellness culture
• family-centered dining
• emotional warmth
• and the uniquely Korean idea that food can help restore both body and mind

If you want to experience Korea beyond famous tourist attractions, samgyetang is one of the best Korean foods you can try.

And perhaps that is why Koreans still return to it every single summer.

📚 Sources & Notes

This article is based on firsthand observations and cultural experiences living in Seoul, combined with Korean food culture references, local dining trends, and contemporary travel insights related to samgyetang and Korean summer wellness cuisine.

References include traditional Korean culinary culture, Seoul local dining experiences, Korean summer “boknal” traditions, and K-drama-related food tourism trends connected to Descendants of the Sun.

Restaurant information and travel details may change depending on season, operating hours, and local conditions. Visitors are encouraged to check official maps, listings, and recent reviews before visiting restaurants in Seoul.