What to eat on Dragon Boat Festival in South Korea: A combination of traditional cuisine and modern hot spots
The Dragon Boat Festival is an important festival in the East Asian cultural circle, and South Korea is no exception. South Korea’s Dragon Boat Festival (단오절) has unique customs and food culture. This article will combine hot topics and hot content in the past 10 days to explore what Koreans eat during the Dragon Boat Festival and the cultural significance behind these delicacies.
1. Traditional food during Korean Dragon Boat Festival

South Korea’s traditional Dragon Boat Festival cuisine is mostly based on seasonal ingredients and pays attention to health and wellness. The following are common traditional foods during the Korean Dragon Boat Festival:
| Food name | main ingredients | cultural significance |
|---|---|---|
| Wormwood cake (쑥떡) | Wormwood, glutinous rice flour, red beans | Symbolizes exorcism, avoids disaster, and prays for health |
| Cherry pancake (앵두화채) | cherries, honey, ice cubes | Cool and relieve the heat, symbolizing the arrival of summer |
| Daigo soup (제호탕) | Pears, honey, ginger | Nourish the body and relieve summer fatigue |
| Carp cake (잉어빵) | Flour, red bean paste | Symbolizing the carp leaping over the dragon gate, praying for good luck |
2. The connection between hot topics on the Internet in the past 10 days and the Korean Dragon Boat Festival
In the past 10 days, hot topics about South Korea’s Dragon Boat Festival on the Internet have mainly focused on modern innovations in traditional cuisine, healthy eating trends, and cultural exchanges. The following is a summary of relevant hot topics:
| hot topics | Related content | Discussion popularity |
|---|---|---|
| healthy eating trends | Low-sugar version of mugwort cake becomes internet celebrity food | high |
| renaissance of traditional culture | Young people participate in Dragon Boat Festival folk activities | in |
| Food innovation | The combination of cherry pancake and modern drinks | high |
| international cultural exchange | Differences between Korean Dragon Boat Festival and Chinese Dragon Boat Festival | in |
3. Modern innovations in Korean Dragon Boat Festival cuisine
With the rise of healthy eating and Internet celebrity culture, traditional Korean Dragon Boat Festival food is also constantly innovating. For example, mugwort cake now has a low-sugar version, which is more suitable for the health needs of modern people; cherry pancake has been incorporated into milk tea and smoothies, becoming a popular summer drink. These innovations not only retain the essence of traditional culture, but also attract the attention of more young people.
4. Comparison of food between Korean Dragon Boat Festival and Chinese Dragon Boat Festival
Although the Korean Dragon Boat Festival and the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival have the same origin, they have obvious differences in food. The following is a comparison of Dragon Boat Festival delicacies between the two countries:
| Food Category | Korean Dragon Boat Festival | Chinese Dragon Boat Festival |
|---|---|---|
| staple food | Wormwood cake, carp cake | Zongzi |
| drinks | Cherry fried, Daigo soup | Realgar wine, mung bean soup |
| Symbolic meaning | Exorcism, health | Commemorate Qu Yuan and pray for blessings |
5. Summary
The food culture of South Korea's Dragon Boat Festival not only retains traditional characteristics, but also incorporates modern elements. From mugwort cakes to cherry pancakes, these delicacies are not only symbols of the holiday but also reflect Koreans’ emphasis on health and nature. Hot topics in the past 10 days show that the combination of traditional culture and modern life is becoming a new trend, and Korean Dragon Boat Festival food has also taken on new vitality.
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