Ongoing Controversy Over 'Fatty Samgyeopsal'
"Purchased in Seongnam, Gyeonggi... Filled Only with Fat"
Since March 3rd, Samgyeopsal Day (Samsam Day), the controversy over 'fatty samgyeopsal' has been steadily emerging on social networking services (SNS). In response, the government has taken active measures such as creating and distributing manuals, but consumer dissatisfaction continues.
On the 10th, a post titled "A 70-year-old mother who bought samgyeopsal that her grandchildren like" was uploaded on an online community, attracting attention. The author, Mr. A, said, "My 70-year-old mother bought samgyeopsal that her grandchildren like after hearing that her daughter was bringing the grandchildren," and "She purchased it at a market in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province. One portion was an honest samgyeopsal with half lean meat and half fat, but the other portion was all in that state," sharing photos.
Looking at the photos shared by Mr. A, the ratio of fat to lean meat is about 8 to 2, and the white fat is visibly abundant. It is confirmed that not only specific pieces of meat but all meat chunks are mostly composed of fat. Mr. A asked for opinions, saying, "I wonder if I am being sensitive or if the butcher shop is the problem. I am curious about what others think."
Netizens who saw the story responded with comments such as, "At that level, it should be renamed 'fat' instead of samgyeopsal," "You could probably power a car with the oil that comes out when grilling," "What on earth are they selling for people to eat like that?" and "Isn't that fat meant for wiping the grill?" Mr. B, who introduced himself as a self-employed butcher shop operator, criticized, "I currently run a butcher shop, and it’s impossible not to notice when there is that much fat. Usually, we give other cuts of meat or sell it cheaper," adding, "It seems like an elderly person in their 70s was overcharged. People like that damage the image of self-employed business owners."
The "Samgyeopsal Quality Management Manual" containing the recommended fat content standards for samgyeopsal, distributed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. [Photo by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs]
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs created and distributed the 'Samgyeopsal Quality Management Manual' last October, which includes recommended standards for samgyeopsal fat content. According to the manual, for small-packaged samgyeopsal, fat thickness should be managed to be 1 cm or less, and for ogyeopsal (five-layer pork belly), 1.5 cm or less. It is recommended to remove or consider discarding excessively fatty parts. Lotte Mart also introduced an AI inspection system for samgyeopsal at its Fresh Quality Innovation Center starting in February, and Shinsegae inspects samgyeopsal based on standards such as fat thickness and fat ratio.
However, even recently, samgyeopsal with excessive fat continues to appear frequently, raising criticism that the manual is merely a recommendation. Since last year, Koreans have consumed the most pork among the three major meats (pork, beef, and chicken), and samgyeopsal is the most preferred pork cut (62.3%), showing the special affection for samgyeopsal, highlighting the need for self-regulation.
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