This canned and processed pork isn’t considered luxurious in America, but it certainly is when you’re talking about it in South Korea.
That’s right, we’re talking about Spam.
Did you know that South Korea is the second-largest consumer of Spam in the world? The more you know.
In fact, South Korea — which is the home of 50 million people — eats nearly half as much Spam as people in the United States — who has nearly six times more amount in terms of population, according to NPR.
If you’re a fan of Korean food, you may (or may not) noticed that Spam is actually one of the main ingredients in the spicy soup budae jjigae, or “army base stew”, while comes in many variations, usually consists of spices, ramen, Spam, sausage, beans, corn, vegetables, and more.
Looks delicious doesn’t it? It’s definitely a dish you should try if you’re ever in Korea! Or you can head to Maangchi for an amazing recipe.
It’s used to make some of the most delicious looking dishes you’ve ever seen.
Most likely, if you’ve eaten Korean food before, you’ve already encountered Spam in your food before and probably didn’t even realize it.
Spam is so ingrained into the culture of Korea that it comes packaged in seasonal gift boxes that families, friends, and employers can gift even during the Chuseok holidays. According to the company, these seasonal boxes pretty much makes up half of Hormel‘s annual Spam sales. That in itself is pretty amazing and shows just how much Spam is enjoyed in Korea.
Source: NPR
