Imagine a brutally hot summer day.
The temperature is climbing, you’re already sweating—and someone puts a bowl of boiling-hot chicken soup in front of you.
In Korea, that’s not unusual.
It’s called samgyetang (삼계탕), and CRAVITY’s Allen chose it when asked which Korean food he would recommend to international fans.
His reason was simple: he considers it a healthy food.
But that raises a much more interesting question.
Why do Koreans deliberately eat piping-hot chicken soup during the hottest days of summer?
What Is Samgyetang?
Samgyetang is a traditional Korean chicken soup.
A small whole chicken is typically stuffed with glutinous rice and simmered with ingredients such as garlic, jujubes and ginseng.
The result is very different from Korea’s fiery red stews.
Samgyetang is generally mild.
The chicken cooks until tender, while the rice inside absorbs the broth and becomes soft and comforting.
And unlike fried chicken or Korean barbecue, samgyetang has long been associated with nourishment and restoring energy.
Why Did Allen Recommend It?
In a Soompi interview, CRAVITY members were asked which Korean foods they would recommend to international fans.
Allen chose samgyetang, explaining that he thought it was good for your health.
That’s actually a useful choice for someone trying Korean food for the first time.
Many internationally famous Korean dishes are spicy, heavily seasoned or grilled.
Samgyetang shows another side of Korean cuisine:
simple ingredients, a mild broth and a focus on nourishment.
Why Eat Hot Soup in Hot Weather?
Here’s where samgyetang gets fascinating.
Korea has an expression:
이열치열 (以熱治熱)
It roughly means “fight heat with heat.”
Instead of cooling down with only cold food, the idea is to eat something hot and nourishing, sweat and restore the energy believed to be depleted during intense summer weather.
Samgyetang is especially associated with Sambok, traditionally considered the three hottest periods of the Korean summer.
On these days, samgyetang restaurants can become packed with customers.
So while an icy bowl of naengmyeon makes perfect sense on a hot day, Koreans also have the exact opposite answer:
boiling chicken soup.
What Does Samgyetang Taste Like?
If you expect the aggressive spice of Korean ramyeon or tteokbokki, you may be surprised.
Samgyetang’s broth is usually subtle and savory.
Garlic adds depth, while ingredients such as ginseng and jujube give the soup a distinctive herbal character.
The chicken itself is tender enough to pull apart easily.
Inside, you’ll find soft glutinous rice that has absorbed the chicken broth.
Salt and pepper are often provided separately, allowing diners to season the meat and soup according to their own taste.
Is There Really Ginseng Inside?
Yes.
The name explains the dish.
Sam (삼) refers to ginseng, while gye (계) refers to chicken and tang (탕) means soup.
Ginseng is one of the ingredients that gives samgyetang its reputation as a nourishing meal.
That also makes the dish particularly interesting for international visitors.
You’re not simply eating Korean chicken soup.
You’re experiencing a food tied to Korea’s traditional ideas about season, heat and restoring the body.
Should First-Time Visitors Try Samgyetang?
Absolutely—especially if spicy Korean food isn’t your thing.
Samgyetang provides a very different introduction to Korean cuisine from the dishes that tend to go viral overseas.
There’s no flaming-red sauce.
No tabletop grill.
No extreme spice challenge.
Just a whole chicken, rice, garlic, ginseng and a warm broth.
And if you happen to visit Korea during the hottest part of summer, don’t be surprised to see people lining up for it.
That’s the paradox that makes samgyetang memorable:
The hotter the weather gets, the hotter the soup becomes.
CRAVITY’s Allen recommends it.
Koreans have been eating it through summer heat for generations.
Maybe sweating over a bowl of chicken soup isn’t such a strange idea after all.