Heat Wave Boosts Stamina Food Sales in S. Korea

Samgyetang is a traditional chicken soup made with a whole young chicken stuffed with ginseng, sticky rice and garlic. It is widely recognized in the country as an energy-boosting meal during the summer months. (image: Wikimedia)

SEOUL, Jul. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — A prolonged heat wave in South Korea is boosting sales of stamina food in lieu of diet products, industry data showed Tuesday.

The entire country has been hit by scorching weather over the past two weeks, with daytime highs soaring above 38 degrees Celsius in Seoul and most other regions.

According to major online shopping mall Gmarket, the sales of chicken and duck, the main ingredients for soups eaten to boost stamina, surged 57 percent on-year and 167 percent on-year, respectively, between June 19 and July 18. One such food commonly eaten in hot summer weather is “samgyetang,” a traditional Korean soup made with a whole young chicken stuffed with ginseng, sticky rice and garlic.

Sales of abalone and small octopus, also known as stamina foods, jumped 57 percent and 6 percent on-year, respectively, during the cited period.

The sales of diet products, meanwhile, decreased, with detox food down 11 percent on-year and diet tea 5 percent on-year during the same period.

(Yonhap)