I’m Korean. My family does not eat dogs. I don’t mind discussing the issue rationally, but I’m really getting tired of all the jokes. (They’ve been coming fast and furious thanks to the World Cup.) It’s time to set the record straight.
I’ve been doing a little research. An editorial from the Korea Herald points out that “Many Koreans, in fact, do not eat dog meat and are repulsed by the thought of doing so.” It also notes that dog meat supposedly promotes virility, so it “is expensive and is consumed almost exclusively by men.” In other words, this is not a widespread practice. Columnist Tom Purcell points out that “while we think it is terrible South Koreans eat dog, folks in India think it’s ten times more repulsive that we eat cow.” He also adds that the argument that dogs have personality and intelligence is irrelevent, because pigs are way smarter than dogs and we have no misgivings about roasting them on a spit. And the Asian Nation website has my favorite summation so far: “It’s true that some South Koreans eat dog meat just like it’s true that some African Americans eat watermelons and fried chicken. But [Jay] Leno wouldn’t dare make a joke about the latter but thinks it’s fine to offend Asian Americans.”
Anyway, that’s my rant for the day.