A three-person serving of bossam with additional side dishes at a restaurant in central Seoul, November 5, 2023. (Photo by Saul Latham)

With the Earth’s axis gradually tilting the Korean Peninsula away from the sun for a few icy months, locals are enjoying the fresh kimchi born out of the yearly kimjang process. But what are they eating it with?

Around this time of year, freshly made kimchi becomes the centerpiece of traditional dining. One way of enjoying the fresh kimchi is with freshly cooked rice (ssalbap); bossam (boiled pork belly wrapped in cabbage); and that distinct, bittersweet potion of passion, the humble and yet magnificent Korean rice wine known as makgeolli.

Cooked rice is of course the foundation of Korean eating and a pillar of the nation. Freshly harvested rice haepssal is a special treat this time of year, helping to keep stomachs full and spirits warm as the days get shorter.

Suyuk (boiled pork belly) is next. The pork is delicately boiled with doenjang (soybean paste), onion, spring onion, ginger and garlic and, after cooling, is sliced into thin and succulent bite-size strips. Take a slice of the pork with some fresh kimchi, and wrap it in a salted Napa cabbage leaf, then put it in your mouth. There you have it: bossam. Previously, “bossam” referred to a Gaeseong, North Korean-style, kimchi, but now it is synonymous for kimchi and boiled pork together.

This succulent dish of boiled pork belly is loved for its tenderness and rich flavors. It beckons both locals and tourists alike. Its subtle flavor and simplicity are complemented by the vibrant tanginess of fresh kimchi.

A beloved Korean staple, fresh kimchi, is at the heart of Korean cuisine and on the minds of health-conscious and intrigued populations around the globe. Sometimes called the “Korean Superfood” because of its health benefits, kimchi is just one of many other small Korean side dishes known as banchan. The meticulous preparation of kimchi during kimjang involves fermenting cabbage or radishes in a seasoned brine that includes chili, garlic, ginger, preserved seafood and spring onion. Each family or regional recipe may have variations on the theme as illustrated by the process of salting the cabbage with seawater from the west coast of Korea.

The magic of this culinary experience arrives when bossam is washed down with a hearty gulp of makgeolli. Makgeolli is a thick white drink with a spectrum of tastes ranging from sweet to dry and bitter. Made through the simple yet complex process of fermenting chapssal (sweet sticky rice) with a traditional wheat-based nureuk (fermentation starter) in water, it has been cherished for centuries. Koreans drink makgeolli from bowls. Observing respectful etiquette and procedure while drinking and dining is not only essential but rewarding.

In Korea’s southwestern province Jeolla-do provinces, a variation on bossam adds a provincial ingredient. Jeolla’s hongeo-hoe is a fermented skate known for the strong ammonia-like smell produced by the fish after storage in a dry cool place, traditionally between hay, but nowadays within a fridge. Although hongeo-hoe is eaten by itself, locals and visitors to the region also combine it with bossam and kimchi in a single stack known as hongeo samhap. The result is a sophisticated combination of textures and flavors, with the tough and aromatic skate pairing with the kimchi and softened by the tender pork. Usually, this “gathering of three” or samhap is enjoyed with richly fermented kimchi, but people are experimenting with freshly made kimchi too.

Ultimately, the best way to understand it all is to dig into some bossam, fresh kimchi and makgeolli and experience it for yourself. Here’s to good health!

Makgeolli is poured into a drinking bowl at a bossam lunch in central Seoul, November 5, 2023. (Photo by Saul Latham)