Elderly South Koreans savour last season of dog meat before ban fully enforced in 2027

A crowd of mostly elderly South Koreans gathered Friday for lunch at a market in Seongnam, one of the country’s best-known hubs for dog meat. Considered by some in the country to be a dish that promotes stamina, dog meat is often consumed during the hottest time of the year. So, the third boknal or “hot day” of 2026 evoked a sense of finality among diners ahead of a nationwide ban on dog meat set to take full effect in February 2027.