How well do we know about the guk and tang dishes that are always a part of our table? 
In this issue, we will look at guk and tang that we always have every day, but did not really know in detail. 

References. ① <Korean Food Humanities>(Kwon Daeyoung, Health Letter)  ② <History of Food: The Story of Korean Food Dug Up from the Classics>(Hwang Gwanghae, Habilis)   ③ <Gukbap>(Korean Food Culture Forum, Tabi)

Q. How is Korean guk different from Western soup?

Guk is different from soup in terms of its role and use. While soup in the West is meant to be eaten in a small portion before the main course, in Korean food, the role of guk is to help chew and swallow the rice, for better digestion. As soda pop is served with hamburger for better digestion and refreshment, rice and guk are a type of accompaniment. Moreover, guk, which is made by using almost all food ingredients, such as meat, shellfish, vegetables and seaweed, serves to supplement the nutrition of rice, which is mostly carbohydrates, and to balance and harmonize nutrients. 

Q. I like to know the difference between tang, jjigae, and jeongol.

• Tang is another word for guk dishes made by boiling ingredients in water. The Korean word for tang is “guk,” and it was written as gaeng(羹) or hwak(倀) in Chinese characters, but was later called tang. Nowadays, the meanings of guk and tang are used interchangeably, but they all originated from guk, as the dish cooked in advance and divided into individual bowls is called “guk,” while the dish boiled and brought to the table and shared is called “tang.” Tang is often boiled more than guk, and the name “tang” was used more than guk to emphasize that it is simmered longer. In general, tang has fewer ingredients and more broth than jjigae or jeongol.
• Jjigae is similar to guk as it is a soupy dish eaten with rice, but it has much less broth than soup, and has a richer seasoning. Jjigae is boiled in a small pot like a ttukbaegi, while the whole pot is put on the table to be shared together. The form of the ingredients is almost preserved. In the past, it was called by various names, such as jjigae, jochi, and jijimi, but now it is collectively known as jjigae.
• Jeongol is a dish cooked in a pot with various ingredients on a brazier next to the table, and boiled with a seasoned broth to be eaten on the spot. Unlike jjigae that is made with one or two main ingredients, jeongol is made by putting a variety of ingredients neatly in order, pouring the broth and boiled before being served right on the table.  

Q. What is the difference between seolleongtang and gomtang?

Seolleongtang is a guk dish made by simmering bones, such as ox leg bones, and has odd and end meats in milky soup. Gomtang is a type of soup made by boiling meat. It has a clear broth with a yellow fat floating up, and it uses fresh meat. Gomtang is a food of banga(班家: noble family), and appears in the cookbooks of the Joseon Dynasty as “goeum(膏飮)” or “gom.” Seolleongtang has been around for a long time, but its name had not been specified or recorded. It is probably because it was a street or tavern food, and was not included in the daily food table. 

Q. I'm curious about Jeju's guk culture, which is different from that of the mainland.

It is said that the people of Jeju never set a table without guk under any circumstances. It seems to be an essential choice as a way of eating coarse multigrain rice, and, in Jeju's daily food, distinct seasoning was not used often. That's why there is no jjigae in Jeju's traditional food. Most of the soup dishes were guk with a single main ingredient and a simple seasoning, rather than jjigae that added pungent seasonings to various ingredients. The special guk dishes from Jeju are momguk(gulfweed soup) made with gulfweed, and Jeju yukgaejang(spicy beef soup) made with bracken. 

Q. Are haejangguk and sulguk the same?

Haejangguk is a combination of “haejang,” meaning relieving a hangover, and “jangguk,” meaning a guk made with soybean paste. It first appeared in the record during the Japanese colonial period. If we look at the old literature, it is said that up to the Joseon Dynasty, our ancestors naturally relieved a hangover by getting fresh air. Then, during the Japanese colonial period, “haejang” and “haejung(original word of haejang)” were mixed together, and haejangguk emerged. On September 12, 1926, in the Dong-A Ilbo, an article mockingly ridiculed an official of the Japanese Government-General of Korea escaping the scene in the Government-General's vehicle without eating “haejangguk.” It is presumed that until the end of the Joseon Dynasty, haejangguk was called sulguk.

Q. Is there an appropriate temperature to eat guk and tang, which are hot soup dishes?

According to the carcinogenicity assessment report published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer(IARC) under the World Health Organization(WHO), “hot drinks” are classified as Group 2A, meaning “the substances that may act as carcinogens for humans.” If you think about the health of the esophagus, it is recommended to cool hot food a little before consumption. Also, the hotter the food, the less salty it tastes, and the more likely you are to consume plenty of sodium. Excess sodium can lead to problems, such as high blood pressure, so be careful. The temperature for food recommended by the WHO is less than 65 degrees, and it is known that jjigae(stew) dishes in restaurants are over 70 degrees, so it is better to let them cool down before eating.