With the substantial casualties that often come with war, it can undoubtedly be said that war is a progenitor of tragedy. Yet it also generates startling innovations, ones born out of desperacy to survive. Though most people tend to think of weaponry and medical inventions, this also applies to food, necessary in order for people’s continued survival. As war typically drains countries of their assets, including food, is it truly a surprise that the Korean War allowed some of Korea’s most prominent dishes to be created?
The Korean War began when North Korea crossed the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950. This led to war refugees desperately fleeing the violence ravaging the north, heading down to areas like Busan for sanctuary. It was a frantic process; the most important assets at risk were the people themselves, and all other physical belongings were disposable. The Retreat of January 4th was one such occasion that produced many refugees.
When the Incheon Landing allowed South Korea to advance north, the tide began to turn; unfortunately, China's participation in the war pushed them back south of the 38th parallel, and Seoul fell under the control of the north again. During the ensuing Heungnam Evacuation, people from various areas of Korea would head south.
As dozens of refugees gathered south in Busan, it grew from a small fishing village to a bustling city. The refugees came from different regions of Korea, allowing new foods to be made. Though Korea was primarily a nation that relied on rice, the strain created by war forced people to rely more heavily on other resources. In particular, flour and sugar became essential culinary staples, exported from the United States. While naengmyeon originally came from the northern parts of Korea, the arrival of refugees from the north allowed it to be popularized in the south. And, with the introduction of flour, milmyeon—or flour noodles—were born. The two were all but identical, as they used the same soup base and toppings; only the noodles were different.
This was also the birth of some of Busan’s most recognizable dishes, like their pork soup. It should be noted that the use of pork in these southern regions was also a new development, as they had originally relied on beef. It was only after the arrival of refugees that pork-based recipes became popular. In fact, pork soup—which spread rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s—is believed to have taken root during the Korean War when refugees made seolleongtang with pork by-products that they could find instead of beef bones. As restaurants began to spread across various regions, each store would cultivate its own unique taste. Though pork was not necessarily an uncommon ingredient, eating meat and rice in pork broth was a culinary combination that would become primarily widespread in Busan and Gyeongsang-do.
Budae jjigae also arose as a result of the Korean War. Though it is one of Korea’s most trendy and iconic dishes today, what not all people know is that it is the result of unintentional cooperation between two nations. As a fusion food, its roots come from both Korea and America. During and after the war, US military bases were stationed in the south, and American soldiers would bring American products like spam, sausage, and ham with them. As leftovers were leaked by Korean workers, they would be boiled with porridge, creating the antecedent of budae jjigae. From pork soup and milmyeon to budae jjigae, it is clear that the Korean War engendered several new dishes, some of which are indispensable parts of today’s Korean cuisine.
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