연합뉴스
| yna@yna.co.kr 2025-01-01 09:00:15
*Editor’s note: K-VIBE invites experts from various K-culture sectors to share their extraordinary discovery about the Korean culture.
Choi Man-soon's Medicinal K-Food: Sundae as a Macrobiotic Food
By Choi Man-soon, Food Columnist and Director of the Korea Traditional Medicine Food Research Institute
Korean sundae exemplifies the principle of "il-mul-jeon-che" (一物全體), which advocates using the entire ingredient. By utilizing pork intestines, blood, meat, organs, and bones, sundae embodies the philosophy of respecting every part of nature's bounty. Additionally, it aligns with the Korean concept of "sin-to-bul-i" (신토불이), emphasizing the use of locally sourced ingredients.
This traditional dish reflects more than sustenance—it signifies a lifestyle philosophy of harmony with nature and reverence for the entirety of food resources. This ethos parallels the global dietary approach known as macrobiotics.
The term macrobiotics combines the Greek words macro (large or great), bios (life), and the suffix -tic (relating to). Together, it means "great life" or a way of living in harmony with nature for health and longevity. Initially coined by the Greek philosopher Hippocrates, the concept was later formalized by Japanese food philosopher Yukikazu Sakurazawa (also known as George Ohsawa).
Drawing from Japanese longevity diets, Sakurazawa’s macrobiotic philosophy emphasizes seasonal and local ingredients. This bears resemblance to Korea's sin-to-bul-i ideals and also aligns with veganism and Buddhist temple cuisine, emphasizing sustainable and harm-free consumption.
Sakurazawa’s philosophy integrates principles of yin-yang, inspired by Laozi’s Tao Te Ching. He posited that all foods, animals, and plants possess yin-yang properties. For instance, vegetable roots are yin, while stems represent yang. These elements further correspond to the five elements—wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.
Human health, according to Sakurazawa, depends on maintaining the yin-yang balance. He himself overcame illness through a diet based on this harmony, which led him to establish the macrobiotic dietary system.
Sakurazawa’s teachings gained global recognition through his disciple, Michio Kushi. In the 1960s and 1970s, Kushi introduced macrobiotics to the West, particularly in the United States. His movement emphasized natural, plant-based eating as a foundation for well-being and sustainability.
Over time, macrobiotics evolved beyond diet into a holistic lifestyle incorporating meditation, yoga, and environmentalism. Its core principles resonate with traditional Eastern philosophies, advocating balance between humanity and nature—an ideal similarly embodied in Korean cuisine like sundae.
As a culinary tradition that mirrors global principles of harmony and sustainability, sundae demonstrates how Korea’s traditional food culture aligns with the macrobiotic philosophy, transcending borders and time.
◇ Nostalgia of Pig Slaughtering Days
In the writer’s childhood, the day a pig was slaughtered in the village was a significant event. The pigs were different from today’s breeds, being traditional black pigs native to Korea. After the meat was divided among neighbors, the remaining organs, head, and blood were managed by the writer’s mother.
She would meticulously clean and prepare the intestines, then make sundae by filling them with blood, organs, head meat, and vegetables. The aroma of simmering sundae filled the air, while the children made a game of inflating the pig's bladder and kicking it around like a ball.
The process of making sundae reflects the principle of balance and resourcefulness, as famously emphasized in Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. In discussing the relationship between resources and manpower, Sun Tzu advised using only the necessary force, warning against overburdening the economy with excessive mobilization.
Likewise, sundae epitomizes culinary optimization. It is a simple, efficient dish that minimizes waste, utilizing all parts of the pig—from intestines to head meat. This makes it a staple of street food culture and a cost-effective option for restaurants, which can streamline operations by offering a focused menu of just two or three dishes, such as sundae gukbap (blood sausage soup).
Sundae embodies the principle of il-mul-jeon-che (whole utilization), ensuring no part of the ingredient is wasted. The intestines, often overlooked, are transformed into a nourishing delicacy. Accompanying dishes like head meat and organs further demonstrate the philosophy of consuming the entirety of a pig.
The diverse fillings inside the intestines and the broth made from simmering bones for hours reflect the macrobiotic ethos of honoring and fully utilizing every ingredient. This harmony between resources and health aligns with the yin-yang balance fundamental to macrobiotic principles.
Sundae also mirrors the Korean concept of sin-to-bul-i (harmony between body and land), which emphasizes eating foods sourced locally and seasonally. Traditionally, the dish was made using readily available regional ingredients, integrating the distinct characteristics of each area.
By combining pig intestines with local ingredients, sundae represents the agricultural abundance and unique flavors of its origin. It serves as a tangible expression of the symbiosis between humans and the land they inhabit.
Consuming sundae is more than enjoying a meal—it is participating in a tradition that celebrates resourcefulness, environmental harmony, and the seasonal rhythms of Korean culture. It is a culinary embodiment of Korea’s rich history, blending practicality with profound philosophical underpinnings.
◇ The Origins of Sundae
When did Koreans start eating sundae? One theory suggests the practice originated during the Three Kingdoms period through cultural exchanges with China. Others attribute its introduction to the Mongol invasions in the late Goryeo period, linking it to blood sausages brought by the Mongols.
Some scholars trace sundae back to the Chinese agricultural text Qimin Yaoshu, which references a dish made from lamb intestines and meat, known as Yangpan Changzihai. Another hypothesis points to influences from the Jurchen people of Manchuria. However, given that blood sausage has long been consumed in both Eastern and Western cultures, pinpointing a specific origin for sundae is challenging.
In Korea, the earliest written records of sundae appear in the Gyuhap Chongseo during the Joseon era, describing "steamed beef intestines filled with meat and vegetables." Later, the Siui Jeonseo explicitly mentions recipes for "Do-yaji Sundae" (pig's blood sausage), introducing a term still in use today. This recipe is strikingly similar to modern sundae, which involves filling pig intestines with blanched mung bean sprouts, water parsley, radish and cabbage kimchi, tofu, seasonings, and blood.
Initially, sundae was prepared as a steamed dish, but by the time of the Joseon Mussang Sinshik Yori Jebeop, sundaeguk (sundae soup) was introduced as a hearty dish often paired with alcohol.
◇ Sundae's Regional Variations
Although contemporary sundae appears similar across the country, regional variations were once prominent due to the use of locally available ingredients. Many regions developed their own unique versions of sundae, from Pyongyang and Hamhung in the north to Yongin, Cheonan, Gwangju, Jeonju, Jeju Island, Daegu, and Sokcho in the south.
Even dipping sauces for sundae differ by region. The most widely recognized type today is dangmyeon sundae (glass noodle sundae), which has become synonymous with street food and is a common feature in markets, snack shops, and food stalls.
Modern dangmyeon sundae is typically filled with vegetables, congealed blood, and glutinous rice, though low-cost versions often substitute glass noodles as the primary filling. These are mass-produced in factories, making them inexpensive and widely accessible.
In contrast, pisun-dae (blood sausage) features pig intestines stuffed with a mixture of vegetables, glutinous rice, and raw pig’s blood, giving it a dark black color. A prominent example is Byeongcheon Sundae from South Chungcheong Province, which includes bean sprouts and blood but little to no glass noodles or rice. The taste and texture are so distinct from dangmyeon sundae that it feels like an entirely different dish.
When encountering traditional blood or meat-filled sundae for the first time, people are often surprised by its rich, savory, and creamy flavor, a stark contrast to the lighter taste of modern glass noodle sundae.
In a world dominated by ultra-processed foods, sundae remains a natural, whole food that aligns with the balance and harmony of Eastern yin-yang and five-element principles. The dish’s resourceful use of ingredients reflects the macrobiotic philosophy of maximizing the nutritional and energetic value of food.
Eating sundae also embodies the Korean philosophy of sin-to-bul-i (harmony between body and land), as it historically utilized ingredients from local regions and seasons. Each bite represents the relationship between people, their environment, and the rhythms of nature.
Beyond its nutritional value, sundae has served as a "soul food" for many Korean families, particularly on cold winter days when a warm bowl of sundaeguk fueled hardworking individuals and brought families together. Its legacy of efficiency, harmony, and nourishment continues to make it an enduring symbol of Korea’s culinary and cultural heritage.
[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]