Korea's three hottest summer days are called 「boknal,」 and people eat food said to build stamina. The best known was 「bosintang,」 dog meat stew.

It goes far back, and when food was short it carried people through the summer. Then Korea grew richer, and more kept dogs than ate them.

August 14 was the last boknal of 2026, and the last legal one. From February 2027, breeding, slaughter and sale are banned.

At Moran Market near Seoul, few dog meat shops remain, and 95 percent of Koreans had not eaten any that year. The culture had started to go before the law did.

Lee Kang-chun, 37 years in the trade, says ending it is right. Even so, when an old regular comes a long way, hears there is none left, and turns back, it nearly brings him to tears.

It is right to stop. But it is hard to send the last customer home.