Chilled Vinegar-and-Chicken Soup 'Chokyetang' Began as Royal Banquet Dish
Creatrip Team
22 days ago
Chokyetang, a Korean cold chicken soup seasoned with vinegar, originated in royal court banquets and dates back at least to the late 18th century. Early records like the 1795 'Wonhaeng Eumyo Jeongni Uigwe' and Joseon banquet manuals mention the dish. Historically it was a hot, slow-simmered soup, but by the 1950s it evolved into the chilled summer dish known today: torn chicken in a cold, tangy broth flavored with vinegar and mustard, often served with shredded vegetables and noodles (chokye-guksu). The Chinese characters in its name reflect vinegar (醋) and chicken (鷄), and vinegar has long been valued in Korean medicine for digestion, detoxifying fish and meat, and preserving flavor, which helps explain its use in this dish.
