Columnist Park Jung-bae, who has long connected with readers through rich food stories grounded in solid source material, has visited Daegu. Through a four-part series covering everything from fried chicken and street food to red broth and offal, he takes a peek into the dining tables of the people of Daegu. Take a moment to catch your breath. You might get tipsy just by reading this.

Daegu is a city of offal. It is a city filled with the smell of grilled meat, ranging from soup dishes like Yukgaejang and Dwaejigukbap to whole chickens, chicken gizzards, and grilled beef and pork intestines. Until the Japanese colonial period, Daegu was the center of goods from Gyeongsang Province. Seomun Market has been considered one of the top three traditional markets in the country since the Joseon Dynasty. It is said that from the Japanese colonial period, it became a bustling hub supplying cattle from the three southern provinces (Chungcheongnam-do, Chungcheongbuk-do, Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, and Gyeongsangbuk-do), including Gyeongsang-do and Jeolla-do, to major cities across the country such as Seoul and Busan, as well as as far away as Northwest Hwanghae-do and Manchuria. On market days, the number of cattle traded in a single day exceeded 500, and at that time, not only cattle but even horses coming from Jeju Island were all traded here (Maeil Business Newspaper, November 8, 1969).

Daegu is a city of internal organs.

In soup dishes such as yukgaejang and pork soup

From whole chicken and chicken gizzards to grilled beef and pork intestines

It is a city filled with the smell of grilling meat.

The intestines that fed poor and young workers

After facing a period of stagnation following the war, Daegu experienced another golden age in the 1960s. This was because the city became a center of consumption, absorbing the surrounding population while serving as a key industrial and consumer hub for the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region and becoming a center of light industries such as textiles. Furthermore, thanks to the pre-existing cattle market, a meat culture flourished. As evidenced by an article in the *Maeil Business Newspaper* dated November 8, 1969, which described it as "the nation's largest cattle market with an estimated annual trading volume of 30,000 to 40,000 heads traded on market days, totaling 2 billion won", Daegu was once a market where 23% of the nation's cattle were traded. Protein was an essential commodity for the young industrial workers who flocked to Daegu during the process of industrialization. The wealthy consumed lean meat, while the poor, young laborers consumed offal.

Protein was an essential item for the young industrial workers who flocked to Daegu.

The wealthy consumed meat, while the poor and young laborers consumed offal.

In the early 1960s, the Japanese grilling culture—specifically the offal of cattle and pigs known as "horumon"—was introduced to Daegu via Busan, and the cholera outbreak, which peaked in 1963, also served as a catalyst for grilled food to become popular. According to the *Kyunghyang Shinmun* dated September 24, 1963, "Perhaps due to the 'legend' that soju and garlic are good for you, the tripe restaurants in the city center on the night of the 23rd were screaming with joy due to the bustling crowds of customers." Thus, the infectious disease became the catalyst for the flourishing of a food culture focused on grilling, rather than soup-based dishes like cold noodles.

Daegu’s full-scale offal grilling culture began “in April 1969 when 'Shinheung Industry,' a specialized slaughtering corporation, opened at the site of the current Duryu Swimming Pool next to Seongdang Pond, and later developed into a municipal slaughterhouse in 1970. The slaughterhouse was located at the current Queen’s Road site in Jungni-dong in 1981, and then relocated to the Distribution Complex in Geomdan-dong, Buk-gu in 2004” (November 24, 2015, “Daegu, the No. 1 Place for Makgopchang,” <Yeongnam Ilbo>). In the early 1970s, 'Hwanggeum Makchang' introduced beef makchang dishes for the first time on the so-called 'Hapseung Roadside.'

Gopchang, Sochang, Makchang... How Daegu Calls for Offal

The terminology used to refer to offal in Daegu differs slightly from that of other regions. The name "gopchang" often refers to the small intestine of a pig rather than a cow. The gopchang found in Anjirang Gopchang Alley is also made from pig small intestine. The term "makchang" can also be misleading. While pig makchang literally uses the "last intestine" (makchang) as its ingredient, beef makchang primarily uses the fourth stomach, known as hongchang.

Meanwhile, Daegu does not have a strong culture of beef tripe or large intestine. This is largely because most of the tripe has migrated to Busan or Seoul as the Nakgopsae culture flourished there. However, 'Beodeul Sikdang,' a small restaurant specializing in spicy tripe hot pot made with fresh tripe, boasts a tradition of over 50 years, and 'Yanggophwa,' a pioneer in the culture of steaming and grilling tripe—reflecting recent trends in grilling—is also thriving. Instead, Daegu's beef offal culture is dominated by makchang. Following the success of Hwanggeum Makchang, 'Dongbong Makchang' and 'Gyeongnam Makchang,' which opened in Beomeo Market in 1987 and ushered in the era of grilled, unboiled beef makchang, continue the tradition of grilling tripe over briquettes. Unlike other regions, Daegu's beef large intestine culture involves splitting the inside out to remove the fat and grilling it in a flat shape.

Daegu's beef large intestine culture is different from other regions

Split it open, remove the fat, and grill it flat to eat.

Pork intestines and pork tripe that make Daegu a city that never sleeps

Currently, pork makchang and gopchang dominate the offal market in Daegu. The Anjirang Seasoned Gopchang Alley in Daemyeong-dong is a place where dozens of gopchang restaurants create a spectacular sight at the foot of Apsan Mountain. At night, the aroma of gopchang and the lights of the shops create a dazzling spectacle. The originator of Anjirang Seasoned Gopchang Alley is "Chungbuk Makchang," which started as "Chungbuk Sikdang" in 1979. It gained popularity by grilling boiled gopchang over a briquette fire after adding various seasonings such as garlic and red chili powder. Nowadays, the shops here do not boil the gopchang themselves but instead receive pre-boiled versions from two locations within the Ihyeon Industrial Complex in Ihyeon-dong, Seo-gu: Hanmadang Food in the Ihyeon Industrial Complex and Songgang Food in the 3rd Industrial Complex.

'Dalguji Makchang' led the popularization of makchang amidst South Korea's difficult economic situation immediately following the 1999 IMF crisis. Starting as 'Daedong Makchang' in 1993, it grew rapidly to the point where it had 150 chain stores by 1999. Since then, small innovations have continued. 'Daegu Banyawol Makchang' ushered in the era of pre-grilled makchang, while 'Uyaji Makchang' served sausages and other items. 'Buja Makchang,' famous for its crystal grill plates, and 'Chamwooyang Gopchang,' which emerged in Buk-gu in 2004, caused a sensation by introducing the 'Soyang & Makgopchang Assorted Set,' which included beef tripe and large intestine. Pork makchang chain restaurants, such as 'Makchang Doduk,' famous for the clean fat flavor of Spanish pork, are expanding beyond Daegu into overseas markets.

Currently, Daegu's internal organs are

Pork intestines and tripe are leading the way.

In addition to these chain restaurants, individual shops such as 'Samil Makchang' near Daegu Hotel, 'Jeil Makchang' near Hwanggeum Intersection, 'Arizona Makchang' in Dusan-dong, 'Buwon Makchang' in Seongseo, 'Daegu Makchang' at Cheonggu Intersection, 'Ttakjoa Makchang' in Sanggyeok-dong, Buk-gu, and 'Maru' in Dusan-dong are also operating, boasting massive scales. It is also impressive that the chewy uterus, which comes only from female pigs, is a regular feature in the boiled pork dishes served at kalguksu restaurants.

Daegu's offal culture, which has paralleled the turbulent times of the era—from Joseon's largest cattle market to industrialization, modernization, and the IMF crisis—has created the nation's premier offal dining culture. This development of the food service industry has refined the affordable offal culture of the common people. The day when the term 'K-Offal' emerges is not far off. Daegu is the most likely origin.

Illustration | A scene of Anjirang Gopchang Street, where a delicious piece of grilled offal soothes a weary day. The face of the salaryman is modeled after the author, Park Jeong-bae.

** External contributions to the Editorial Department are intended to provide a multifaceted perspective on local culture and industry and may differ from the views of the Editorial Department.

Park Jung-bae

He researches the historical culture of Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine and explores the field. Historical sources, which surge throughout his writing, transport the reader to the vivid heart of food history. He has serialized works such as "Park Jung-bae’s Birth of Korean Cuisine" and "The Decisive Menu" in the *Chosun Ilbo*, and serves as an advisor or makes appearances on broadcast programs like Netflix’s *Hanwoo Rhapsody*. He also runs food-related lecture academies such as the "Soup Academy" and "Noodle School." His published works include *Dumplings: A Cultural History of Dumplings and Gyoza in Korea, China, and Japan* and *Food Landscape*.