Tomorrow is 'Dongji' Red Bean Porridge Day... "Imported Red Beans More Expensive This Year"

December 22 Dongji... Origin of Driving Away Misfortune and Evil Spirits
Red Beans Rich in Vitamins and Antioxidant Effects
Domestic Red Bean Prices Similar to Last Year... Imported Beans Up 6.6%
Rapid Increase in Red Bean Porridge Product Sales in Food Industry

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] On the 22nd, marking Dongji (Winter Solstice), attention is drawn to red bean porridge, a representative food of Dongji day. Dongji is one of the 24 solar terms and is the day with the longest night of the year. From this day onward, the nights start to shorten and the days lengthen, and the red bean porridge eaten on Dongji day is called "Dongji Patjuk."

Patjuk (red bean porridge) is an indispensable food on Dongji, and eating it on this day is a traditional Korean custom. Since Dongji has the longest night of the year, it is considered a time when evil spirits are most active. For this reason, red beans, believed to be effective in driving away ghosts, are made into porridge and shared to ward off misfortune and evil spirits. People also spread or place it on walls, doors, and various parts of the house. This year’s Dongji corresponds to Nodongji, one of the three types of Dongji, which include Aedongji, Jungdongji, and Nodongji. During Aedongji, households with children often do not eat patjuk. It is believed that the ghost Samsin Halmi does not come, so families with children sometimes prepare red bean rice cakes or red bean rice instead of patjuk.

Besides the folklore that red beans drive away ghosts, they have various health benefits. Red beans are known for their antioxidant properties and ability to suppress diabetes, making them particularly good for preventing adult diseases. They are also widely used as a diet food. Additionally, red beans are rich in vitamin B and contain six times more protein and 117 times more iron than milk. They promote diuretic action, making them ideal for removing toxins and waste from the body. The saponin content is abundant, which can help strengthen the immune system.

Red beans can be enjoyed not only as traditional patjuk but also in various other forms. The Rural Development Administration recently released recipes for making patjuk and red bean soup in celebration of this year’s Dongji. To make red bean soup, first finely grind one cup of boiled red beans that have cooled slightly and transfer them to a pot along with one cup of milk. Then add another cup of milk, season with salt and sugar, stir with a spatula while boiling, and once it thickens, serve it on a plate.

This year, the price of domestically produced red beans is expected to be similar to last year, making it affordable to prepare patjuk. However, imported red beans have become more expensive than last year. According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) agricultural product distribution information, as of the 19th, the wholesale price of domestic red beans (medium grade) for 40 kg was 353,000 KRW, a 1.2% increase from 348,750 KRW a year ago, but still at a similar level. Compared to the average price of 367,950 KRW, it is 4.1% cheaper. On the other hand, imported red beans have become more expensive due to increased import costs, raising domestic distribution prices compared to last year. The wholesale price of imported red beans (medium grade) for 40 kg was 275,800 KRW, a 6.6% increase from 258,800 KRW a year ago. Compared to the average price (189,400 KRW), it is 45.6% more expensive.

As Dongji approaches, sales of instant red bean porridge products are also rapidly increasing. CJ CheilJedang’s Dongji Patjuk and Whole Red Bean Porridge Hetbahn Soft Meal Patjuk products saw sales double from the previous week, comparing December 12?18 to December 5?11. Dongwon F&B expects sales of Yangban Chestnut Red Bean Porridge (container and pouch) to increase by about 65% compared to usual this month. Sempio announced that its ‘Dongji Glutinous Rice Whole Red Bean Porridge’ and ‘Whole Red Bean Aged Pumpkin Porridge’ in the ‘Balance Porridge Pick-and-Choose’ product on its Naver Store, Saemi Market, have ranked first in sales since the beginning of this month.

Before Dongji, local governments, Buddhist communities, and various sectors hold annual red bean porridge making events. This year, Dongji celebrations are being held in various places. Seoul City will hold the ‘Winter Villa’ event at Namsangol Hanok Village on the 22nd to mark Dongji. The Jeonnam Agricultural Museum will host a ‘Dongji Day Folk Experience Event’ recreating Dongji cultural customs at the Agricultural Culture Experience Center within the museum on the same day. The Sokcho City Museum in Gangwon Province will also operate a Dongji folk experience event to enjoy seasonal customs on the same day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.