Dog and pet pig barbecue – 12/08/2023 – Cozinha Bruta

When I was at college, every journalism student learned the importance of the unusual in defining what deserves to be included in the news.

Old teachers used to recite a cliché: “Dog bites man” is not news; “Man bites dog” is.

The reversal of the usual order awakens public interest – something quite different from public interest, but that is another discussion.

Professionally raised on the scandalous Notícias Populares, I was surprised by the almost zero repercussion, in Brazil, of an existential drama that shakes South Korea.

The local government is trying, for the umpteenth time, to ban the slaughter and consumption of dogs. Dog meat is a food tradition ingrained in Korean culture, something that doesn’t disappear easily.

Dog farm owners planned a protest in which 2 million animals would be evicted to roam the streets of Seoul. The police, for now, managed to prevent the release of the caramels.

It’s the commonplace of the first semester of college materialized and turbocharged: millions of men bite millions of dogs. Still, it didn’t become a topic here, due to lack of attention from colleagues or the intense discomfort that the topic raises.

The discomfort has haunted South Koreans since the nation set the goal of inserting itself, culturally and economically, into a global scenario guided by Western values.

They make 700-inch TVs, some of the best cell phones in the world, produce fantastic films, have hundreds of K-pop groups and… eat Pomeranians. The consumption of dog meat is incompatible with the image of modernity that South Korea sells internationally.

Most Koreans treat their dogs like spoiled children, with premium dog food and grooming at the pet shop.

Some, however, continue to have dog lunch and more: they reproduce the menu in the countries to which they emigrate. Outside the law, of course.

I am particularly interested in Korean culture and food. São Paulo was lucky enough to bring together a large Korean community and, as a result, many good typical restaurants.

I have rarely committed the impropriety of mentioning the expression “dog meat” to members of this community. I received closed faces, silence and conversation in return. I didn’t expect more than that.

Koreans who barbecue dogs in secret may not know that the custom persists residually in some parts of Switzerland. Or that dog meat butchers operated in France until the beginning of the 20th century.

From dog to pig: why is one a friend and the other food? This is a very disturbing question that vegan provocateurs insistently ask the rest of the population.

Pigs are as smart as dogs. Raised properly, they make great pets, but few people are up for the game. Where have you been seen walking with bacon on a leash?

The vegans’ question has no answer, it puts us in a corner. One day, the discomfort it brings us will be converted into palpable social tension, as is happening now in Korea with its edible nuts.

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