South Korean media speculate that the country’s birthrate, one of the world’s lowest, could rise thanks to the perceived enhanced fortune during this year of the “golden dog.”
Yoon Ji-young lays down slabs of fatty pork belly that sizzle and crackle as they touch the burning hot grill atop her kitchen table. Four months into her first pregnancy, the 35-year-old says she’s been caught off guard by the “weird” desires she’s had for meaty dishes that she typically avoids.
“I’ve had strong cravings for junk food, like hamburgers and fried chicken,” she says. “I don’t even like fried chicken at all!”
Yoon says she’s looking forward to her mother’s dumplings and other home-cooked meals when she and her husband, Canadian expat Matthew Crawford, 37, visit her family outside of Seoul for the Lunar New Year, which is locally called Seollal and begins today. Based on the Chinese zodiac, their child will be born in the year of the dog — a reputedly auspicious year to give birth.
In South Korea, some people refer to the zodiac animal they were born under much in the same way a person in the US would talk about their astrological sign and the personality traits associated with it. Some believe that a person born during a dog year will exhibit canine-like characteristics; including intelligence and loyalty.
According to tradition, this year is especially lucky because it represents a “golden dog” — a cycle in the zodiac that comes around every 60-years and means extra prosperity.
South Korean media speculate that the country’s birthrate, one of the world’s lowest, could rise thanks to the perceived enhanced fortune as it did in 2007 during the year of the golden pig — a reported 10 percent surge in births .
