The Deep Dive: Why Gamjatang is the Real Star of ‘All Your Wishes Come True’

If you’ve been tuning into the new Netflix Kdrama ‘All Your Wishes Come True’ (다이루어질지니), you’ve probably noticed Ki Ga-young’s (played by Bae Suzy) unshakable Wednesday routine. Every single Wednesday, she eats gamjatang, or pork bone soup. This isn’t just a random character quirk; it’s a pivotal plot point, especially as it relates to her last wish.

But this has left many international viewers asking: what exactly *is* gamjatang, and why is it so important?

Honestly, this dish is one of the most beloved, hearty, and misunderstood staples in all of Korean cuisine. Let’s dive deep into the bubbling, spicy pot that is gamjatang and uncover the cultural layers behind Ki Ga-young’s favorite meal.

Gamjatang is typically served communal style, bubbling on a tabletop burner.

First, What Exactly is Gamjatang?

Gamjatang (감자탕) is a spicy, robust pork bone soup. At its core, it’s a stew made by simmering pork spine bones for hours until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. This creates a rich, milky, and slightly funky broth that is then seasoned with a powerful blend of gochugaru (Korean chili powder), gochujang (chili paste), garlic, and ginger.

But the bones are just the start. The soup is bulked up with a few key ingredients:

• Pork Spine Bones: The main event. They’re loaded with tender meat and rich marrow.
• Potatoes: Yes, there are potatoes (we’ll get to this).
• Siraegi or Ugeoji: Dried radish greens or napa cabbage leaves, which add a deep, earthy flavor and soak up the broth.
• Perilla Seed Powder (Deulkkae-garu): This is the secret ingredient. It adds a unique, nutty, and slightly minty flavor while also thickening the soup.
• Aromatic Vegetables: Onions, green onions, and sometimes crown daisy or enoki mushrooms are added at the end.

The ‘Gamja’ Misunderstanding: It’s Not About the Potato

This is the biggest “deep dive” fact about this soup. “Gamja” (감자) in modern Korean means **potato**. So, naturally, everyone assumes it’s “potato soup.”

And while the soup *does* contain potatoes, they are a supporting actor, not the star. The name is a happy coincidence. The prevailing theory is that the name “gamja” actually refers to a specific part of the pork spine, or “gamja-ppyeo” (감자뼈), used to make the soup. The potatoes were likely added later as a cheap and filling addition.

💡 Quick Tip: So, is it “potato soup”? No. It’s “pork bone soup.” But does it have potatoes? Yes. It’s a confusing, delicious paradox. To be fair, most Koreans don’t even think about the etymology; they just know it’s delicious.

A Comfort Food for the People

In Korea, gamjatang isn’t just a meal; it’s an event. You’ll find entire streets and neighborhoods filled with 24-hour *gamjatang-jib* (gamjatang houses). It’s a quintessential late-night food, famously eaten after a long night of drinking with friends.

It’s also a powerful *haejangguk* (hangover soup). The hearty, spicy broth is believed to “solve” the stomach and sweat out the previous night’s toxins. It’s communal, affordable, and deeply comforting—the perfect food to ground you, which makes it a fitting choice for Ki Ga-young’s weekly ritual.

The Value in the Overlooked: A Lesson in a Bowl

Here’s where gamjatang becomes, honestly, a bit profound. The dish is made from ingredients that are often overlooked or even discarded in many Western culinary traditions. Pork spine, radish greens, perilla seeds—these aren’t exactly common sights in a European kitchen.

Korean cuisine excels at this: taking humble, inexpensive, and “lesser” ingredients and, through time and technique, transforming them into something extraordinary. Gamjatang is the perfect example.

It perfectly illustrates a core idea: the value of something isn’t inherent; it belongs to those who discover it. It’s a philosophy of finding treasure in the mundane, which resonates deeply with the themes of magic, wishes, and finding meaning in ‘All Your Wishes Come True’.

📌 The Drama Connection: Ki Ga-young’s life is one of strict, mundane routine. Her Wednesday gamjatang is the anchor of that routine. It makes perfect sense that her final, desperate wish is to have that very routine broken, to *not* have her Wednesday gamjatang. The soup becomes a powerful symbol of the life she’s bound to.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

❓ What does gamjatang taste like?

It’s savory, spicy, and deeply “porky” from the bones. The perilla seeds add a unique, almost herbal-nutty finish that cuts through the richness. The meat is incredibly tender, and the potatoes and greens soak up all the flavorful broth.

❓ Is it very spicy?

It has a solid kick, but it’s usually more of a deep, warming heat rather than a sharp, fiery spice. Most restaurants can’t really adjust the spice level since it’s cooked in a large batch.

❓ What’s the best part of eating gamjatang?

Aside from the fall-off-the-bone meat? The grand finale. After you’ve eaten most of the meat and vegetables, it’s an unwritten rule that you must order *bokkeumbap* (fried rice). They’ll take your leftover broth, add rice, kimchi, and seaweed, and fry it right in the pot. It’s the perfect ending to the meal.

Korean Culture portal KCulture.com

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