Read it here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24140705
I'm not a big fan of Spam.When I think of Spam I don't see it as a luxury, but in South Korea its really popular.
When I lived in South Korea I always wondered why Spam was so popular. I never asked anyone. I just thought it was one of many odd differences between the US and Korea. Around the holidays stores sell Spam gift sets. Spam gift sets? Really. I don't think America would ever catch on to that trend.
Today I found an interesting article on BBC that explains Korea's love for spam.
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South Korea is the biggest consumer of Spam outside of the USA.
A Spam gift set is a desirable gift in South Korea around the big holidays such as Chuseok and Lunar New Year. (Koreans are celebrating Chuseok now).
Spam became a luxury item in South Korea during the Korean war. Food was in short supply so Spam was smuggled from the army base. Koreans had to make meals out of whatever they could find.
South Korea's love for Spam has remained years later. Spam is one of the main ingredients in budae jiggae or army stew. Ho Gi-suk, a restaurant owner, says she invented army stew back in 1954 when someone smuggled some spam, sausages and bacon from the army base. She turned them into a soup. Now army soup is a popular dish in South Korea.
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