Jungbok (中伏), Middle Dog Day

"Jungbok" (中伏), which literally means "middle dog day," is one of the three hottest summer days along with "Chobok" and "Malbok." It refers to the fourth Gyeong Day (庚日) after "Haji," the summer solstice. Jungbok" is one of the three hottest summer days along with "Chobok" and "Malbok," which is the third Gyeong Day (庚日) after "Haji," or the summer solstice. The third Gyeong Day (庚日) after the summer solstice is "Chobok," and the first Gyeong Day after Ipchu is "Malbok" (末伏), and all three hot days are collectively referred to as the "Sambok" (三伏) or "Samgyeongil" (三庚日)," literally the "three Gyeong days."
Since the Bok days arrive at intervals of ten days, there are twenty days between “Chobok” and “Malbok.” “Sambok” in just 20 days is said “Maebok (每伏).” But, since “Malbok” comes after “Ipchu,” so between “Jungbok” and “Malbok” add up 20 days, it is said “Wolbok (越伏),” meaning it “skipped a month.” When dated according to the solar calendar, rather than the lunar calendar, the “Sambok,” or three hottest days, occur between “Soseo” (around July 8 of the solar calendar) and “Cheoseo” (around August 23 of the solar calendar).

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Playing in Water in Seosan City, Chungcheongnam-do

According to an ancient belief, a "Bok" is a day when the forthcoming yin energy is suppressed by the yang energy. The Chinese character "bok" (伏), which takes the shape of a man lying like a dog, connotes that the descending "metal" (金) energy of autumn cannot withstand, and ultimately succumbs to, the still intense heat of summer. In other words, summer’s hot energy dominates autumn’s cool energy. In terms of the Five Elements, summer belongs to "fire" (火) and autumn to "metal" (金), so to deliver the meaning, "The metal energy of autumn succumbs three times to the fire energy of e summer," the three Bok days use the character (伏).

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Bokdarim in Seosan City, Chungcheongnam-do	Gaejangguk

On Bok days, people customarily enjoyed eating dog soup called “Gaejangguk” and ginseng chicken soup called “Samgyetang.” Come “Bok,” people would go up to a secluded mountain, butcher a dog and eat boiled dog soup near a stream. This custom was called “Bokdarim” or “Boknori.” In Hamgyeong-do region, butchering a dog was called “Gaenoreum.” In addition, people ate red bean congee, Korean melons and watermelons believing that doing so would prevent heat stroke and disease. People ate dog meat on Bok day to overcome the heat and to heal and protect their body.
"Dongguk Sesigi" (東國歲時, A Record of Seasonal Customs in Korea) compiled by Hong Seok-mo described dog soup as follows: "Gaejang (狗醬) is made by hard boiling dog meat with green onions. It is better to add chicken or bamboo shoots. One can strengthen one’s weakened body by eating steamed rice in the dog soup, spiced with red chili pepper, and sweating it out. Come to think of it, Sambok rituals started in the second year under the reign of King Jingong (676 B.C.), as recorded in the history book ‘Sagi (史記)’. People would kill dogs inside a castle to prevent the proliferation of pests, which suggests the butchering of dogs is an old custom. To this day, Gaejang is considered the best food to eat on Sambok days."