A Brief History of Bulgogi

Koreans are probably descended from a nomadic people known as the eastern barbarians of Maek, who migrated eastward from central Asia into Northeast Asia and the Korean peninsula. The Maek people brought with them a meat dish, Maekjeok, that differed from the typical meats cooked and eaten by the Han Chinese of that time. The meats cooked by the Han people were generaly seasoned after cooking, while Maekjeok was seasoned before being skewered and roasted.

Maekjeok nearly disappeared after the introduction of Buddhism to the Silla and Baekje Kingdoms that dominated most of Korea just over one thousand years ago. These two Kingdoms banned meat eating for several centuries, so Maekjeok was relegated to several small tribal areas outside the kingdoms.

The Mongol invasions ended the proscription against eating meat and Maekjeok, now called Seolhamyeok, again spread throughout Korea. The method of seasoning chunks of skewered meat then roasting over open flame or hot coals eventually morphed into seasoned thin cut meats being cooked on metal plates placed over hot coals. These cuts of meat are similar to steak cuts, but thinner, and became known as Neobiani.

Meat for Neobiani is cut into flat steak like sections approximately 1/2 inch thick, tenderized with the tip of the knife then marinated, and was typically cooked in a kitchen or area away from the table. Bulgogi developed from this dish with the introduction of cooking vessels, perforated metal plates placed over a small container of coals, that could be placed on or near the table. This allowed for even thinner cuts of meat which could be eaten directly from the grill plate without much loss of flavor due to cooling. This meat preparation became known as "Fire Meat" or bulgogi as it is known today.