July is the hottest month of the year.
The seasonal divisions in July include Soso and Taeso.
Soso means the gradual beginning of hot weather. It falls on early June by the lunar calendar that falls on 6th-8th of July by the solar calendar.
Taeso means the spell of the hottest weather. It falls on late June by the lunar calendar that falls on 22nd-23rd of July by the solar calendar.
Around Soso and Taeso, all kinds of cereals and fruits grow exceptionally fast. Therefore, frequent weeding and good care of the crops at this time of year guarantees bumper harvest.
July has early dog days and mid dog days. They are two of the three dog days, the hottest period of the year.
Our people have cooked several kinds of dishes at this time of year. They include tangogi soup (dog meat soup) and samgyetang (insam-chicken soup), etc., among which tangogi soup is a distinctive national dish preferred by our people during the summer heat. “Tongguksesigi”, compiled before 1849, says that tangogi soup was known across the country as the best dish during the summer heat. In general, both the early and mid dog days last ten days each. There is also a year where the mid dog days last twenty days, which is said to have the prolongation of the late dog-day period.
Our people have regarded eating hot tangogi soup mixed with boiled millet or white rice in a sweat as the best invigoration. Therefore, tangogi soup was widely known as a nourishing soup that stimulates the appetite lost by the summer heat and provides nutrients to the weak constitution.
The folk games enjoyed by our people in July are koni game and ball-throwing.
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