"Crazy for Salt" – The Salty Journey of a 45-Year Veteran Salt Farmer and His Son Who Returned 4 Years Ago

At the western edge of the Korean Peninsula, near Garorim Bay on the Taean Peninsula, a vast salt field spanning 50,000㎡ (approximately 15,000 pyeong) stretches out. Here lives Jeong Gap-hun, a salt farmer who has tirelessly bloomed "salt flowers" for 45 long years. His morning begins by checking the salinity. Holding a 45-year-old salinity meter, he emphasizes the importance of maintaining a 22% salinity level, stating, "If you don't adjust the salinity, you cannot produce salt." This salinity meter is also a tool that has stayed with him for 45 years, sustaining his livelihood.

"Crazy for Salt" – Scars on Fingers Containing 45 Years of Time

To Jeong Gap-hun, salt is more than just a product. He reveals his extraordinary affection for salt, saying, "It's because I went a bit crazy for this salt." His hands, which have guarded the salt fields from dawn to midnight for 45 years, fully contain the traces of time. In particular, the process of removing bittern (bitter liquid) to create high-purity solar salt is a continuous cycle of hard labor. He recalls the difficult days when his joints ached from the process of scooping and pressing the salt, saying, "My fingers became just like this." Despite being nearly 80 years old, he still holds a shovel and pushes a cart to cultivate the salt fields himself.

The most difficult stage in the salt production process is spreading the salt on the pans. Jeong conveys the exhaustion of the repetitive work, saying, "After producing the salt, spreading it on these pans is the hardest part." Additionally, the task of putting the salt into a dehydrator to remove the remaining bittern is not easy. Caution is required when operating the dehydrator, as the salt can burst out if it is not positioned correctly. The salt, which has the bittern thoroughly removed while discharging fine dust and other elements, is born as the Taean Peninsula solar salt that holds Jeong's pride.

The Son Who Left City Life to Return, Changes Arriving at the Salt Pond

Four years ago, a change occurred in Jeong Gap-hun's salt field. His son, Jeong Ji-hun, who studied and worked in the city, returned to his hometown to ease his father's heavy labor. The son explains his reason for deciding to return home, saying, "I came to look after him because my father is getting older." Since the son's return, modern equipment such as automatic salt collectors has begun to be introduced to Jeong's salt pond. To adapt to the reality of a shrinking workforce, the farm is gradually equipping itself with automatic facilities, such as the 'Yong-gari' machine, which resembles a dragon, to scoop up salt from underground.

However, the father still adheres to the method of loading salt into the cart himself, saying, "Sweat and effort cannot be replaced." The son smiles, noting, "No matter how good the machines are, my father loads the salt into the cart himself," adding that he invested in the equipment in case his father might stop working. The son says his father's life serves as fertilizer and a guiding light for his own. "If my father says he absolutely cannot do it anymore, I will have to think about it again then, but until then, I think we will continue," the son says, his words conveying a sense of reliability in staying by his father's side.

First Taste is Salty but Aftertaste is Sweet, the Father and Son's Specialty 'Grilled Pork Belly with Salt'

This family's solar salt, produced from the mud rich in mineral components of Garorim Bay, is famous for its clean taste. Visitors unanimously agree, saying, "Unlike other salts, it is clean without a bitter taste." Looking at records from 2022, customers who visited 20 days after heavy rain praised it, saying, "The salt is not too salty and is clean, so it tastes good." Out of gratitude for the customers who visit, Jeong shows generosity by providing ample bags of salt.

There is also a special delicacy that the father and son enjoy together after hard labor. It is 'Grilled Pork Belly with Salt,' made by spreading a thick layer of freshly harvested solar salt on a grill and grilling the meat. This dish, completed by placing pork belly on a thick layer of solar salt on the grill, is a special delicacy for the father and son of the salt field. Regarding this food prepared by the son, the father expresses satisfaction, saying, "The first taste is salty, but the aftertaste is sweet." Meanwhile, the mother, who was initially strongly opposed to the son's return, is supporting the duo's companionship, saying, "It is good that the son has come down to live together like this."