The soup is now common in Korean restaurants outside Korea, including the United States and Canada.

The main industry of Jeolla Province was agriculture, and hogs were widely raised and used for food.

The origins of gamjatang can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms era when South Jeolla farmers raised hogs in greater numbers than in most of the rest of Korea.

When Incheon harbor opened, many people migrated to Seoul and its surrounding area from Jeolla Province, as well as from other parts of the country.

When construction of the Gyung-ui Railway began in 1899, laborers started working around Incheon, and gamjatang become popular among them because it is cheap and nutritious, and its high fat content provided the calories they needed.