The Jindo dog (진돗개) is a breed of dog that is cherished in Korean culture. Originating from Jindo Island, where the breed gets its name, it is known for its loyalty and protective nature. We recently released the JJ design - meaning “Joseon Jindo” - as part of our Summer ‘21 collection. In honor of JJ’s release, we’re following up on our previous blog on the history of the breed by sharing more about what makes the Jindo dog special.

The Jindo is renowned for being loyal and protective. One notable occurrence in recent years was a 2006 case in which a lioness named Soonee formed an unlikely friendship with a Jindo named Tangchil. Soonee, who was housed in a zoo in Jinhae, had previously rejected all of the male lions that zookeepers tried to introduce to her. Eventually, the zoo decided to try introducing Tangchil to Soonee. After allowing him to live near Soonee’s enclosure for a month, the zookeepers let him into her enclosure under supervision. Surprisingly, Soonee accepted Tangchil’s presence and the two soon became inseparable.

Another memorable story involving a Jindo happened in 2000, where a four year old male Jindo named Baekgu became famous for protecting his master’s body after he had passed away. For three days, Baekgu refused to allow anyone near his master and was so dedicated that he did not eat or drink water during that time. After his master’s body was retrieved, Baekgu followed the funeral procession before returning home, where he abstained from food and water for another four days. Baekgu was eventually taken in by the Korean Jindo Dog Research Institute; but even then, he would not interact with anyone but his usual feeder. Today, the story of Baekgu is still remembered as an example of the Jindo breed’s loyalty.

Previously, we shared another story of a dedicated female Jindo named Baekgu, who spent seven months traveling about 300 km back to her original master after she was sold to a new owner. She even had a statue erected in her honor by the Jindo County as a memorial to her loyalty! Click the link below to read more up on this crazy story.

Love Jindo dogs? Our Summer ‘21 collection features our JJ Joseon Jindo design, referencing the beloved Jindo breed and the Joseon period. The design comes in the colorways Seafoam, Navy, and Natural.