The dish has long history mainly in coastal areas of Korea and its kind varies with locality.

People in South Hamgyong Province favor the dish prepared with flatfish and hard-finned sandfish and those in Kangwon Province with walleye pollack.

The fermented flatfish mixed with boiled millet is more popular than others and highly nutritious. Flatfish, caught in months from December to March, are usually used in making the dish.

"Tonguibogam" (encyclopedia of traditional medicine of Korea) says that flatfish is good for recovering health and millet helps warm human body, especially in winter days. Millet is also good for prevention of diabetes and anemia.

With garlic and red pepper contained in it, the dish is as efficacious as kimchi (pickled vegetable) for preventing cancer.