wˌɛn kənstɹˈʌkʃən ʌvðə dʒˈaɪʌŋjˌuːˈaɪ ɹˈeɪlweɪ bɪɡˈæn ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti nˈaɪn, lˈeɪbɚɹɚz stˈɑːɹɾᵻd wˈɜːkɪŋ ɚɹˈaʊnd ˈɪntʃən, ænd ɡˈæmdʒɐtˌæŋ bɪkˌʌm pˈɑːpjʊlɚɹ ɐmˌʌŋ ðˌɛm bɪkˈʌz ɪɾ ɪz tʃˈiːp ænd njuːtɹˈɪʃəs, ænd ɪts hˈaɪ fˈæt kˈɑːntɛnt pɹəvˈaɪdᵻd ðə kˈælɚɹiz ðeɪ nˈiːdᵻd.
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.