This study aims to provide foundational data for understanding the meat-based food culture of the Korean people by analyzing the Joseonwangjosillok to examine the state of livestock species and the perceptions of the ruling class toward meat consumption during the Joseon period. The research analyzed a total of 1,968 volumes and 948 books covering 518 years of records from the Joseonwangjosillok, using frequency analysis. An analysis of the ruling class’s interest in meat consumption revealed that the kings most interested in meat were Seonjo (16th century), Sejong (15th century), Sukjong (17th century), Yeongjo (18th century), and Jungjong (16th century) in that order. The number of extracted words related to meat was 101,042, with livestock-related mentions accounting for 57,988 instances (57%) and references to wild animals appearing 43,709 times (43%). Among mammals, the most frequently recorded animal, comprising 72% of the records, was the horse (馬), followed by the dog (犬). The ratio of livestock to wild animals was recorded at 57:43%, indicating a higher consumption of livestock compared to the records left by sadaebu (scholar-officials). Among the various livestock species, two showed distinct fluctuations across different time periods: the chicken (鷄) and the black cow (黑牛). On the other hand, the species that showed the least variation over time was the dog (犬). A total of 1,137 records of meat-based foods were extracted from the Joseonwangjosillok, with dried meat showing the highest frequency. Additionally, records mentioned dishes such as steamed veal (蒸牛兒), Jeonyak (煎藥), and Tarakjuk (駝駱粥). The references to tarakjuk and jeonyak in the Joseonwangjosillok indicate the Joseon Dynasty’s sikchi (食治) philosophy, which emphasized disease prevention and treatment through food.