A Nation of Broth (2022): Season 1, Episode 1 - Episode 1 - full transcript

This is a documentary series about the importance of broth in Korean cuisine, as a steaming hot bowl of stew sits alongside rice in almost every meal in Korea.

Are you wondering how healthy the food you are eating is? Check it - foodval.com
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What can comfort us more

than a bowl of warm broth

after another long day?

The moment we take a sip,

the furrows in your brow disappear.

Your forehead relaxes
and your lips curl into a smile.

Many Koreans say,
"I can't have a meal without broth."

A typical Korean meal
centers on the bowl of broth.

For us, it's more than
just a bowl of broth.

It gives us comfort and strength.

It's a way of life.



The ferment in kimchi is called

lactobacillus.

There's more myoglobin…

Frankfurt wurst…

You're a walking encyclopedia.

RYU SOO-YOUNG, A CLEVER FOODIE

It's so good.

It gets my blood flowing.

My fatigue washes away.

All your problems go away
with this one bowl.

HAM YON-JI, A CHEERFUL FOODIE

I'm from a noble family.
I never mix rice with broth.

I never run in the rain.

The slight fishy taste is the charm.



It's the best.

The fishy taste is a type of flavor.

HUH YOUNG-MAN, A STRICT FOODIE

This time we're on a broth journey.

RYU SOO-YOUNG, ACTOR

Certain regions are birthplaces of broth.

Other cities are known for certain types.

We'll visit each site.
But first, we went to Jeju Island.

LET'S GO ON A BROTH JOURNEY

JEJU ISLAND

JEJU, A BEAUTIFUL GEM IN THE SOUTH

THE AZURE SEA AND THE ISLAND'S
TALE OF UNIQUE BROTHS

Whenever I go to Seogwipo,

I go to this restaurant…

FIRST UP, GOURMET HUH'S
SHORT-LISTED HANGOVER SOUP HOUSE

…for my morning hangovers.

SEOGWIPO

The broth is so good.

-Radish soup?
-Red tilefish.

A red tilefish radish soup?

-That's new.
-You never tried?

Nope, never.

I haven't even tried cutlassfish soup.

I haven't tried anything
we're having today.

You're the ideal cast member.

HAM YON-JI, THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

It's so good.

The slightly fishy taste is its charm.

-It's not for everyone, is it?
-Difficult to make.

-A gourmet menu.
-Might be an acquired taste.

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: HIGH
GOURMET MEAL, CUTLASSFISH SOUP

JEJU, THE CITY OF SEAFOOD

Jeju is an island, so it's seafood heaven.

Octopus, conch, sea cucumber, abalone.

Cast your fishing rod, you catch fish.

Red tilefish was always considered
a specialty.

THE RED TILEFISH, JEJU'S BEST FISH

Especially, cutlassfish.

Mainland people always grill them.

ANOTHER REGIONAL PRODUCT
THE SILVER CUTLASSFISH

But Jeju Islanders make broth out of them.

SAHMBO RESTAURANT

How did you find this place?

Locals who have been here
for 10 generations.

Ten generations?

Since the Age of Goryeo?

Red tilefish radish soup

might taste too fishy
to those with sensitive taste buds.

-Radishes are in season now.
-Right.

RADISH, JEJU'S WINTER TREAT

It's kimchi-making season.
Because radishes are in season.

What would you like?

Red tilefish radish soup.

I'll order cutlassfish soup instead.

It's not on the menu. The radish soup.

People order it,
even though it's not on the menu.

KANG HEE-NYEON
RESTAURANT OWNER OF 37 YEARS

-Really?
-Yes.

Everyone knows.

-They just know, huh?
-Yes.

Why isn't it on the menu?

It used to be that only locals
ordered it here.

Do you have any other hidden menus?

The stuff you eat among yourselves?

The radish soup looks good.

RED TILEFISH RADISH SOUP

-Give me some broth.
-All right.

There's pumpkin in the cutlassfish soup.

It looks amazing.

It looks fresh.

CUTLASSFISH SOUP

Are these scales in the broth?

When they're caught in nets
they rub against each other.

So their scales completely rub off.

They come fully scaled
if they're caught by fishing rods.

They're called silver cutlassfish.

A SPECIAL SOUP IN JEJU,
KNOWN FOR CUTLASSFISH

That's good.

This reminds me of my mother.

It's good.

It is good.

It's not fishy.

It's perfect for hangovers.

You always mix rice with broth.

Yeah, I like how the soup

thickens with the rice.

FULL-ON CONNOISSEUR MODE

How's it this good?

It's so good.

SOUP THAT'S TASTIER WITH RICE

The taste of fat in the fish
is infused well into the broth.

It's a different flavor
to when you grill it.

Seogwipo cutlassfish
is tasty in the winter.

The fish swim down to Seogwipo
because of the cold.

That's why…

I'm sure a Seogwipo local said that.

It's possible.

They migrate here.

I think the red tilefish
is the king of all fish.

Jeju suddenly seems appealing, no?

-Yes.
-Everyone should come here.

You know,

I think discovering a new dish
is making me feel pretty excited.

Finally, I've succeeded.

People who love to drink will love this.

That's right. Perfect for hangovers
and drinking sessions.

HANGOVER REMEDY
AND ALCOHOL PAIRING

I'm emptying this bowl pretty quickly.

Yes.

A TASTE THAT'S HARD TO RESIST

It's so good.

SAHMBO RESTAURANT

How do you make the broth?

The cutlassfish soup?

-The heads.
-The heads?

THE SECRET INGREDIENT:
THE CUTLASSFISH HEAD

What about…

That's made separately.

Just with water?

Yes, the fish is still fresh.

-Is that so?
-Water and radish.

-Seasoned with salt?
-Yes.

SALT, THE FINAL TOUCH

The salt decides what kind of dish
it will become.

-The salt?
-Yes.

The broth will darken with soy sauce.

Right.

The difference between
Jeolla-do and Gyeongsang-do dishes

depends on the usage of salt.

Gyeongsang-do and Gangwon-do
don't use much.

There are many salt ponds
across the west and south coast.

AN ABUNDANCE OF SALT
AT JEOLLA-DO AND THE WEST COAST

I think it's ultimately the salt.

QUALITY SALT, A FUNDAMENTAL
FACTOR IN KOREAN COOKING

When I usually say this,
people go, "That's right!"

But your reactions are…

No, we're…

This is good.

THE BEST! THE BEST!

This one tastes good.
But this has a sophisticated taste.

This broth reminds me of my hometown.

It's been a while.

Cutlassfish soup isn't generally popular

but people who live by the sea
know its taste.

Instead of green pumpkins,
yellow pumpkins are used.

But they don't betray the taste.

IT'S SO VERY TASTY

GUEOM-RI

The waves are big today.

Yeah, they sure are.

Watching the windy scenery
in a silent car is charming too.

Now we're headed towards
a famous seafood ramyeon house.

Seafood livens up a ramyeon dish.

Right?

People take many photos these days.

I hear Jeju ramyeon has octopus in it.

I think they add photogenic garnish.

We're here, right there.

Wow!

The wind!

It's so windy.

How refreshing!

Here.

Thank you.

Wow, it's so windy out there.

"Octopus ramyeon: Limited to 70 servings."

Only 70 servings a day.

For every serving,

we include one Jeju crab…

JEJU CRAB,
NO. 1 INGREDIENT IN SEAFOOD RAMYEON

…some mussels,

some abalone,

and some local octopus.

We used to serve chopped octopus

but we thought about serving them whole.

So we tried it out…

and it looked great.

That's how we began serving
octopus ramyeon.

THE SEA OF JEJU IN ONE POT

-Oh, my!
-Your order is served.

That's huge. It's so much.

OCTOPUS SEAFOOD RAMYEON

It's so weird to see the abalone moving.

I want to take a picture of this.

Look at this.

It tries to escape if you press it.

Because it's hot.

SLURP

Did you raise your chopsticks
before your elders?

How dare you!

SO PLAYFUL

FIRST BITE OF THE CHEWY OCTOPUS

The octopus is really good.

It's steamed well.

This is amazing.

Ma'am, what kind of crab is this?

A Jeju grab, a moon crab.

-A moon crab?
-Yes, it's a Jeju crab.

This is a solid crab.

It's pretty bulky.

Now this is savory.

The guts are savory.

MUCH MORE SAVORY THAN OTHER CRABS

-Yes.
-It's good.

The broth is spicy.

SIPPING THE SPICY BROTH

It's between a ramyeon
and a spicy fish stew.

It's not just ramyeon broth, but there's
a hint of ramyeon in the seafood broth.

It's not a simple ramyeon.

This doesn't taste homemade either.

Definitely, you're right.

Ma'am, the clam broth is great.

The mussel? Yes.

Using seafood stock was tastier
than just using water.

OH JI-HYEON - SEAFOOD RAMYEON
HOUSE OWNER OF 7 YEARS

These ingredients should be enough.
But you still made stock?

We really put extra effort
into making good stock.

We include dried pollack heads

large-eyed herrings, dried shrimps

kelp, garlic, and katsuobushi.

We include all these ingredients

then we simmer everything for three hours.

Did you add ramyeon powder?

We add our stock.

Then proportionately add
about half of the powder.

You don't put in that much.

I can see why the noodles are al dente.

So they don't get overcooked.

-So it's just right when it's served.
-Right.

See, they know what they're doing.

When you boil this just a bit,
it's soft to chew.

Where's my abalone?

Isn't that mine?

No, it's mine.

I only have one.

Oh, here it is.

In every way, this dish caters
to the younger generation.

That's right.

It's filled with seafood,

which Jeju is known for.

Plus, the stimulating taste of ramyeon.

It's fun to eat such a variety.

A FUN DISH TO EAT

Sir, is ramyeon soup a broth?

Ramyeon without broth

isn't ramyeon.

Isn't that so?

Yes, ramyeon without its soup is…

I think this can be considered as a broth

as we usually mix rice in it.

Whichever ramyeon you buy,
the noodles are similar.

Rather than the noodles,

we focus on the broth.

Is it spicy? Is it savory?

I think it depends on that.

Anywhere else in the world,
brothless ramyeon is the most popular.

But it's the opposite in Korea.

Ramyeon broth doesn't discriminate.

If you add the right amount of water,
the broth will taste right.

The satisfaction you get

is the same, no matter your age, gender,
or class.

SOUTH KOREA, WORLD'S NO. 1
IN INSTANT RAMYEON CONSUMPTION

SEONGEUP FOLK VILLAGE

Now, this is Jeju.

You can't see this on the mainland.

Correct.

These aged and mossy stone walls.

-Right.
-It's so pretty.

Compared to apartment walls…

PLEASED TO MEET YOU ALL

It's 300 years old.

Wow, the wind.

It's as if time has stopped
in this village.

Yes.

The locals still live
in the Seongeup Folk Village.

Preserving the characteristics
of Jeju folk-style houses.

So, in this village,
you feel like you're in Jeju the most.

There's smoke coming out of that house.

Which makes you realize people live there.

That's a lot of smoke.

-Hi, there.
-Wow!

It's quite smoky here.

Wow, the smoke.

-Hello.
-Hello.

It stings, right?

The gas, gas.

Gas, gas.

YANG YONG-JIN, LOCAL CHEF
ME TOO, GAS GAS

Sir, you look familiar.

Like you've popped out of a comic book.

-From a Korean comic book.
-Yes.

Sir, do you not have a ventilation system?

Usually, houses in Jeju
don't have stovepipes.

-Why?
-There are no stoves.

Jeju is the hottest and most humid place
in Korea.

Jeju uses this smoke
so insects can't nest indoors.

I see.

COUGH! COUGH!

Apart from the insects

the smoke might even chase people out.

Our mothers suffered through all of this
to feed their children.

-My eyes are watery.
-Yeah.

Tears continue to--

Are you getting emotional?

I'm tearing up.

What have you been preparing?

In Jeju, when we treat guests,

whether it's a feast or funeral,

or a major family event, like a wedding,

it's tradition to boil pork.

JEJU MARRIAGES START
WITH ONE PIG

For weddings,
we boil four to five pigs per house.

When you catch a pig

it's traditionally divided into 12 parts.

From the head to the neck

to the loin to the hock.

Next is the ribs,
from which you make pork galbi.

Then the belly, which we call samgyeopsal.

Also, the first three spare ribs.

EACH PIG IS DIVIDED
INTO 12 PARTS

Then you boil the meat all day.

Even the intestines
and other internal organs.

PIG INTESTINES AND BLOOD
ARE ALSO VALUABLE

They boil for a couple days, right?

It's called the Illwetjanchi.

It starts with the village wives,

who begin sewing blankets together.

Then, they bring their homegrown beans
and make tofu.

The feast itself is not a week long.
They need a week, right?

-Yes.
-To prepare.

The pig is caught
three days before the wedding.

That's when the feast begins.

After boiling the pig,

you eat the steaming hot pork
on the board.

-That's called dombegogi.
-Right.

-Wow!
-Oh, wow!

This should be

cut into thick pieces

because it's soft when it's still hot.

So it isn't tough to chew.

You should try this.

I can't wait to eat it.

-I want to eat it.
-It looks amazing.

Do you want one now?

HIS FACE SAYS IT ALL

Your timing couldn't be better.

It's so chewy.

So moist.

-Yes.
-It's moist.

This isn't like any other pig meat.

It's like quality tenderloin steak.

-That's it!
-At a fancy place.

Right!

-A fancy restaurant.
-Yes!

It's so good.

This bone

is called the jeopjjakppyeo.

This only used to be

given to brides.

The end of ribs is typically tough to eat.

-But this is different.
-It's not tough.

Wow! It's so tender.

JEOPJJAKPPYEO
THE MOST TENDER MEAT

When you chew it, it melts in your mouth.

During feasts

even if you catch two, three, four pigs

the villagers would visit the house

for three days, three meals a day.

So you need a couple hundred portions.

To feed a couple hundred,
you can't make thick broth.

So this goes in to increase its quantity.

Boiled pig meat, suyuk dishes

contain a seaweed called a gulfweed

to increase its quantity.

It needs to be simmered

only for 10 minutes.

Not three, one at a time.

FIREWOOD,
ESSENTIAL TO MAKING A GOOD BROTH

-Where did you learn to fan the fire?
-Have the side dishes.

THE FIRE GROWS AND RISES.

Right before you eat

add buckwheat flour to thicken it.

Buckwheat is seen everywhere in Jeju,

so it was added into all sorts

of pork-based broths.

Adding buckwheat flour at the end
is a must.

In Korea, we have
the rice-in-broth tradition.

Sharing the same broth with others
for a couple days

means you're family.

One could say that it creates

a sense of community.

It contains many ingredients.

It looks tasty.

These herbs look like grapes.

GULFWEED SOUP

The last garnish is what's special.

Sour kimchi. To season the dish.

-The broth?
-Here?

-With the kimchi?
-Yes.

You use this for seasoning.

Kimchi as seasoning.

This is the deepest flavor

I've ever smelled.

The depth fills the bowl.

Actually, it has an unfamiliar taste.

Yes.

-It's unfamiliar.
-Of course.

Its simplicity is its charm.

While it's refreshing,

it has an unusual taste,

but it's so delicious.

When we were young, we saw this broth

and knew we were eating meat.

Making this meant

there was an event and there was meat.

We knew there'd be a festivity

or a party of some sort.

We live in such individualistic times,

so imagining a three-day feast
of so much mingling

is heartwarming.

It's incredibly fun.

GAMUN JANCHI,
A FIVE-DAY JEJU WEDDING FESTIVITY

I doubt the women in the kitchen
thought it was all fun and games.

Want to fry jeon for three days?

Pretty tough.

On Jeju Island,

we catch all sorts of squid from the sea.

We make muchim with that.

It's so good.

-This…
-So tender.

This would win first place
at a global salad contest.

I really think so.

Minari, cucumber, squid,
the combination of these textures…

Optimizing the natural flavor

is Jeju's way of cooking.

-This dish is red in Seoul.
-Yes.

Seoul squid muchim seem inelegant

-compared to this.
-I agree!

Those look cheaper.

This is classy.

-This…
-It's great.

Jeju locals often eat yukgaejang.

Every household has brackens at hand.

We need them for ancestral rites
and other traditional rituals.

So, you boil pork

until it becomes crumbly.

Then you add brackens and continue boiling

until it blends together.

That's what we call Jeju-style yukgaejang.

JEJU YUKGAEJANG
WITH BRACKENS AND BUCKWHEAT

If gulfweed soup had this cool feel
of solitude…

You been lonely?

-Wow.
-Impressive.

Wow, that's poetic.

This one feels plentiful.

Yes, this is certainly thicker.

Gulfweed soup feels lonely, huh?

Oh, that's…

I can feel our ancestral wisdom.

Sharing with many to avoid boredom.

-While having enough for everyone.
-Yes.

You can make a feast for everyone
in the village with a single pig.

We witnessed that today.

You eat everything except the pig's fur.

That's correct.

Leaving no trace.

If you took the fur
and scattered it into the wind,

nobody would know the pig was missing.

You waste nothing.

-You're very thorough.
-Very.

We catch a pig,
and nothing is thrown away.

Making it easier to share
by boiling pork stock.

PIG SUYUK

We use any leftover from the pig
to make blood sausage,

which is also called suae.

PORK FAT OR LARD

Lard was used to make this japchae.

I've never tried japchae
fried with pig fat.

Jeopjjakppyeo broth for brides.

Agangbal broth, for mothers with newborns,

that's made with pig's feet.

Because pigs symbolize fertility
and everyone breeds them,

pigs were often used
for special occasions.

HUH YOUNG-MAN, CARTOONIST

Since food is so precious in Jeju,
the locals seem to share

by boiling food in a big iron pot.

Boiling soup

symbolizes our love for broth,

but it's a way to share
without discrimination.

The Jeju locals' culture of sharing
and economic quality

is exemplified at that folk village.

JEJU BROTH, FOOD TO SHARE

TONGYEONG

Various island food cultures

was further developed in Tongyeong.

It was a self-governing province

with a 300-year history
since the Joseon Era.

A city which combines
the three cultures from the

Jeolla, Gyeongsang,
and Chungcheong Provinces.

THE TONGYEONG JOURNEY BEGINS

There isn't a single wave.

You can see islands, mountains, and hills.

You want to trace the outlines
with a pencil.

TONGYEONG CABLE CAR

Wow, how picturesque.

-Hey, Yon-ji.
-Good day, sir.

We've traveled far to get here.

Hello, sir.

Seeing you here feels different.

So this is the observatory.

If you're scared of heights…

THE PRIDE OF TONGYEONG:
THE 461M ALTITUDE CABLE CAR

The floor is--

It's scary.

Why is it shaky?

I don't like this place.

It's so scary.

-Sir, look at the islands.
-There's a lot.

How many are there?

They say 5,700.

5,700?

No, 570.

570?

Well, there are so many.

So I naturally expected it to surpass 500.

5,700.

-It's beautiful.
-Really beautiful.

I guess this is why it's called Naples.

The Naples of Asia.

Meaning, it's that beautiful.

I can see why from up here.

The ocean is still.

The islands totally block the wind.

Its conditions are quite ideal
for farming.

-Yes.
-It's filled with seafood.

That's expected.

I'm pretty excited.

FRESHNESS IS EVERYWHERE
IN TONGYEONG

HELLO!

WHERE WILL THEY GO TO TASTE
THE SPECIAL BROTH OF TONGYEONG?

Sir, this is an art village.

Yeonmyeong Art Village.

It's true.

We're all artists, too.

No wonder it's pretty.

We're here to meet Mr. Lee Sang-hee.

I think he's there.

Hello.

Hello, come on in.

-Hi.
-Hi.

Nice to meet you, sir.

Hello.

I see some mussels there.

Yes, I boiled

and skewered these yesterday.

-They're quite big.
-It's so big.

Is this farmed or organic?

It's organic.

I don't use farmed mussels.

Hapja is an islander's dish.

TONGYEONG'S PRIDE
ORGANIC MUSSELS

It's just island culture.
Each island boils them differently.

I heard from grandmothers

that excessive cleaning
will lessen its flavor.

The tiny shell-like things on the shell

are live organisms that should be kept

because they make the broth flavorful.

You just need to remove
foreign substances.

Excessive boiling will shrink

and toughen the mussel.

When the steam trickles down the pot lid

is when you should stop.

The mussels will be too tough
if you don't.

ORGANIC MUSSELS ARE BOILED AND ARE PLUMP

Then you skewer them five each
and dry them for ancestral rites.

That's called a mussel ogajaebi.

Five per one skewer.

-This is it.
-It's wonderful.

TODAY'S SPECIAL VIEW

This is unbelievable.

You live here?

I don't live here.
I'm just enjoying my life.

-I love it.
-For real.

THE TONGYEONG OCEAN
RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES

I'm de-stressed already.

THE SEA LIES BEFORE THEM IN TONGYEONG

So, these were used during rites long ago,
but the elders ate them with drinks.

CHARCOAL-BROILED MUSSELS

They smoked them on charcoal fire.

MUSSEL OGAJAEBI BY RYU SOO-YOUNG

YUM

YUM

YUM

They're so good.

So good.

The moment I ate it

it burst and all the juices--

-It oozes out.
-That's right.

The outer layer is dry and chewy,

-but the juices, pop.
-Pop!

-The juices pop.
-Pop!

-Chewy and moist.
-Correct.

You're awfully silent, sir.

No, it's like I'm watching youngsters
hosting mukbangs.

While we stay silent.

When you simmer mussels
in large iron pots,

the broth tastes amazing.

The mussel broth is then
simmered for five hours.

After that,

you start on the hapja extract broth.

-The king of all broths.
-Yes.

You'll only need one spoonful.

I didn't create that for this.

I create this every winter

to make that.

Sir, this is hapjajeotguk.

That's such a dark color.

A slight dash will do.

-It's thick.
-Why is it so thick?

This is hapjajeotguk.

HAPJAJEOTGUK, A RICH SAUCE MADE BY
SIMMERING MUSSEL BROTH FIVE TIMES.

An island food culture must be preserved

by islanders themselves.

But no one is interested.

Taking some interest in this

will only enrich our diet.

ORGANIC MUSSELS (HAPJA)

When making hapjajeotguk, using firewood

allows its aroma to blend in

giving it a slightly smoky scent.

Boil the mussels in the iron pot

then take it out…

and use the broth

to boil it exactly the same way.

You repeat this five times.

You're making it five times.

It's the wisdom of our ancestors.

They couldn't eat it because they had
to sell it to the mainland.

Mainlanders will then take it as medicine.

IMPOSSIBLE PROCESS WITHOUT EFFORT

This is the broth
from the organic mussels.

Its color and concentration

will become like hapjajeotguk,

if you continue simmering it.

UNTIL THE CLEAR MUSSEL BROTH
DEEPENS IN COLOR

MUSSEL BROTH AFTER SIX HOURS

A PRECIOUS MEDICINE
AND TASTE OF THE OCEAN

The color of this broth is quite dark.
It's as good as any soy sauce.

HAPJAJEOTGUK

The scent is very strong.

The smokiness.

When making muchim or mussel soup

you only need this.

Its flavor was the strongest
condiment I tried.

I wanted to make it at home,

and I actually did.

I simmered three kilograms of it

and got three tablespoons.

Three tablespoons.

HAPJAJEOTGUK MADE BY RYU SOO-YOUNG

Do Tongyeong locals these days
eat hapjajeotguk?

They don't know.
People below their 50s don't know.

THE DISAPPEARING TASTE OF TRADITION

My hometown is Yeosu,
but I've never heard of it.

This hapjajeotguk.

-It's sweet.
-It's so tasty.

This is so valuable.

How exciting.

-Here's an apron.
-All right.

OFFICIAL TONGYEONG MEAL-MAKING SESSION

-It's an haengjuchima.
-Yes.

It suits you, sir.

-Right?
-It really does.

PLEASED

We'll be making the flounder seaweed soup.

I bought these this morning.

BROTH WITH FRESH FLOUNDER

What amazed me about Tongyeong at first

was while other regions
create various dishes with fish,

they make soup with fish.

They boil stew, make stir-fries,

and dry them for steamed dishes.

All kinds of ways.

FLOUNDER IS SAVORY BECAUSE IT IS FATTY

The characteristic of
the Tongyeong cuisine is

they thinly slice everything.

It seems they're considering others.

They aren't trying to be fancy.

We don't need fancy.
We're realistic people.

Good, right?

-It's so good.
-It's really good.

A TASTE OF THE SEA IN A MOUTHFUL

It's simple to make.

Just add seaweed and fish.

Tongyeong elders and former residents

all seem to miss this dish
when I mention it.

This was their childhood.

They probably had this
in their everyday lives.

TONGYEONG'S SOUL FOOD
FISH SEAWEED SOUP

Tongyeong cuisine almost always adds
fish soy sauce.

This will complement the aroma.

To enjoy the natural flavors
of the seaweed or fish,

you only need two condiments.

Fish soy sauce and hapjajeotguk.

So, just fish, seaweed, and seasoning.

FLOUNDER SEAWEED SOUP

We've prepared a couple more.

Horaegi.

HORAEGI, BABY OCTOPUS AND BOBTAIL SQUID

Seasoned horaegi is called

-horaegi jeotgal.
-Horaegi.

TAP

So a baby octopus is--

SWATTING AT UNINVITED GUESTS

-You surprised them.
-I caught it.

APRON CAUGHT OFF GUARD

I did catch the fly.

You normally use fish soy sauce here.

Jeotgal as a side dish.

I've never tried that.

Tongyeong cuisine often uses
sesame oil and sesame seeds.

This is for Tongyeong locals or
people who live by the sea.

HORAEGI JEOTGAL

Only Tongyeong locals eat this.

-Crab muchim.
-Crab sashimi.

-Crab sashimi.
-This can be cooked in various ways.

FRESH CRAB MUCHIM, ONLY IN TONGYEONG

-Tongyeong locals before…
-It looks so good.

…ate this like dessert.

It's aged with cheongyang red pepper.

Mix it with Asiatic pear, onion
and soy sauce.

Pear, onion, soy sauce.

Tongyeong elders say,

"Oysters are like yuzu."

YUZU

You dig out the flesh of yuzu.

You're using the peel, not the fruit?

Yes, this is the best part.

YUZU PEEL AS A BOWL

It's so sophisticated.

Wow!

YUZU OYSTER

That is awesome, so awesome.

-It's so pretty.
-In 10 to 20 minutes

the juice will seep into the oyster.

Let's accompany the seaweed soup

with sea squirt bibimbap.

Sea squirt bibimbap.

The sea squirt is organic.

-Organic?
-Yes.

It's in season now.

ORGANIC SEA SQUIRT

We have to try that.

THE KNOB OF THE SEA SQUIRT

You remove the mud from the knob.

You need to clean it once.

It's salty.

WHAT IS THIS MYSTERIOUS TASTE?

Do you like sea squirts?

DENIAL

No?

It's an acquired taste.

How can you not like sea squirt?

I'll change your mind today.

Actually, I can't eat it, either.

What?

WHAT NOW?

You're a comedian.

Scratches head.

I eat one or two when I have to.

I don't know why it's good.

You're so funny.

THE MEAT INSIDE SEA SQUIRTS SMELLS
LIKE THE SEA

You usually slice this.

But we'll dice it today.

Is that a sea squirt mash?

Those who aren't fond of this

usually eat it seasoned in bibimbap.

Marinate it with fish soy sauce.

FISH SOY SAUCE FOR SEAFOOD DISHES

SEA SQUIRT BIBIMBAP

Thank you.

Thank you for the food.

I've tried my best.

-Yes, thank you.
-Thank you.

Koreans are good mixers.

The crunchiness makes it so tasty.

The mash makes it easier to eat.

It's so good.

The ocean…

THE TASTE OF SEA FILLS THE MOUTH

This is a female crab.

-The broth is more flavorful now.
-Yes.

The flounder is tasty.

I see why Koreans say fish is like meat.

-It's meat broth.
-Agreed.

No fishy taste at all.

You're right.

Do you like soup?

Even when we have jjigae,
we have soup, too.

Right.

Our spoon culture is interesting.

Japan, Southeast Asia, and China
use chopsticks.

It's written, "Only Korea uses a spoon
for rice and soup."

And that's incredible.

We say sujeo,
which mentions the spoon first.

SUJEO, A KOREAN CUISINE MUST HAVE

We savor each spoonful.

I think our culture is incredible.

A meal without broth is…

You're right.

You need the soup.

-I agree.
-I need it.

It's still true.

We say broth is refreshing.

We say it's refreshing in hot springs.

-That's true.
-Oh, refreshing.

We say it's refreshing
when our foe falls down.

That's true.

-I feel refresh--
-Oh, that.

Yes, that phrase.

Even when eating a spoonful of broth.

THE HOT AND REFRESHING
TASTE OF BROTH

In Tongyeong,

I realized
that the ingredients are everything.

With good ingredients

your sincerity easily comes through.

Tongyeong is filled with
such sincere dishes.

Nothing fancy.

Only good ingredients.

You inspire others with that.

That's what I remember eating.

NEW FLAVORS OF TONGYEONG,
A CITY OF BROTH

-Ttukbaegi meals are popular…
-Yes?

…in cities by the ocean.

Oh! I'm excited.

Hello.

This looks good.

It smells good.

Wow, look at that!

-Oh, wow!
-Is that it?

It's like a mountain.

A SHOCKING IMAGE OF TTUKBAEGI

We must carefully dismantle it.

SEAFOOD TOWER

We sell seafood ttukbaegi.
It's different every day…

GO SU-CHAN
OWNER FOR 12 YEARS

…with eight or more ingredients.

Scallops,

clam,

Manila clam, mussel,

murex.

We buy them cheap

so we provide large portions.

Washing won't get rid of all the sand

so we check them all.

We clean one clam at a time
before we put it in.

We put them in one by one,

and it's made fresh upon order.

SEAFOOD TTUKBAEGI

What do I do?

This is crazy.

I guess I'm not going home today.

I thought, "Let's die eating."

It felt like that.

Layers and layers of scallops.

It'll collapse at the first misstep.

Wow.

TACKLING THE MOUNTAIN OF SEAFOOD

There's a conch.

How is this so good?

ORGANIC CONCH

People these days
don't consume the intestines.

Right, these intestines.

Similar to abalone intestines.

We used to eat it all.

It's flavorful.

Like abalone intestines.

This place makes their dish fun to eat.

Yes.

The scallop is intact.

This is such a healthy treat.

I'm digging into the bottom of the bowl.

I can see the broth now.

It tastes like soybean paste.

Sir!

How did you make the broth?

The broth.

It's actually a secret.

Just tell us the basic ingredient.

HIDDEN IN THE SEAFOOD SOUP

IS THE SECRET TO THE BROTH.

This broth was created by using

crabs, shrimp, and more.

Combined with the broth
that comes from simmering seafood.

THE SCENT OF SEAFOOD STOCK

Whoa, that's good.

Very refreshing.

It's charming.

Perfect for hangovers.

My first impression of Tongyeong

will begin with broth

and end with this

clam tower broth.

Complementing a seafood stew with broth

confirms that we're really
a nation of broth.

Very few countries will

present a dish like this.

-They'd just steam it.
-Exactly.

That was quite shocking.

JEONJU

The low skyline relaxes me.

JEONJU HANOK VILLAGE

As much as we love broth,

there's a long history on it.

HAM YON-JI, ACTRESS

I was curious what broth
might have been like 5,000 years ago.

So we went searching

for the broth within our history.

You may enter. You may enter.

TRADITIONAL CUISINE
RESTORATION RESEARCH CENTER

Oh, my.

It's like a painting.

It's so pretty inside.

There are two ladies

-in the yard.
-How beautiful.

Hello.

-Hello.
-Hello.

It feels like we traveled back
in time 200 years.

What were you doing?

We were boiling a soup

called hyojonggaengi.

-Hyojonggaeng?
-In Joseon Era

noblemen needed this soup

for their hangovers.

It was prepared
at the Gwangju Namhansanseong Fortress.

Servants would walk 24 kilometers

to deliver this hangover soup to them.

So we're preparing that broth now.

10 kilometers?
Almost 15 kilometers on foot?

It's 24 kilometers.

-24 kilometers?
-Yes.

Wouldn't it get cold by then?

To keep it warm, what they did was

put this into a pot

wrap it with a cotton blanket

load it onto a carrier

-and delivered it by dawn.
-By morning.

Yes, the thick pot

would keep it hot.

-Amazing.
-Wow.

Korea's first delivery service.

That's right.

Would you like to see?

It's like a cabbage soup.

This is amazing.

HYOJONGGAENG

It smells like

a really tasty hangover soup.

This is more like a healthy hangover soup.

Yes, healthy.

It neutralizes the hangover.

So you can drink again

upon recovery.

-The original hangover soup.
-Yes.

The name Hyojonggaeng

uses the character hyo which means dawn

the jong meaning bell
the gaeng meaning soup.

GWAK YU-GYEONG
TRADITIONAL CUISINE RESTORER

A hangover soup must be
flavorfully balanced and mild.

So the ingredients are parboiled first

to milden up the taste.

The harsh tastes are filtered out.

We want a refreshing taste.

It's a bean paste soup

but it can't taste strong

as it'll overpower everything else.

So we boil galbi

along with abalone

and sea cucumber.

It's not your average hangover soup.

It's a healthier version.

HYOJONGGAENG HAS THE FLAVORS
OF THE MOUNTAINS AND THE SEA

We prepared some stew.

We serve tea and dessert
as a welcome treat.

This is called nadantangbyeong,

which means dessert.

Nadantangbyeong.

Nadan is the small dumpling.

If you try it

you'll taste meat inside.

-Oh, my.
-Sounds good.

Why don't we eat this anymore?

A BROTH THAT REQUIRES DEVOTION

This is too precious to eat.

Thank you for this.

-Yes.
-Yes.

The small dumplings.

They're flavorful.

I thought this was meat broth
but maybe not.

The broth is made only of beef.

But to achieve its light and simple taste,

we added some anchovy stock.

The chewy tteok

and minced meat combined

creates a beautiful taste.

I hope this becomes popular again.

Now that I've had this,

I feel like a nobleman.

Lord Heo's food is always best.

I appreciate your words.

I look forward to more invitations.

THERE'S MORE

What are those?

All those dishes.

We recreated the yeolgujatang.

It's a royal hot pot,
and it's also called sinseollo.

Sinseollo is the name of the food

and the dish which contains it.

YEOLGUJATANG (SINSEOLLO)
A STEW THAT ENTERTAINS THE LIPS

First up, beef.

This is beef.

This was already used for the broth.

Korean cuisine
isn't for discarding used ingredients.

They're reused.

It's not like the Western stock.

This is from the cow.

It's called cheonyeop.

It's the cow's third stomach.

It creates a milky broth.

Very sophisticated.

Also, this is

a crab nureunjang,

which is fried with egg whites.

This only exists

in Seo Yu-gu's historical recipes,

Jeongjoji yeolgujatang.

I wondered if they were fish eggs.

Crab eggs sound delicious.

Crab eggs?

Yes, crab eggs.

Called nureunjang.

A valued ingredient.

The color is great too.

HAEHWANGJIDAN: CRAB EGGS WITH EGG WHITES

Gray mullet.

-What?
-What?

-Yes.
-Yes.

Noblemen always had this
on their ancestral rites table

because of its neat and thick scales

and nice-looking exterior.

-That's true.
-Yeah.

They were picky about how it looked.

Can't catch any gray mullets

It's trouts actually.

-Oh?
-This is a gray mullet.

Schubert's song was--

It was for trouts.

It's a translation error.

Creating confusion between the two.

-I find out after 43 years.
-All this time.

That's for trouts.

We use gray mullets.

I'm glad I learned something.

This is gyeongjong cabbage,

or Joseon cabbage.

It has a long stem.

It stands tall.

-Very sweet. And flavorful.
-The cabbage we eat is from China.

That's right.

This is a white radish.

A turnip.

During the Joseon Era,

turnips were preferred

over the common radish we eat.

People usually see pictures of sinseollo

but they never get to see it put together.

It's like history is unfolding
before our eyes.

This is really--

It's amazing.

This is picturesque

how it's put together.

BEEF STOCK

YEOLGUJATANG, MADE WITH 25 INGREDIENTS

This is called suhwagije,

where the elements of water and fire

combine and communicate.

GWAK MI-GYEONG
TRADITIONAL CUISINE RESTORER

This was usually presented at feasts.

YEOLGUJATANG

Other dishes would cool down
and become oily.

But only this kept its original state.

There are records of it.

A TABLE FROM THE JOSEON ERA

CLAM FRY

-Would you like to try?
-Yes, where do we start?

BOSSAM KIMCHI

When we observe our elders,

we see them sit

then taste the broth.

After that

they begin with the side dish

or the rice.

So this is it.

The taste has depth.

All sorts of delicacies are in it.

It's so good.

-Is it really?
-Yes.

-Are you being polite?
-Honestly.

-Really?
-Yes.

HYOJONGGAENG, HANGOVER REMEDY
FOR JOSEON ERA NOBLEMEN

This probably prepared them

for more drinks.

More drinking, yes.

They knew how to live.

For real.

-Sinseollo.
-Sinseollo.

My first sinseollo.

I've tried a simple one before

but none so formally prepared.

The crab eggs are here.

-So honored.
-Crab eggs.

Yeah, what an honor.

The curious crab eggs.

Don't expect a strong taste.

Expect a light, refreshing

and flavorful taste.

It's so classy.

Each of these flavors are distinct.

It's interesting to pick and choose.

Lord Heo, the perfect method is
one glass per bite.

Let's raise our glass.

What a pairing.

It keeps it interesting.

-A bottle or two, easy.
-Yes.

Yeolgujatang means

to joyfully satisfy one's mouth.

It's that kind of food.

Koreans like

to boil everything on the table.

They even grill meat on tables.

I think that was the beginning of it all.

The Joseon Era gas burner is sinseollo.

That's right.

It's getting cold now.

ANOTHER JOSEON ERA BROTH

Let me open this.

Ta-da.

-Wow!
-Wow!

The color is great.

The corbina is adorned in color.

CORBINA JOCHI

Jochi is the royal term
for the word jjigae.

If this jochi term is used,

the corbina will be treated with much care

so the jochi always
accompanied formal meals.

It's a kind of side dish

in the form of a luxury jjigae.

Rather than the stomach,

the intestines were extracted
through the gills.

So it's intact.

A sliced stomach isn't a pleasant look.

It's amazing they did that.

Wow!

-The broth first.
-The broth.

You previously tasted

soft and refreshing tastes.

This one will be saltier.

CORBINA JOCHI
A SALTY SIDE DISH AND WARM BROTH

I need to mix rice in.

I agree.

I never expected corbinas

to taste this soft and creamy.

It's filled with flavor.

This is a jjigae rather than a soup.

-Yes.
-A corbina jjigae.

-Jochi.
-Yes.

Jijim, jjigae, jochi all have

the same meaning.

These words contain deep meaning
relevant to Korean cuisine.

These words.

SUNGNYUNG, THE CONCLUSION TO A BROTH MEAL

The nurungji spoon is different.

Yes, Westerners have dessert spoons
at their tables.

It feels foreign in our cuisine.

Koreans love broth.

We use spoons for the rice.

We then use the same one for jjigae.

-Right.
-Then, for a fish stew like this.

We use it for the entire meal.

They are finished off
with sungnyung or nurungji.

-Right.
-So this nurungji

presumably comes from our stew culture.

NURUNGJI, FROM KOREA'S BROTH CULTURE

This pot provided us with

a very satisfying dish.

I'd say today was very meaningful.

This was enjoyed by our ancestors,

and it represents our roots.

I think I got to experience
the absolute best

of all the delicacies they got to enjoy.

I don't think
I'll ever forget this experience.

THE 5,000 YEAR HISTORY
MEETING THE ORIGIN OF BROTH

KOREA, A NATION OF BROTH

There are many types of soup.

Its categories are

soup…

BEAN SPROUT SOUP

DUMPLING SOUP

…gaeng, a vegetable broth,

which has less water,

THE MEANING OF GAENG
HYOJONGGAENG

hwak, meat broth.

Jochi is a broth dish, too.

Jjigae likewise.

THE MEANING OF JJIGAE
SOYBEAN PASTE JJIGAE

Suk, broth made by long simmer.

Like baeksuk.

Po, broth with tofu in it.

Like Yeonpotang.

Depending on the ingredient
and the volume of broth,

there are tons of categories.

As you can see,

Koreans love broth.

I can't finish a meal without broth.

This is engraved deeply

in my bones,

this broth culture or our nation.

The relationship between
our people and broth

is like destiny.

BROTH IS LIKE DESTINY FOR KOREANS

Oh, look!

Wow!

But I finished the fried egg.

What now?

That was essential.

Oh, my.

What are we eating after ramyeon?

Jeopjjakppyeoguk and meat noodles.

Weren't you asleep?

People cross-dress these days.

Imagine Soo-young wearing a women's skirt.

It's filling already.

It's a birthday cake. Get some candles.

Happy birthday…

Subtitle translation by:
Jisu Park