A Nation of Broth (2022): Season 1, Episode 2 - Episode 2 - full transcript
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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.
Broth and rice are the basics
of Korean cuisine.
Mixing the two creates gukbap…
HAM YON-JI, ACTRESS
…which is a simple dish
that is inseparable from Koreans.
When you think gukbap,
pork gukbap first comes to mind,
which then reminds you of Busan.
BUSAN
That's why we went to Busan.
Created after the Korean War
this is one of the bigger markets.
It's my first time at Kkangtong Market.
Wherever you go in the world,
markets are good tourist spots.
Markets are filled with liveliness.
I feel the energy of the place.
TRADITIONAL MARKET
BUSTLING WITH ENERGY
It's good.
Busan odeng is the best.
It sure is good.
-I had this when I was a student.
-Right.
I remember my student days too.
Is it there, sir?
Here.
So it's this house.
Just by the corner.
It's really big.
-Hello.
-It's at the market entryway.
There's pyeonyuk by the entrance.
-Hello.
-Hello.
Hello.
She's pouring broth.
That's amazing.
Hello. You're actually using
the toryeom technique.
TORYEOM, THE REGULAR APPLICATION
OF HOT BROTH ON RICE TO HEAT IT
Your wrist must hurt.
How long have you done this?
So much meat.
Over 20 years, maybe 25 years.
That's amazing.
A GUKBAP HOUSE THAT SHOWS
TRACES OF ITS 25 YEARS
I'm excited for the food.
The aroma…
PORK GUKBAP
Hello.
Hi.
You're so beautiful.
JEONG JEONG-A, OWNER OF
A PORK GUKBAP HOUSE OF 54 YEARS
-Hello.
-Yes, hello.
I want pork gukbap.
-Me too.
-Okay.
-The mixed dish for me.
-All right.
Should I have pyeonyuk or suyuk?
How do they differ?
-Half-and-half, please.
-All right.
Oh, that's it.
How long has this place been here?
My parents started this place.
So it's been over 50 years.
You're the veteran of this market.
That's right.
You've been in this spot for 50 years?
Yes, right here.
Wow, amazing.
4:00 A.M.
Every day at dawn,
we trim the meat
that we bring from the farm.
We start with the leg bones and the head
and boil it the old-fashioned way.
About 15, 16 pigs fit into one pot
so we use three pots.
Meaning, around 50 pigs.
Then we repeat the process.
So 100 pigs in total.
A HUNDRED PIG HEADS
IN A DAY'S WORTH OF BROTH
Look over there, sir.
-Pig heads.
-Yes.
-I've never seen this.
-Me either.
I hear that if you boil
then dry the pig heads
its texture changes.
DRYING BOILED PIG HEADS
FOR ONE HOUR
-I heard something too.
-What's that?
That Busan locals have pork gukbap broth
coursing through their veins.
-I heard that.
-They really love this dish.
If you ask Busan locals,
"What should I eat in Busan?"
-"Pork gukbap."
-Correct.
This morning, I went to one
of the public bathhouses here.
Someone over there
was telling me about pork gukbap.
The locals have specific preferences.
So some places use chicken feet,
some only use pork,
some use only bones, and others use beef.
They all use different stock.
But locals have
their personal preferences.
Apparently, there are
around 300 kinds of gukbap.
-300?
-Pork gukbap?
I looked it up online
and there are 700 pork gukbap places
in Busan.
If that's true, there's a pork gukbap
place every 1,1 kilometer.
-Every 1,1 kilometer?
-Yes.
-That's the number of cafés in Seoul.
-You're right.
SOMUNNAN PIG GUKBAP
BONJEON PIG GUKBAP
BUSAN PIG GUKBAP
I'm almost done.
Maybe one more minute?
I'm pretty good with timing.
When I boil meat, I want it to be tender
and hot enough for a ttukbaegi bowl.
That's when I serve it up.
You get a feel for it
when you do this every day.
You need to have a sense for it.
BUSAN STYLE PIG GUKBAP
It's here.
It's presented beautifully.
It's so pretty.
You add unseasoned chives here?
-Yes.
-So that's why.
Hope you enjoy.
-Yes.
-Thank you.
The man at the bathhouse suggested…
BY HUH YOUNG-MAN
…that I don't mix the sauce with the broth
before taking the first sip.
So don't mix the sauce yet?
-Taste the broth first.
-Correct.
That's so good.
-It's good.
-Right?
-Like baeksuk, huh?
-Exactly.
You wouldn't know without looking.
-I agree.
-It's like chicken baeksuk.
-Yum.
-It's so good.
BROTH WITH A CLEAN TASTE
LIKE CHICKEN BAEKSUK
The ear is fatty and chewy but flavorful.
EAR MEAT
The tongue meat is all lean meat…
JEONG JEONG-A, OWNER OF A PORK
GUKBAP HOUSE OF 54 YEARS
…so it has a light taste.
The cheek area is chewy
but oily because there's some fat there.
The nose feels like
you're chewing on collagen.
It's very chewy.
You think this would be good with soju?
I wasn't going to say anything.
-One bottle of soju, please.
-This early?
Soju is a morning drink.
Yes, Busan.
Busan!
-It's a crime not to drink with this.
-I agree.
It's a serious mistake.
This dish calls for at least one bottle.
A DISH THAT'S EVEN TASTIER
WITH DRINKS
Soju tastes sweet with this broth.
Oh, dear.
Suyuk is served.
This much is a half portion?
Which is the tongue meat?
It's here.
PORK SUYUK PLATTER
This here, is the cheek meat.
-One question.
-Sure.
-Can I order more broth?
-Of course.
Apologies, he eats a lot sometimes.
He usually doesn't eat this much.
This isn't like him.
Let's try the cheek meat.
This is expensive meat.
You know pasta carbonara?
Italians make carbonara
with pork cheek meat.
They use ham made from this.
It's called guanciale.
It's a very flavorful area.
The more you chew…
AN EXPLOSION OF TASTE
PORK CHEEK MEAT
Even the fat is tasty.
Here's a reason to live a long life.
What's that?
There's so much to eat.
This is so good.
The cheek meat.
I always think in metaphors.
Seolleongtang and gomtang
are like asphalt.
This is an unpaved road.
It's unrefined,
but it represents the tastebuds
of the locals.
That's how I described it in my cartoon.
-In Sikgaek.
-I remember it.
"Like a young rebel speeding
on an unpaved road."
Yes, a young rebel.
"THE TASTE OF A YOUNG REBEL
SPEEDING ON AN UNPAVED ROAD", FROM SIKGAEK
You have many regulars?
Yes, of course.
People miss their mother's
home cooking, made with love,
and some people still come
and tell me that.
The merchants here.
THE ONE SATISFYING MEAL
FOR BUSY MERCHANTS
Our regulars consist
of merchants in the vicinity
and delivery people.
During difficult times in the past,
this was the one hot bowl
they could eat until they were full.
Plus, it was cheap.
After a tiring day of work,
they'd come here at the end of the day
and have a hot bowl of gukbap.
"A gukbap bowl of happiness."
That's what they say.
The reason pork gukbap
is adored by Busan locals
is because it warms the soul.
How comforting it must be.
DAEGU
This is Daegu!
I think it's warmer here than Busan.
Daegu is famous for its hot weather.
-Geographically, Daegu is a basin.
-They call it "Daefrica."
Since the Joseon Era,
Daegu's cattle market was always
well-developed.
They have something called mungtigi,
a dish made with only fresh meat.
They also have jjimgalbi.
It's a very spicy dish.
A quite famous one.
SPICY GALBIJJIM
The city of Daegu is a basin.
It gets very hot and very cold.
So, the weather affects their cuisine.
DAEGU, THE HOLY LAND
OF BEEF DISHES
-Is it here?
-Yes.
Recently in Daegu,
makchang has become popular.
-Right.
-Daegu is known for yukgaejang.
-We're here.
-Hello.
-Welcome in.
-Hello.
YUKGAEJANG - 8,500 WON
Yukgaejang is your signature dish?
-Right?
-Yes.
-Yukguksu sounds good.
-Yukguksu.
Instead of rice in yukgaejang
it comes with noodles.
It's also good.
-We'll have yukgaejang.
-Yes.
Three orders of yukgaejang then?
You mentioned yukgaejang places
are disappearing in Seoul.
I just can't seem to find one in Seoul.
Probably because a lot of effort
goes into making yukgaejang.
Do you think that's the reason?
I reckon it was a very famous soup.
This cookbook
is from the early 20th century.
-Yes.
-The first edition of how to make soup…
Yes.
…has yukgaejang.
Here.
It's on the first page.
Next is gomguk, then mixed seafood stew.
Then fish stew.
The knee, crucible, beef rib,
tripe, stomach, intestine, and pancreas.
They mix all these parts
with chives and other ingredients,
and boil them for some time.
It says here,
"Soup comes after rice.
It is the main side dish.
A table without soup
is like a face without eyes."
Wow.
That's how important soup was.
Daegu had a ritual
called gyeongsang gamyeong…
RYU SOO-YOUNG, ACTOR
…so for ancestral rites or guests,
they had to cook a cow.
That's why yukgaejang,
a spicy beef stew, was created.
The origin of the yukgaejang we eat today
was called the Daegu stew,
which tells us that yukgaejang
originated in Daegu.
Yukgaejang follows
Daegu's traditional style.
We simmer beef leg bones for 24 hours
and 365 days a year.
After boiling them,
we put diced radish into another pot.
There, we add flank and brisket meat
and pour the broth on top.
Once it's boiled, you add green onions.
Green onions are a must in yukgaejang.
Daegu is well-known for its green onions.
These onions are grown
by the Nakdong River.
If you add a lot of green onion,
it'll blend in with the radish
and create an organic sweetness.
NATURAL SEASONINGS, CREATING SWEETNESS
GREEN ONION AND RADISH
We've been in business for 60 years
and yet, our recipe hasn't changed.
JU MI-SUK, OWNER OF A TRADITIONAL
YUKGAEJANG PLACE OF 59 YEARS
I learned a lot from my mother-in-law.
She scolded me often.
A STUBBORN TASTE
PRESERVED IMPECCABLY FOR 60 YEARS
It's here.
It looks tasty.
It smells great.
This is totally different from Seoul.
YUKGAEJANG
The combination of snow-white rice
and fiery red yukgaejang
excites me.
It's so pretty.
I haven't seen such red in a while.
YUKGAEJANG SPICED UP
WITH RED PEPPER OIL
I'm surprised to see that there are
no brackens.
Oh, dear.
It's delicious.
The green onion makes the dish.
It's good.
-Green onion…
-Its sweetness is in the broth.
In Seoul, the meat is shredded.
You would never see this up there.
A DAEGU STYLE YUKGAEJANG
WITH CHUNKS OF BEEF
I also prefer the sliced meat
over the shredded.
It's satisfying.
Yes, it gives you the satisfaction
of eating meat.
If you shred it,
its texture will change.
Once you boil it in a pot for a long time,
it'll lose texture, become thinner,
and lose its taste.
Chewing bulkier chunks
makes it juicier and more flavorful.
It'll taste meatier.
HARMONY BETWEEN
SPICY YUKGAEJANG AND WHITE RICE
The green onion is dancing in my mouth.
The juice from the meat,
and the green onion is exuding.
-We're tasting the original yukgaejang.
-I agree.
KOREAN BEEF SUYUK PLATTER
This looks great.
-Let me add some sesame oil.
-It's so chewy.
Oh, my! It's so good.
I find this tasty.
It melts in your mouth.
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER DANCE
-The thinly sliced suyuk makes it fancy.
-Yeah.
How classy.
All these dishes
contain domestic meat, right?
Yes, all domestic.
Shouldn't you raise the price of suyuk?
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
-It's cheap.
-We should.
And?
My husband loves to drink
with bigger portions of food.
So you can't.
He gets angry at small portions.
Also, the locals love this dish.
They won't eat it if it's too expensive.
I see what you mean.
Wow, look at this.
-Oh, dear.
-So this is it.
Why is it so yellow?
-It's chijaguksu.
-Chijaguksu.
It looks so tasty.
Look at the color.
-Pretty, right?
-Yes.
Great color.
Yukgaejang and kalguksu
are already famous.
They are famous.
So I wasn't expecting thin noodles.
Oh, wait, wait.
YUM
YUM
YUM YUM
Can you eat quieter?
Now, I have to eat it because of you.
-So good.
-It is good.
I'm just surprised
that I haven't tried this before.
Ma'am.
Why is yukgaejang famous in Daegu?
Daegu is hot, and it's not by the sea.
KIM YEONG-HWA, OWNER OF
A TRADITIONAL YUKGAEJANG PLACE OF 59 YEARS
There's nothing else to eat.
So we cook various dishes with beef.
I heard Daegu used to breed many cows.
Yes, a lot of cows and cow markets.
But we don't have fish.
So we use cows instead.
How long have you worked here?
Almost 50 years.
Wow.
-You've been in business since 1964?
-Yes.
So this place is preserving this menu
while others are disappearing.
Koreans consider this
a bowl of energy for restoration.
Wherever you go in Korea,
yukgaejang is everywhere.
It represents Korean cuisine
in my opinion.
YUKGAEJANG, A KOREAN DISH
FOR ENERGY RESTORATION
JEONJU
JEONJU HANOK VILLAGE
LARGEST HANOK VILLAGE OF 700 HANOKS
JEONJU SOUTHERN MARKET
I like the market's rustic look.
The weathered feeling.
I feel like I've traveled back in time.
What is Jeonju famous for?
Jeonju is famous for…
-Bibimbap.
-Bibimbap.
Jeonju bibimbap.
JEONJU BIBIMBAP
-Hanjeongsik.
-Hanjeongsik.
With a bottle of makgeolli,
you get a load of side dishes.
-Like the Tongyeong dajji house.
-Yes, it's similar to that.
We must have moju in Jeonju, right?
-Moju?
-What is moju?
MOJU, A MAKGEOLLI DRINK WITH GINGER
JUJUBE, CINNAMON, AND MEDICINAL HERBS
Koreans love to drink.
So what they need on the next day
is a hangover soup,
and Jeonju is famous
for its bean sprout gukbap.
It's dizzying how many bean sprout
gukbap places there are.
Nice to meet you.
-Likewise.
-Likewise.
I've never seen this at a gukbap place.
That's used for sushi.
For one, I like bean sprouts.
So when I see that gukbap,
I want it to make look tasty.
HUH YOUNG-MAN, CARTOONIST
I want to put an egg in
and some pickled shrimp.
Then its taste is transformed.
It also tastes refreshing.
A bowl that'll make you
forget the drinks you had last night.
It's a very important dish
for avid drinkers.
You can choose the level of spiciness.
We have mild, normal, and spicy.
-Peppers…
-Normal.
Okay, normal.
-With pepper.
-Normal.
Two normal, one spicy.
-One spicy?
-Spicy for men.
You can't eat it.
Really? Is it that spicy?
Normal is better.
-Normal is better.
-Then, that's what I'll have.
-Is that the amount of pepper?
-Yes.
Then I'll go with normal.
All right.
That's a big hammer.
You should've prepared beforehand.
Why noisily prepare everything now?
To show it to you.
It must be made on the spot
for the fresh vegetable juices.
So we don't pre-crush it.
We crush it when there's an order.
Soo-young, you're a good cook,
so you'd understand.
The vegetables taste best
when prepared on the spot.
People use pre-crushed garlic.
That diminishes the taste.
I didn't work here at first.
My mother began this alone.
First, we couldn't match
each other's pace.
But now, we don't have to say anything.
We're looking for the right timing.
Looking for what must be done.
What's needed and what needs to be done.
Signalling prevents mistakes
and synchronizes our movement.
While Mother prepares the rice,
I prepare the vegetables.
When the rice and bean sprouts are ready,
that's when I pour the sauce.
We move together from the first order.
Everything depends on the order,
whether it's mild or normal.
JIN SEUNG-GWON RUNS A BEAN SPROUT
GUKBAP PLACE OF 44 YEARS
We provide according to what's needed.
If we don't work in sync
or make it spicy rather than mild,
then everything will go wrong.
We consider what's needed
and check the timing.
We prep everything before we open,
so each order is served in a minute.
O JEOM-RYE, RUNS A GUKBAP
PLACE OF 44 YEARS
BEAN SPROUT GUKBAP
IS SERVED IN 1 MINUTE
-That was quick.
-That's so quick.
I should've timed it.
We weren't ready.
That was quicker than a hamburger.
I used to work at McDonald's,
and it's quicker than their hamburger.
Wasn't it less than 30 seconds?
We serve as our customers sit.
It's served even before
our seats are warmed.
BEAN SPROUT GUKBAP
The benefit of a one-item menu?
-Right.
-Right?
-You get ready mentally when we sit down.
-Yes.
I come from a noble family.
Yeah?
We usually don't mix rice into soup.
No way.
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
Correct.
Noblemen mix rice into soup
faster than anyone.
How do I eat the poached egg?
Mix the broth in.
It'll be delicious.
Five spoonfuls onto the egg.
HOW TO EAT POACHED EGG
ONE: ADD FIVE SPOONS OF HOT BROTH
Six for better taste.
Six?
I'll do seven.
-Oh, my.
-It's too much.
Let me shred some dried seaweed
for the pretty girl.
Break the yolk.
This is fun.
Yes, it is.
Gourmet restaurants
usually teach us how to eat.
-Yes.
-This is similar.
It's tastier if you know.
Should I drink or use a spoon?
Use a spoon. Savor the taste.
Slowly savor it.
I'm waking from my hangover.
Don't let it wake you.
Enjoy the buzz as long as you can.
The egg soup tastes so clean and light.
-It's so good.
-Very good.
They're two different dishes.
-Yes, that's why--
-Two dishes in one go.
-Yes.
-For real.
Why do you recommend eating the egg first?
You'll be intaking fiber.
So it's to line your stomach beforehand.
-Like an egg on naengmyeon?
-Yes, correct.
You're considerate of your customers.
That's right.
It tastes better warm.
It's very savory.
It's so good.
This is a nutritious breakfast.
Very nutritious.
My stomach feels protected.
I should've had more to drink
if I knew I'd come here.
This is warmed up?
Yes.
THE TORYEOM PROCESS
TO WARM THE RICE
It's so tasty.
The normal is perfect.
It's just right.
-Just right.
-Certainly.
This is spicy enough.
This doesn't need pickled shrimp sauce.
It's seasoned well.
-Wow, it's good.
-So good.
Spicy enough.
What's this sourness?
We added some kimchi.
Why is there cuttlefish?
For protein.
These bean sprouts seem smaller.
Our local bean sprouts.
Jeonju is famous for these?
Water here is rich in iron.
JEONJU'S TASTY BEAN SPROUT
DUE TO QUALITY WATER
What I hear is that people
ate a lot of bean sprouts
because of the water here.
JEONJU BEAN SPROUT
STANDARD OF SAFETY
People want good bean sprouts.
So the increasing demand
enables its further development.
This isn't gourmet food.
You can enjoy it easily
because It's easily accessible.
-Merchants at markets need quick fixes.
-That's right.
This is Korea's fast food.
-Oh, yeah.
-Korean fast food.
It really is.
It comes out as quickly as fast food.
Sit, and you're served.
I reckon gukbap was
the number one fast food of Joseon.
Out of all global fast foods with soup,
I believe this is the fastest to cook
and the tastiest.
They need to eat fast
to go back to work quickly.
By mixing rice into soup,
they just drink out of the bowl
and quickly get back to work.
It saves time,
and it's tasty and energizing.
That's what gukbap is about.
TRADITIONAL MARKET TOURS
ARE ALWAYS FUN
SSANGHWA TEA, A JEONJU SPECIALTY
SSANGHWA TEA
A HEALTHY TEA WITH MEDICINAL HERBS
Want to mix in rice?
We mix rice into any liquid.
THIS IS IT
Where to now?
-This time…
-Yes.
-…blood sundae.
-Blood sundae?
We usually put glass noodles
in blood sundaes.
Right, glass noodles.
This place adds a lot of pig blood
so it's this reddish color.
Oh, wow.
A red-blood sundae.
Hello.
-Hello.
-Hello.
BLOOD SUNDAE GUKBAP
What are we eating?
Special, normal, or the head?
I want the special.
Special for men.
Again with the "men" thing.
-I want the normal.
-Special for men.
-Normal.
-Okay.
-Me, too.
-Normal blood sundae.
-One large blood sundae.
-No, let's eat small.
-No, large is better.
-Large?
Madam, we'd like…
Don't shout, she's right there.
Apologies for shouting.
I thought you were outside.
These are baby chives.
One special and two normal.
And one large blood sundae, please.
You find blood sundaes in Seoul
at bunsik houses
stuffed with glass noodles.
I thought those were blood sundaes.
There are various kinds.
The North Korean-style blood sundaes.
NORTH KOREAN-STYLE SUNDAE, PORK DAECHANG
FILLED WITH GLUTINOUS RICE AND SEONJI
Jeju blood sundaes.
TRADITIONAL JEJU SUNDAE
FILLED WITH BUCKWHEAT AND SEONJI
-There they are.
-This is it.
These look good.
That is an exquisite color.
These are made from makchang.
Why is it called a blood sundae?
It's made with blood.
This originally included
only blood and green onions.
KIM SUN-JA
RUNS A SUNDAE HOUSE OF 38 YEARS
Methods have changed.
We tried many ingredients,
and we went through many failures
so certain ratios have been created.
A lot of blood goes in,
a two to three ratio.
Two for blood and three for sauce.
We also add the end of makchang
and some daechang too.
That's our usual recipe.
We stuff everything ourselves.
Then we boil.
This process is necessary
to create these sundaes.
BLOOD SUNDAE TAKES 11 HOURS TO MAKE
This is my first blood sundae.
It differs regionally.
Does this taste different?
There isn't much makchang.
Only this much.
The rest is the thinner ones.
Thinner ones, yes.
Sir, take the tastiest bit.
-There's more, you eat.
-The makchang.
Let me add some pickled shrimp.
I love this.
Do you like it?
I think I enjoy the smell of pork fat.
The pork fat smell is strong.
I don't know if I'm fond of it or not.
It's okay, it doesn't smell.
Usually, we put sesame seeds
into chili pepper paste.
Mix, dip, then wrap it in sesame leaf.
Then add some chives
and some garlic if you like garlic.
-Okay, let me try this.
-See if you like it.
-All right.
-Sure.
The lettuce wrap
blends everything together.
Right, the sesame leaf.
This makes it much tastier.
This alone is good too.
HOW TO MAKE SUNDAE GUKBAP BROTH
I've made sundae gukbap for 37, 38 years.
When making gukbap,
broth is my first priority.
A thick and tasty broth
makes a tasty gukbap.
This is pork bone.
Not just any pork bone but the legs.
I boil only the knee bones
for a total of eight hours.
Same with the intestines.
I boil everything,
rub it with my hands,
wash and soak it in water
to cool it down,
and separate everything.
Even with the slicing,
it can't be too small or too big.
Everything must be done just right.
A WARM BOWL OF BROTH
THAT MELTS THE HEART
You should add more chives.
-Should I?
-Yes.
I like its subtle taste.
I guess that's why
there's little seasoning.
It's stuffed to the brim
and I didn't even add rice.
The bowl is filled with meat.
Wow, unbelievable.
You put all the rice in?
Yeah.
Do you like to mix rice?
Right, you said you don't.
-Because you're nobility.
-Nobles don't mix rice.
I don't even run in the rain.
Really?
We weren't even allowed
to lift our soup bowl.
We couldn't speak during meals.
It tastes so clean.
If you add rice,
the starch makes it thicker.
You don't like it starchy?
I prefer it thicker
when the rice starts blending in.
THE SAVORY QUALITY
OF RICE IN THE BROTH
Since you ask, I think I like it.
Really?
I think I prefer gukbap over
eating soup and rice separately.
Isn't there a separate gukbap?
But that's like saying,
"warm iced Americano."
It can't exist.
How can gukbap be separate?
The gukbap in Daegu seemed tasty.
But I needed to keep my dignity.
So I ate them together but separately.
Out of all kinds of gukbap
which do you enjoy eating most?
I like bean sprout gukbap.
Yukgaejang.
-Yukgaejang.
-Yukgaejang.
For me, sundae gukbap.
Just across from
broadcasting stations at Yeouido,
there was this place
called Hwamok Sundaeguk.
It was a really old place.
So having sundaeguk
from my early 20s,
I became addicted.
So when I think gukbap,
I think sundae gukbap.
My actor friends took me there.
I don't think anybody hates sundae gukbap.
-I agree.
-Right, it's rare.
Seolleongtang has little meat.
Galbitang is expensive.
But gukbap that's cheap but filling
is sundae gukbap,
which is comfort food for me.
For less than 10,000 won.
Sundae gukbap is the one and only
gukbap with that much meat.
In our culture, we can ask
for more broth, which is filling.
I eat sundae gukbap when I'm most hungry.
It's very satisfying,
and your belly and your heart feel full.
I think that's what gukbap is.
A GENEROUS BOWL OF WARMTH
SUNDAE GUKBAP
SEOUL
SEONGBUK-GU, SEOUL
I ate gamjatang in university.
It was expensive for me.
It was a party food.
If the upperclassmen were
at a gamjatang place,
the lowerclassmen wanted to go.
Each person would be holding a bone
and be sucking on it.
It was a lot to eat.
That's why it's usually found
next to universities.
I feel younger on Daehak-ro.
The atmosphere helps.
There's youth in the air.
The energy is different.
I think it's here.
Is it here?
It's been a while seeing gamjaguk
instead of gamjatang.
Wow, it's been running since 1958.
Wow, it really is an old store.
-Hello.
-Hello.
Considering it's a gamjaguk house,
it's very tidy.
Hello.
-Hello.
-Hello.
-Hi.
-You're the owner?
Yes, third generation.
Wow, the third generation.
You're more handsome in person.
Thank you.
So this year marks--
The 65th year.
-The 65th year.
-Yes.
That's amazing.
When my grandparents owned this,
they cooked it in large pots
and scooped it up one order at a time.
ORIGINAL GAMJAGUK
WITH CLEAR BROTH
After the '70s and into the '80s,
other gamjaguk houses appeared…
LEE HO-GWANG, THIRD-GENERATION OWNER OF
TRADITIONAL GAMJATANG PLACE OF 65 YEARS
…so it became commercialized.
And its name changed to gamjatang.
It was the same food
but its name kept changing
that it became known as a stew.
That's the name that spread.
THE PROSPERING RESTAURANT INDUSTRY
CHANGE FROM GAMJAGUK TO GAMJATANG
Where was the old store?
By the market.
It's a four to five minute walk.
A SIMPLE GAMJATANG PLACE
OPENED IN ONE CORNER OF A MARKET
My father liked to write
so he wrote these and stuck them on walls.
FATHER'S WALLPAPER WRITINGS
FROM 60 YEARS AGO
We can't remove them.
But the bits that were removed,
I brought them here as keepsakes.
That was a wonderful idea.
It's admirable really.
Seeing this makes me emotional.
Like I'm being reminded
of the father-son relationship.
I feel like tearing up.
It makes me emotional.
About the menu.
"Great, best, very, what if".
-Yes.
-What's that?
If you look there,
the pots, they're labelled.
You're right.
-It's demonstrated well.
-Yes, it indicates the size.
What should we order?
WILL HE ORDER A LARGE AGAIN?
Let's order just enough.
This place serves large portions
so "what if"?
-What if.
-What if?
What if.
-What if?
-What if.
From the neck, back, to the tailbone,
we use the pig's spine in full.
The main ingredient.
The meat on the neck bone is chewy.
The backbone area has less fat
and the tailbone has even less
but it's more chewy.
We use pig leg bones for our broth.
Boiling them for 24 hours
creates the best color and taste.
We follow the first generation's
exact cooking method.
We mix the backbone, and neck bone broth
and the leg bone broth
on a one-to-one ratio
to make our special broth.
For three months, we add rape blossoms.
Sesame leaf, glass noodles,
grounded garlic,
a mixture of onion and pepper,
red pepper powder
and perilla seed powder.
Then some potatoes too.
We use Gangwon-do potatoes
and often regional ones.
People talk about "potato bones,"
but that's a misnomer.
The deliverers just started calling
our order of bones
"potato bones".
Hence, the nickname "potato bones".
"What if" is served.
What if we had "What if"? That's so big.
GAMJATANG
-You're trembling.
-I'm fine.
Rather than dried radish greens,
-you use sesame leaf.
-Yes.
It's our main ingredient.
ANOTHER INGREDIENT, SESAME LEAF
From December to February,
we add rape blossoms.
RAPE BLOSSOM, A WINTER TREAT
-The flower?
-Correct.
RAPE BLOSSOM, FLOWER IN JEJU
THAT BLOOMS IN SPRING
For three months a year,
its taste and texture are good.
It has a sweetness.
So we use them for three months.
We haven't seasoned everything,
so you have to mix the sauce in.
This looks good.
Let the broth reduce as you eat.
So you have to pour the broth like this.
It smells fantastic.
I'm curious about the rape blossoms.
I've never boiled rape blossoms.
They don't usually sell it, right?
It has blossomed in my mouth.
Liar, it's still winter.
Today is a cloudy day,
there's a light drizzle, and I can't tell
if we need an umbrella.
-Yes.
-This atmosphere suits this broth.
GAMJATANG IS JUST PERFECT
It's very good.
-The taste of pork leg bone broth.
-So good.
He uses quality meat.
Sir, the meat has a dark color.
You get dark meat
only around the neck bone.
The dark meat you see in gamjatang.
It tastes better than chicken legs.
The reddish meat.
The red areas taste even better.
These areas contain more myoglobin
so it's more tasty.
MYOGLOBIN - PROTEIN
WHICH PRODUCES REDDISHNESS IN MEAT
The bones taste amazing.
-Right?
-Yes.
Yon-Ji sure knows how to eat.
You're really enjoying that.
I eat like this now.
But before, I sucked on it
until nothing was left.
I was in college
during the Asian Economic Crisis.
Gamjatang was a luxury.
One senior treated us.
He was returning from the military.
He'd call us, so we'd all go.
There were only a few bones.
So we asked for more potatoes.
We kept adding broth.
We stir-fried five bowls of rice.
We ate like that.
A portion this size
would be eaten by 7 or 8 people.
Yeah, that's what you would've done.
One cup of soju each.
This dish seems to be filled
with memories.
What's the age range of your customers?
It varies.
From students to seniors.
Families come together.
The first, second, third generation.
At one point, people booked for parties
of 50 to 60 people.
KOREAN STEWS
TRANSCEND GENERATIONS
A lot of university students came.
We'd like to stir-fry the rice.
-Two bowls.
-Two bowls, it is.
Out of all rice dishes,
I think gamjatang fried rice is the best.
Let's make the perfect fried rice.
It's quite a show.
The performance is important.
Creating the Maillard reaction on rice.
MAILLARD REACTION: CARBOHYDRATES
AND FIRE CREATE FLAVOR
It looks so tasty.
As it becomes soft by the time we eat.
What am I doing here?
-I'm doing what?
-What?
What do you think I'm doing?
I don't know.
They do this for you now these days.
Like this.
You mix in with the nurungji.
-Into a heart.
-Yes, into a heart.
HEART
Gotta make a heart.
Fried rice has to be heart-shaped.
-Can I eat?
-Yes, please.
It's good.
-It'll be gone in no time.
-Yeah.
You'll eat everything eventually.
You can't stop, right?
-It's good.
-This is tasty.
I could drink three bottles of soju.
I agree.
I shouldn't be drinking.
Oh, we shouldn't.
-Cheers.
-Cheers.
THE CHARM OF GAMJATANG
WHICH CALLS FOR DRINKS
LIVE SIMPLY, THERE IS LOVE
IN A BOWL OF RICE
THE CENTER OF KOREA, SEOUL
Seoul is the most developed city in Korea.
Many old restaurants
of taste and memories exist.
Speaking of old restaurants,
there's a dish you can't leave out.
That's seolleongtang.
This side has the vintage look,
but that side is very modern.
THE COMBINATION OF TRADITION
AND MODERNITY
-Here?
-This way.
Hidden treasures are found in alleyways.
Look at the ttukbaegis.
-They built a wall out of them.
-Ttukbaegi.
Look at this sign. It's so vintage.
THE OLD SIGN IS EVIDENCE
OF THE PASSAGE OF TIME
-Hello.
-Hello.
The kitchen is a furnace.
The kitchen is unique.
It's not a normal kitchen.
It's like a furnace in the past.
AN OLD-FASHIONED FURNACE KITCHEN
This is lower, and this is higher.
Why is that?
This is much lower.
-It doesn't suit you.
-No.
-Hello.
-Hello.
Yes, hi.
-May I ask?
-Sure.
Is this table for children?
It's low but this is high.
-The round thing is missing.
-One is missing.
People in the '70s and '80s
were physically smaller.
I heard the carpenter
adjusted it to their height.
THE '70S REGARD
FOR SHORTER PATRONS
So that table is lower.
Guests' heights were considered.
-Right.
-Your mother was amazing.
That's why you've been
in business for this long.
-The wood is peeled.
-Where the bowls have been placed.
It's the remnants of time.
This is quite charming.
You feel the history.
I think it's great.
You rarely get to experience
eating in such an atmosphere.
PLASTIC ORDER TAGS
FROM 50 YEARS AGO
My mother established this place
right here, in 1972.
KIM GYEONG-HO, OWNER OF
A SEOLLEONGTANG PLACE OF 50 YEARS
The Noryangjin Fish Market
used to be here.
Since it was close by,
I've heard many people worked at dawn.
They would come here
for warm broth and some meat.
I heard there used to be many
seolleongtang places.
When I first came,
our regulars were in their 60s or 70s.
But the age range varies now.
Grandfathers, sons, and grandsons,
they all come to eat here.
A NATIONAL DISH AMONG GENERATIONS
-Look at the kimchi.
-The kimchi is…
I should tear it with my hands.
Like how you do with squids.
It looks good.
The fresh cabbage looks good.
Smells good.
You have to have good kimchi with stew.
-I agree.
-Yeah.
I'm curious.
Wow.
This…
It tastes fancy.
-It is.
-Yes.
It explodes in your mouth.
I make beef stock.
I use the flank and brisket.
On a monthly basis,
I use one and a half tons
of flank and brisket.
For leg bones, I use Hanwoo beef.
By the end of lunch,
we add the beef leg bones.
Then we boil it until noon the next day,
so for 22 hours.
Long ago, someone used to sleep here.
They'd check the broth and wake at dawn
to add some water and work all night.
Before we open,
we add bloodless flank and brisket,
then the knee cartilage, then the tail,
which creates the thick broth.
A DEEP AND RICH TASTE
CREATED WITH CARE
Apparently, the smell used to spread
up to five kilometers from here.
I heard someone followed the smell here.
The current method we use
was passed down by my mother.
Using good quality flank and brisket
and making it with care
creates good broth, I believe.
THE SEOLLEONGTANG RECIPE
PRESERVED FOR 50 YEARS
SEOLLEONGTANG
It looks good.
There's so much meat.
It's heavy.
The way it's presented is beautiful.
This bowl is on another plane.
It's so different.
Seolleongtang comes from Seoul.
"Seoul noblemen are picky."
I think that phrase
could've started with this.
The broth.
The meat.
Even the kimchi.
Everything is up to par. It's perfect.
I agree.
They would've had this since the past.
Noblemen sure have good taste.
NOODLES ARE A MUST FOR SEOLLEONGTANG
Sir, the noodles are plentiful.
I've never seen this much in here.
Right, they add so little.
-Some people only want noodles, no rice.
-Right?
It's a noodle stew.
The noodles are seasoned.
-Noodles are made along with salt.
-I see.
A SATISFYING TASTE
Do you want kkakdugi water?
The water.
Sir, can we have kkakdugi juice?
Kkakdugi juice.
Cuckoo.
-Cuckoo.
-Cuckoo.
THE HIGHLIGHT OF SEOLLEONGTANG
THE KKAKDUGI JUICE
How many spoons?
-Trust me.
-All right.
I'm adding this
because I know its original taste.
THE SWEET, SPICY AND REFRESHING
KKAKDUGI JUICE
I wanted to see how it would change.
I think I failed.
Why? The sour taste is good.
I find this charming too.
What's the difference between
seolleongtang and gomtang?
Seolleongtang…
CURIOUS
…is boiled casually.
Then gomtang is boiled carefully?
Gomtang is boiled carefully.
Carefully.
How carefully?
According to what I've read,
the most accurate to tell
the difference is this.
If beef leg bones are used,
then it's a seolleongtang.
SEOLLEONGTANG USES THE BONES
If the broth is made with meat,
then it's a gomtang.
GOMTANG USES THE MEAT
100 years ago, weren't there
100 seolleongtang places?
Every vicinity had slaughterhouses.
When they caught anything,
the nobles only ate the meat.
Whereas the remainder,
like the bones, they didn't eat.
So, they were given as payment
to those who slaughtered the animal.
Then what?
They needed to make money,
not receive more meat.
That's why they developed
seolleongtang and gomtang.
We came all the way to Seoul station.
-Let's have one more thing.
-Sure.
One dogani-tang.
-Dogani-tang?
-Yes.
This is made with
knee cartilage and tendons.
We boil it for about an hour.
If the meat is tough, we boil again.
Oh, it's soft.
We have to add something.
Collagen calls for some alcohol.
To cleanse the oiliness in your mouth.
GIVE
AND TAKE
One bottle of soju, please.
You need one glass of this.
After you had a salty spoonful,
you cleanse your palette with soju.
If it gets salty again, another shot.
Gomtang was a nobleman's dish.
Yeah, it was for noblemen.
Seolleongtang was for commoners.
It grew with the joys and sorrows
of commoners.
That's its charm.
When I think seolleongtang,
I think of franchises.
That's why I think it has survived well
and adapted to the times better
than all Korean dishes.
That's my opinion.
Seolleongtang, galbitang?
-Seolleongtang.
-Me, too.
Me, too.
-It's a heartier dish.
-Yes.
-I love the milky broth.
-Yes.
SEOLLEONGTANG, THE ONE BOWL
KOREANS LOVE MOST
WHAT IS BROTH TO KOREANS?
Broth has comforted
and strengthened our nation
for a long time.
A meal without broth
is unimaginable to us.
The rice in broth tradition
courses through our blood.
It's a part of our culture.
We have broth when we're
in our mother's womb.
A pregnant mother eats seaweed soup
to nurture her child.
Even on good occasions,
like for weddings,
you spread goodwill with galbitang.
"When are you buying galbitang?
When are you making noodles?"
These sayings exist for a reason.
We spread generosity with soup.
We serve yukgaejang
upon someone's passing.
This shows how from before birth
and until after death
and every moment in between,
broth is always by our side.
To Koreans, broth is a way of life.
That's what I think.
BROTH WILL BE WITH US
IN EVERY MOMENT OF OUR LIVES
Subtitle translation by:
Jisu Park
---
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.
Broth and rice are the basics
of Korean cuisine.
Mixing the two creates gukbap…
HAM YON-JI, ACTRESS
…which is a simple dish
that is inseparable from Koreans.
When you think gukbap,
pork gukbap first comes to mind,
which then reminds you of Busan.
BUSAN
That's why we went to Busan.
Created after the Korean War
this is one of the bigger markets.
It's my first time at Kkangtong Market.
Wherever you go in the world,
markets are good tourist spots.
Markets are filled with liveliness.
I feel the energy of the place.
TRADITIONAL MARKET
BUSTLING WITH ENERGY
It's good.
Busan odeng is the best.
It sure is good.
-I had this when I was a student.
-Right.
I remember my student days too.
Is it there, sir?
Here.
So it's this house.
Just by the corner.
It's really big.
-Hello.
-It's at the market entryway.
There's pyeonyuk by the entrance.
-Hello.
-Hello.
Hello.
She's pouring broth.
That's amazing.
Hello. You're actually using
the toryeom technique.
TORYEOM, THE REGULAR APPLICATION
OF HOT BROTH ON RICE TO HEAT IT
Your wrist must hurt.
How long have you done this?
So much meat.
Over 20 years, maybe 25 years.
That's amazing.
A GUKBAP HOUSE THAT SHOWS
TRACES OF ITS 25 YEARS
I'm excited for the food.
The aroma…
PORK GUKBAP
Hello.
Hi.
You're so beautiful.
JEONG JEONG-A, OWNER OF
A PORK GUKBAP HOUSE OF 54 YEARS
-Hello.
-Yes, hello.
I want pork gukbap.
-Me too.
-Okay.
-The mixed dish for me.
-All right.
Should I have pyeonyuk or suyuk?
How do they differ?
-Half-and-half, please.
-All right.
Oh, that's it.
How long has this place been here?
My parents started this place.
So it's been over 50 years.
You're the veteran of this market.
That's right.
You've been in this spot for 50 years?
Yes, right here.
Wow, amazing.
4:00 A.M.
Every day at dawn,
we trim the meat
that we bring from the farm.
We start with the leg bones and the head
and boil it the old-fashioned way.
About 15, 16 pigs fit into one pot
so we use three pots.
Meaning, around 50 pigs.
Then we repeat the process.
So 100 pigs in total.
A HUNDRED PIG HEADS
IN A DAY'S WORTH OF BROTH
Look over there, sir.
-Pig heads.
-Yes.
-I've never seen this.
-Me either.
I hear that if you boil
then dry the pig heads
its texture changes.
DRYING BOILED PIG HEADS
FOR ONE HOUR
-I heard something too.
-What's that?
That Busan locals have pork gukbap broth
coursing through their veins.
-I heard that.
-They really love this dish.
If you ask Busan locals,
"What should I eat in Busan?"
-"Pork gukbap."
-Correct.
This morning, I went to one
of the public bathhouses here.
Someone over there
was telling me about pork gukbap.
The locals have specific preferences.
So some places use chicken feet,
some only use pork,
some use only bones, and others use beef.
They all use different stock.
But locals have
their personal preferences.
Apparently, there are
around 300 kinds of gukbap.
-300?
-Pork gukbap?
I looked it up online
and there are 700 pork gukbap places
in Busan.
If that's true, there's a pork gukbap
place every 1,1 kilometer.
-Every 1,1 kilometer?
-Yes.
-That's the number of cafés in Seoul.
-You're right.
SOMUNNAN PIG GUKBAP
BONJEON PIG GUKBAP
BUSAN PIG GUKBAP
I'm almost done.
Maybe one more minute?
I'm pretty good with timing.
When I boil meat, I want it to be tender
and hot enough for a ttukbaegi bowl.
That's when I serve it up.
You get a feel for it
when you do this every day.
You need to have a sense for it.
BUSAN STYLE PIG GUKBAP
It's here.
It's presented beautifully.
It's so pretty.
You add unseasoned chives here?
-Yes.
-So that's why.
Hope you enjoy.
-Yes.
-Thank you.
The man at the bathhouse suggested…
BY HUH YOUNG-MAN
…that I don't mix the sauce with the broth
before taking the first sip.
So don't mix the sauce yet?
-Taste the broth first.
-Correct.
That's so good.
-It's good.
-Right?
-Like baeksuk, huh?
-Exactly.
You wouldn't know without looking.
-I agree.
-It's like chicken baeksuk.
-Yum.
-It's so good.
BROTH WITH A CLEAN TASTE
LIKE CHICKEN BAEKSUK
The ear is fatty and chewy but flavorful.
EAR MEAT
The tongue meat is all lean meat…
JEONG JEONG-A, OWNER OF A PORK
GUKBAP HOUSE OF 54 YEARS
…so it has a light taste.
The cheek area is chewy
but oily because there's some fat there.
The nose feels like
you're chewing on collagen.
It's very chewy.
You think this would be good with soju?
I wasn't going to say anything.
-One bottle of soju, please.
-This early?
Soju is a morning drink.
Yes, Busan.
Busan!
-It's a crime not to drink with this.
-I agree.
It's a serious mistake.
This dish calls for at least one bottle.
A DISH THAT'S EVEN TASTIER
WITH DRINKS
Soju tastes sweet with this broth.
Oh, dear.
Suyuk is served.
This much is a half portion?
Which is the tongue meat?
It's here.
PORK SUYUK PLATTER
This here, is the cheek meat.
-One question.
-Sure.
-Can I order more broth?
-Of course.
Apologies, he eats a lot sometimes.
He usually doesn't eat this much.
This isn't like him.
Let's try the cheek meat.
This is expensive meat.
You know pasta carbonara?
Italians make carbonara
with pork cheek meat.
They use ham made from this.
It's called guanciale.
It's a very flavorful area.
The more you chew…
AN EXPLOSION OF TASTE
PORK CHEEK MEAT
Even the fat is tasty.
Here's a reason to live a long life.
What's that?
There's so much to eat.
This is so good.
The cheek meat.
I always think in metaphors.
Seolleongtang and gomtang
are like asphalt.
This is an unpaved road.
It's unrefined,
but it represents the tastebuds
of the locals.
That's how I described it in my cartoon.
-In Sikgaek.
-I remember it.
"Like a young rebel speeding
on an unpaved road."
Yes, a young rebel.
"THE TASTE OF A YOUNG REBEL
SPEEDING ON AN UNPAVED ROAD", FROM SIKGAEK
You have many regulars?
Yes, of course.
People miss their mother's
home cooking, made with love,
and some people still come
and tell me that.
The merchants here.
THE ONE SATISFYING MEAL
FOR BUSY MERCHANTS
Our regulars consist
of merchants in the vicinity
and delivery people.
During difficult times in the past,
this was the one hot bowl
they could eat until they were full.
Plus, it was cheap.
After a tiring day of work,
they'd come here at the end of the day
and have a hot bowl of gukbap.
"A gukbap bowl of happiness."
That's what they say.
The reason pork gukbap
is adored by Busan locals
is because it warms the soul.
How comforting it must be.
DAEGU
This is Daegu!
I think it's warmer here than Busan.
Daegu is famous for its hot weather.
-Geographically, Daegu is a basin.
-They call it "Daefrica."
Since the Joseon Era,
Daegu's cattle market was always
well-developed.
They have something called mungtigi,
a dish made with only fresh meat.
They also have jjimgalbi.
It's a very spicy dish.
A quite famous one.
SPICY GALBIJJIM
The city of Daegu is a basin.
It gets very hot and very cold.
So, the weather affects their cuisine.
DAEGU, THE HOLY LAND
OF BEEF DISHES
-Is it here?
-Yes.
Recently in Daegu,
makchang has become popular.
-Right.
-Daegu is known for yukgaejang.
-We're here.
-Hello.
-Welcome in.
-Hello.
YUKGAEJANG - 8,500 WON
Yukgaejang is your signature dish?
-Right?
-Yes.
-Yukguksu sounds good.
-Yukguksu.
Instead of rice in yukgaejang
it comes with noodles.
It's also good.
-We'll have yukgaejang.
-Yes.
Three orders of yukgaejang then?
You mentioned yukgaejang places
are disappearing in Seoul.
I just can't seem to find one in Seoul.
Probably because a lot of effort
goes into making yukgaejang.
Do you think that's the reason?
I reckon it was a very famous soup.
This cookbook
is from the early 20th century.
-Yes.
-The first edition of how to make soup…
Yes.
…has yukgaejang.
Here.
It's on the first page.
Next is gomguk, then mixed seafood stew.
Then fish stew.
The knee, crucible, beef rib,
tripe, stomach, intestine, and pancreas.
They mix all these parts
with chives and other ingredients,
and boil them for some time.
It says here,
"Soup comes after rice.
It is the main side dish.
A table without soup
is like a face without eyes."
Wow.
That's how important soup was.
Daegu had a ritual
called gyeongsang gamyeong…
RYU SOO-YOUNG, ACTOR
…so for ancestral rites or guests,
they had to cook a cow.
That's why yukgaejang,
a spicy beef stew, was created.
The origin of the yukgaejang we eat today
was called the Daegu stew,
which tells us that yukgaejang
originated in Daegu.
Yukgaejang follows
Daegu's traditional style.
We simmer beef leg bones for 24 hours
and 365 days a year.
After boiling them,
we put diced radish into another pot.
There, we add flank and brisket meat
and pour the broth on top.
Once it's boiled, you add green onions.
Green onions are a must in yukgaejang.
Daegu is well-known for its green onions.
These onions are grown
by the Nakdong River.
If you add a lot of green onion,
it'll blend in with the radish
and create an organic sweetness.
NATURAL SEASONINGS, CREATING SWEETNESS
GREEN ONION AND RADISH
We've been in business for 60 years
and yet, our recipe hasn't changed.
JU MI-SUK, OWNER OF A TRADITIONAL
YUKGAEJANG PLACE OF 59 YEARS
I learned a lot from my mother-in-law.
She scolded me often.
A STUBBORN TASTE
PRESERVED IMPECCABLY FOR 60 YEARS
It's here.
It looks tasty.
It smells great.
This is totally different from Seoul.
YUKGAEJANG
The combination of snow-white rice
and fiery red yukgaejang
excites me.
It's so pretty.
I haven't seen such red in a while.
YUKGAEJANG SPICED UP
WITH RED PEPPER OIL
I'm surprised to see that there are
no brackens.
Oh, dear.
It's delicious.
The green onion makes the dish.
It's good.
-Green onion…
-Its sweetness is in the broth.
In Seoul, the meat is shredded.
You would never see this up there.
A DAEGU STYLE YUKGAEJANG
WITH CHUNKS OF BEEF
I also prefer the sliced meat
over the shredded.
It's satisfying.
Yes, it gives you the satisfaction
of eating meat.
If you shred it,
its texture will change.
Once you boil it in a pot for a long time,
it'll lose texture, become thinner,
and lose its taste.
Chewing bulkier chunks
makes it juicier and more flavorful.
It'll taste meatier.
HARMONY BETWEEN
SPICY YUKGAEJANG AND WHITE RICE
The green onion is dancing in my mouth.
The juice from the meat,
and the green onion is exuding.
-We're tasting the original yukgaejang.
-I agree.
KOREAN BEEF SUYUK PLATTER
This looks great.
-Let me add some sesame oil.
-It's so chewy.
Oh, my! It's so good.
I find this tasty.
It melts in your mouth.
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER DANCE
-The thinly sliced suyuk makes it fancy.
-Yeah.
How classy.
All these dishes
contain domestic meat, right?
Yes, all domestic.
Shouldn't you raise the price of suyuk?
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
-It's cheap.
-We should.
And?
My husband loves to drink
with bigger portions of food.
So you can't.
He gets angry at small portions.
Also, the locals love this dish.
They won't eat it if it's too expensive.
I see what you mean.
Wow, look at this.
-Oh, dear.
-So this is it.
Why is it so yellow?
-It's chijaguksu.
-Chijaguksu.
It looks so tasty.
Look at the color.
-Pretty, right?
-Yes.
Great color.
Yukgaejang and kalguksu
are already famous.
They are famous.
So I wasn't expecting thin noodles.
Oh, wait, wait.
YUM
YUM
YUM YUM
Can you eat quieter?
Now, I have to eat it because of you.
-So good.
-It is good.
I'm just surprised
that I haven't tried this before.
Ma'am.
Why is yukgaejang famous in Daegu?
Daegu is hot, and it's not by the sea.
KIM YEONG-HWA, OWNER OF
A TRADITIONAL YUKGAEJANG PLACE OF 59 YEARS
There's nothing else to eat.
So we cook various dishes with beef.
I heard Daegu used to breed many cows.
Yes, a lot of cows and cow markets.
But we don't have fish.
So we use cows instead.
How long have you worked here?
Almost 50 years.
Wow.
-You've been in business since 1964?
-Yes.
So this place is preserving this menu
while others are disappearing.
Koreans consider this
a bowl of energy for restoration.
Wherever you go in Korea,
yukgaejang is everywhere.
It represents Korean cuisine
in my opinion.
YUKGAEJANG, A KOREAN DISH
FOR ENERGY RESTORATION
JEONJU
JEONJU HANOK VILLAGE
LARGEST HANOK VILLAGE OF 700 HANOKS
JEONJU SOUTHERN MARKET
I like the market's rustic look.
The weathered feeling.
I feel like I've traveled back in time.
What is Jeonju famous for?
Jeonju is famous for…
-Bibimbap.
-Bibimbap.
Jeonju bibimbap.
JEONJU BIBIMBAP
-Hanjeongsik.
-Hanjeongsik.
With a bottle of makgeolli,
you get a load of side dishes.
-Like the Tongyeong dajji house.
-Yes, it's similar to that.
We must have moju in Jeonju, right?
-Moju?
-What is moju?
MOJU, A MAKGEOLLI DRINK WITH GINGER
JUJUBE, CINNAMON, AND MEDICINAL HERBS
Koreans love to drink.
So what they need on the next day
is a hangover soup,
and Jeonju is famous
for its bean sprout gukbap.
It's dizzying how many bean sprout
gukbap places there are.
Nice to meet you.
-Likewise.
-Likewise.
I've never seen this at a gukbap place.
That's used for sushi.
For one, I like bean sprouts.
So when I see that gukbap,
I want it to make look tasty.
HUH YOUNG-MAN, CARTOONIST
I want to put an egg in
and some pickled shrimp.
Then its taste is transformed.
It also tastes refreshing.
A bowl that'll make you
forget the drinks you had last night.
It's a very important dish
for avid drinkers.
You can choose the level of spiciness.
We have mild, normal, and spicy.
-Peppers…
-Normal.
Okay, normal.
-With pepper.
-Normal.
Two normal, one spicy.
-One spicy?
-Spicy for men.
You can't eat it.
Really? Is it that spicy?
Normal is better.
-Normal is better.
-Then, that's what I'll have.
-Is that the amount of pepper?
-Yes.
Then I'll go with normal.
All right.
That's a big hammer.
You should've prepared beforehand.
Why noisily prepare everything now?
To show it to you.
It must be made on the spot
for the fresh vegetable juices.
So we don't pre-crush it.
We crush it when there's an order.
Soo-young, you're a good cook,
so you'd understand.
The vegetables taste best
when prepared on the spot.
People use pre-crushed garlic.
That diminishes the taste.
I didn't work here at first.
My mother began this alone.
First, we couldn't match
each other's pace.
But now, we don't have to say anything.
We're looking for the right timing.
Looking for what must be done.
What's needed and what needs to be done.
Signalling prevents mistakes
and synchronizes our movement.
While Mother prepares the rice,
I prepare the vegetables.
When the rice and bean sprouts are ready,
that's when I pour the sauce.
We move together from the first order.
Everything depends on the order,
whether it's mild or normal.
JIN SEUNG-GWON RUNS A BEAN SPROUT
GUKBAP PLACE OF 44 YEARS
We provide according to what's needed.
If we don't work in sync
or make it spicy rather than mild,
then everything will go wrong.
We consider what's needed
and check the timing.
We prep everything before we open,
so each order is served in a minute.
O JEOM-RYE, RUNS A GUKBAP
PLACE OF 44 YEARS
BEAN SPROUT GUKBAP
IS SERVED IN 1 MINUTE
-That was quick.
-That's so quick.
I should've timed it.
We weren't ready.
That was quicker than a hamburger.
I used to work at McDonald's,
and it's quicker than their hamburger.
Wasn't it less than 30 seconds?
We serve as our customers sit.
It's served even before
our seats are warmed.
BEAN SPROUT GUKBAP
The benefit of a one-item menu?
-Right.
-Right?
-You get ready mentally when we sit down.
-Yes.
I come from a noble family.
Yeah?
We usually don't mix rice into soup.
No way.
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
Correct.
Noblemen mix rice into soup
faster than anyone.
How do I eat the poached egg?
Mix the broth in.
It'll be delicious.
Five spoonfuls onto the egg.
HOW TO EAT POACHED EGG
ONE: ADD FIVE SPOONS OF HOT BROTH
Six for better taste.
Six?
I'll do seven.
-Oh, my.
-It's too much.
Let me shred some dried seaweed
for the pretty girl.
Break the yolk.
This is fun.
Yes, it is.
Gourmet restaurants
usually teach us how to eat.
-Yes.
-This is similar.
It's tastier if you know.
Should I drink or use a spoon?
Use a spoon. Savor the taste.
Slowly savor it.
I'm waking from my hangover.
Don't let it wake you.
Enjoy the buzz as long as you can.
The egg soup tastes so clean and light.
-It's so good.
-Very good.
They're two different dishes.
-Yes, that's why--
-Two dishes in one go.
-Yes.
-For real.
Why do you recommend eating the egg first?
You'll be intaking fiber.
So it's to line your stomach beforehand.
-Like an egg on naengmyeon?
-Yes, correct.
You're considerate of your customers.
That's right.
It tastes better warm.
It's very savory.
It's so good.
This is a nutritious breakfast.
Very nutritious.
My stomach feels protected.
I should've had more to drink
if I knew I'd come here.
This is warmed up?
Yes.
THE TORYEOM PROCESS
TO WARM THE RICE
It's so tasty.
The normal is perfect.
It's just right.
-Just right.
-Certainly.
This is spicy enough.
This doesn't need pickled shrimp sauce.
It's seasoned well.
-Wow, it's good.
-So good.
Spicy enough.
What's this sourness?
We added some kimchi.
Why is there cuttlefish?
For protein.
These bean sprouts seem smaller.
Our local bean sprouts.
Jeonju is famous for these?
Water here is rich in iron.
JEONJU'S TASTY BEAN SPROUT
DUE TO QUALITY WATER
What I hear is that people
ate a lot of bean sprouts
because of the water here.
JEONJU BEAN SPROUT
STANDARD OF SAFETY
People want good bean sprouts.
So the increasing demand
enables its further development.
This isn't gourmet food.
You can enjoy it easily
because It's easily accessible.
-Merchants at markets need quick fixes.
-That's right.
This is Korea's fast food.
-Oh, yeah.
-Korean fast food.
It really is.
It comes out as quickly as fast food.
Sit, and you're served.
I reckon gukbap was
the number one fast food of Joseon.
Out of all global fast foods with soup,
I believe this is the fastest to cook
and the tastiest.
They need to eat fast
to go back to work quickly.
By mixing rice into soup,
they just drink out of the bowl
and quickly get back to work.
It saves time,
and it's tasty and energizing.
That's what gukbap is about.
TRADITIONAL MARKET TOURS
ARE ALWAYS FUN
SSANGHWA TEA, A JEONJU SPECIALTY
SSANGHWA TEA
A HEALTHY TEA WITH MEDICINAL HERBS
Want to mix in rice?
We mix rice into any liquid.
THIS IS IT
Where to now?
-This time…
-Yes.
-…blood sundae.
-Blood sundae?
We usually put glass noodles
in blood sundaes.
Right, glass noodles.
This place adds a lot of pig blood
so it's this reddish color.
Oh, wow.
A red-blood sundae.
Hello.
-Hello.
-Hello.
BLOOD SUNDAE GUKBAP
What are we eating?
Special, normal, or the head?
I want the special.
Special for men.
Again with the "men" thing.
-I want the normal.
-Special for men.
-Normal.
-Okay.
-Me, too.
-Normal blood sundae.
-One large blood sundae.
-No, let's eat small.
-No, large is better.
-Large?
Madam, we'd like…
Don't shout, she's right there.
Apologies for shouting.
I thought you were outside.
These are baby chives.
One special and two normal.
And one large blood sundae, please.
You find blood sundaes in Seoul
at bunsik houses
stuffed with glass noodles.
I thought those were blood sundaes.
There are various kinds.
The North Korean-style blood sundaes.
NORTH KOREAN-STYLE SUNDAE, PORK DAECHANG
FILLED WITH GLUTINOUS RICE AND SEONJI
Jeju blood sundaes.
TRADITIONAL JEJU SUNDAE
FILLED WITH BUCKWHEAT AND SEONJI
-There they are.
-This is it.
These look good.
That is an exquisite color.
These are made from makchang.
Why is it called a blood sundae?
It's made with blood.
This originally included
only blood and green onions.
KIM SUN-JA
RUNS A SUNDAE HOUSE OF 38 YEARS
Methods have changed.
We tried many ingredients,
and we went through many failures
so certain ratios have been created.
A lot of blood goes in,
a two to three ratio.
Two for blood and three for sauce.
We also add the end of makchang
and some daechang too.
That's our usual recipe.
We stuff everything ourselves.
Then we boil.
This process is necessary
to create these sundaes.
BLOOD SUNDAE TAKES 11 HOURS TO MAKE
This is my first blood sundae.
It differs regionally.
Does this taste different?
There isn't much makchang.
Only this much.
The rest is the thinner ones.
Thinner ones, yes.
Sir, take the tastiest bit.
-There's more, you eat.
-The makchang.
Let me add some pickled shrimp.
I love this.
Do you like it?
I think I enjoy the smell of pork fat.
The pork fat smell is strong.
I don't know if I'm fond of it or not.
It's okay, it doesn't smell.
Usually, we put sesame seeds
into chili pepper paste.
Mix, dip, then wrap it in sesame leaf.
Then add some chives
and some garlic if you like garlic.
-Okay, let me try this.
-See if you like it.
-All right.
-Sure.
The lettuce wrap
blends everything together.
Right, the sesame leaf.
This makes it much tastier.
This alone is good too.
HOW TO MAKE SUNDAE GUKBAP BROTH
I've made sundae gukbap for 37, 38 years.
When making gukbap,
broth is my first priority.
A thick and tasty broth
makes a tasty gukbap.
This is pork bone.
Not just any pork bone but the legs.
I boil only the knee bones
for a total of eight hours.
Same with the intestines.
I boil everything,
rub it with my hands,
wash and soak it in water
to cool it down,
and separate everything.
Even with the slicing,
it can't be too small or too big.
Everything must be done just right.
A WARM BOWL OF BROTH
THAT MELTS THE HEART
You should add more chives.
-Should I?
-Yes.
I like its subtle taste.
I guess that's why
there's little seasoning.
It's stuffed to the brim
and I didn't even add rice.
The bowl is filled with meat.
Wow, unbelievable.
You put all the rice in?
Yeah.
Do you like to mix rice?
Right, you said you don't.
-Because you're nobility.
-Nobles don't mix rice.
I don't even run in the rain.
Really?
We weren't even allowed
to lift our soup bowl.
We couldn't speak during meals.
It tastes so clean.
If you add rice,
the starch makes it thicker.
You don't like it starchy?
I prefer it thicker
when the rice starts blending in.
THE SAVORY QUALITY
OF RICE IN THE BROTH
Since you ask, I think I like it.
Really?
I think I prefer gukbap over
eating soup and rice separately.
Isn't there a separate gukbap?
But that's like saying,
"warm iced Americano."
It can't exist.
How can gukbap be separate?
The gukbap in Daegu seemed tasty.
But I needed to keep my dignity.
So I ate them together but separately.
Out of all kinds of gukbap
which do you enjoy eating most?
I like bean sprout gukbap.
Yukgaejang.
-Yukgaejang.
-Yukgaejang.
For me, sundae gukbap.
Just across from
broadcasting stations at Yeouido,
there was this place
called Hwamok Sundaeguk.
It was a really old place.
So having sundaeguk
from my early 20s,
I became addicted.
So when I think gukbap,
I think sundae gukbap.
My actor friends took me there.
I don't think anybody hates sundae gukbap.
-I agree.
-Right, it's rare.
Seolleongtang has little meat.
Galbitang is expensive.
But gukbap that's cheap but filling
is sundae gukbap,
which is comfort food for me.
For less than 10,000 won.
Sundae gukbap is the one and only
gukbap with that much meat.
In our culture, we can ask
for more broth, which is filling.
I eat sundae gukbap when I'm most hungry.
It's very satisfying,
and your belly and your heart feel full.
I think that's what gukbap is.
A GENEROUS BOWL OF WARMTH
SUNDAE GUKBAP
SEOUL
SEONGBUK-GU, SEOUL
I ate gamjatang in university.
It was expensive for me.
It was a party food.
If the upperclassmen were
at a gamjatang place,
the lowerclassmen wanted to go.
Each person would be holding a bone
and be sucking on it.
It was a lot to eat.
That's why it's usually found
next to universities.
I feel younger on Daehak-ro.
The atmosphere helps.
There's youth in the air.
The energy is different.
I think it's here.
Is it here?
It's been a while seeing gamjaguk
instead of gamjatang.
Wow, it's been running since 1958.
Wow, it really is an old store.
-Hello.
-Hello.
Considering it's a gamjaguk house,
it's very tidy.
Hello.
-Hello.
-Hello.
-Hi.
-You're the owner?
Yes, third generation.
Wow, the third generation.
You're more handsome in person.
Thank you.
So this year marks--
The 65th year.
-The 65th year.
-Yes.
That's amazing.
When my grandparents owned this,
they cooked it in large pots
and scooped it up one order at a time.
ORIGINAL GAMJAGUK
WITH CLEAR BROTH
After the '70s and into the '80s,
other gamjaguk houses appeared…
LEE HO-GWANG, THIRD-GENERATION OWNER OF
TRADITIONAL GAMJATANG PLACE OF 65 YEARS
…so it became commercialized.
And its name changed to gamjatang.
It was the same food
but its name kept changing
that it became known as a stew.
That's the name that spread.
THE PROSPERING RESTAURANT INDUSTRY
CHANGE FROM GAMJAGUK TO GAMJATANG
Where was the old store?
By the market.
It's a four to five minute walk.
A SIMPLE GAMJATANG PLACE
OPENED IN ONE CORNER OF A MARKET
My father liked to write
so he wrote these and stuck them on walls.
FATHER'S WALLPAPER WRITINGS
FROM 60 YEARS AGO
We can't remove them.
But the bits that were removed,
I brought them here as keepsakes.
That was a wonderful idea.
It's admirable really.
Seeing this makes me emotional.
Like I'm being reminded
of the father-son relationship.
I feel like tearing up.
It makes me emotional.
About the menu.
"Great, best, very, what if".
-Yes.
-What's that?
If you look there,
the pots, they're labelled.
You're right.
-It's demonstrated well.
-Yes, it indicates the size.
What should we order?
WILL HE ORDER A LARGE AGAIN?
Let's order just enough.
This place serves large portions
so "what if"?
-What if.
-What if?
What if.
-What if?
-What if.
From the neck, back, to the tailbone,
we use the pig's spine in full.
The main ingredient.
The meat on the neck bone is chewy.
The backbone area has less fat
and the tailbone has even less
but it's more chewy.
We use pig leg bones for our broth.
Boiling them for 24 hours
creates the best color and taste.
We follow the first generation's
exact cooking method.
We mix the backbone, and neck bone broth
and the leg bone broth
on a one-to-one ratio
to make our special broth.
For three months, we add rape blossoms.
Sesame leaf, glass noodles,
grounded garlic,
a mixture of onion and pepper,
red pepper powder
and perilla seed powder.
Then some potatoes too.
We use Gangwon-do potatoes
and often regional ones.
People talk about "potato bones,"
but that's a misnomer.
The deliverers just started calling
our order of bones
"potato bones".
Hence, the nickname "potato bones".
"What if" is served.
What if we had "What if"? That's so big.
GAMJATANG
-You're trembling.
-I'm fine.
Rather than dried radish greens,
-you use sesame leaf.
-Yes.
It's our main ingredient.
ANOTHER INGREDIENT, SESAME LEAF
From December to February,
we add rape blossoms.
RAPE BLOSSOM, A WINTER TREAT
-The flower?
-Correct.
RAPE BLOSSOM, FLOWER IN JEJU
THAT BLOOMS IN SPRING
For three months a year,
its taste and texture are good.
It has a sweetness.
So we use them for three months.
We haven't seasoned everything,
so you have to mix the sauce in.
This looks good.
Let the broth reduce as you eat.
So you have to pour the broth like this.
It smells fantastic.
I'm curious about the rape blossoms.
I've never boiled rape blossoms.
They don't usually sell it, right?
It has blossomed in my mouth.
Liar, it's still winter.
Today is a cloudy day,
there's a light drizzle, and I can't tell
if we need an umbrella.
-Yes.
-This atmosphere suits this broth.
GAMJATANG IS JUST PERFECT
It's very good.
-The taste of pork leg bone broth.
-So good.
He uses quality meat.
Sir, the meat has a dark color.
You get dark meat
only around the neck bone.
The dark meat you see in gamjatang.
It tastes better than chicken legs.
The reddish meat.
The red areas taste even better.
These areas contain more myoglobin
so it's more tasty.
MYOGLOBIN - PROTEIN
WHICH PRODUCES REDDISHNESS IN MEAT
The bones taste amazing.
-Right?
-Yes.
Yon-Ji sure knows how to eat.
You're really enjoying that.
I eat like this now.
But before, I sucked on it
until nothing was left.
I was in college
during the Asian Economic Crisis.
Gamjatang was a luxury.
One senior treated us.
He was returning from the military.
He'd call us, so we'd all go.
There were only a few bones.
So we asked for more potatoes.
We kept adding broth.
We stir-fried five bowls of rice.
We ate like that.
A portion this size
would be eaten by 7 or 8 people.
Yeah, that's what you would've done.
One cup of soju each.
This dish seems to be filled
with memories.
What's the age range of your customers?
It varies.
From students to seniors.
Families come together.
The first, second, third generation.
At one point, people booked for parties
of 50 to 60 people.
KOREAN STEWS
TRANSCEND GENERATIONS
A lot of university students came.
We'd like to stir-fry the rice.
-Two bowls.
-Two bowls, it is.
Out of all rice dishes,
I think gamjatang fried rice is the best.
Let's make the perfect fried rice.
It's quite a show.
The performance is important.
Creating the Maillard reaction on rice.
MAILLARD REACTION: CARBOHYDRATES
AND FIRE CREATE FLAVOR
It looks so tasty.
As it becomes soft by the time we eat.
What am I doing here?
-I'm doing what?
-What?
What do you think I'm doing?
I don't know.
They do this for you now these days.
Like this.
You mix in with the nurungji.
-Into a heart.
-Yes, into a heart.
HEART
Gotta make a heart.
Fried rice has to be heart-shaped.
-Can I eat?
-Yes, please.
It's good.
-It'll be gone in no time.
-Yeah.
You'll eat everything eventually.
You can't stop, right?
-It's good.
-This is tasty.
I could drink three bottles of soju.
I agree.
I shouldn't be drinking.
Oh, we shouldn't.
-Cheers.
-Cheers.
THE CHARM OF GAMJATANG
WHICH CALLS FOR DRINKS
LIVE SIMPLY, THERE IS LOVE
IN A BOWL OF RICE
THE CENTER OF KOREA, SEOUL
Seoul is the most developed city in Korea.
Many old restaurants
of taste and memories exist.
Speaking of old restaurants,
there's a dish you can't leave out.
That's seolleongtang.
This side has the vintage look,
but that side is very modern.
THE COMBINATION OF TRADITION
AND MODERNITY
-Here?
-This way.
Hidden treasures are found in alleyways.
Look at the ttukbaegis.
-They built a wall out of them.
-Ttukbaegi.
Look at this sign. It's so vintage.
THE OLD SIGN IS EVIDENCE
OF THE PASSAGE OF TIME
-Hello.
-Hello.
The kitchen is a furnace.
The kitchen is unique.
It's not a normal kitchen.
It's like a furnace in the past.
AN OLD-FASHIONED FURNACE KITCHEN
This is lower, and this is higher.
Why is that?
This is much lower.
-It doesn't suit you.
-No.
-Hello.
-Hello.
Yes, hi.
-May I ask?
-Sure.
Is this table for children?
It's low but this is high.
-The round thing is missing.
-One is missing.
People in the '70s and '80s
were physically smaller.
I heard the carpenter
adjusted it to their height.
THE '70S REGARD
FOR SHORTER PATRONS
So that table is lower.
Guests' heights were considered.
-Right.
-Your mother was amazing.
That's why you've been
in business for this long.
-The wood is peeled.
-Where the bowls have been placed.
It's the remnants of time.
This is quite charming.
You feel the history.
I think it's great.
You rarely get to experience
eating in such an atmosphere.
PLASTIC ORDER TAGS
FROM 50 YEARS AGO
My mother established this place
right here, in 1972.
KIM GYEONG-HO, OWNER OF
A SEOLLEONGTANG PLACE OF 50 YEARS
The Noryangjin Fish Market
used to be here.
Since it was close by,
I've heard many people worked at dawn.
They would come here
for warm broth and some meat.
I heard there used to be many
seolleongtang places.
When I first came,
our regulars were in their 60s or 70s.
But the age range varies now.
Grandfathers, sons, and grandsons,
they all come to eat here.
A NATIONAL DISH AMONG GENERATIONS
-Look at the kimchi.
-The kimchi is…
I should tear it with my hands.
Like how you do with squids.
It looks good.
The fresh cabbage looks good.
Smells good.
You have to have good kimchi with stew.
-I agree.
-Yeah.
I'm curious.
Wow.
This…
It tastes fancy.
-It is.
-Yes.
It explodes in your mouth.
I make beef stock.
I use the flank and brisket.
On a monthly basis,
I use one and a half tons
of flank and brisket.
For leg bones, I use Hanwoo beef.
By the end of lunch,
we add the beef leg bones.
Then we boil it until noon the next day,
so for 22 hours.
Long ago, someone used to sleep here.
They'd check the broth and wake at dawn
to add some water and work all night.
Before we open,
we add bloodless flank and brisket,
then the knee cartilage, then the tail,
which creates the thick broth.
A DEEP AND RICH TASTE
CREATED WITH CARE
Apparently, the smell used to spread
up to five kilometers from here.
I heard someone followed the smell here.
The current method we use
was passed down by my mother.
Using good quality flank and brisket
and making it with care
creates good broth, I believe.
THE SEOLLEONGTANG RECIPE
PRESERVED FOR 50 YEARS
SEOLLEONGTANG
It looks good.
There's so much meat.
It's heavy.
The way it's presented is beautiful.
This bowl is on another plane.
It's so different.
Seolleongtang comes from Seoul.
"Seoul noblemen are picky."
I think that phrase
could've started with this.
The broth.
The meat.
Even the kimchi.
Everything is up to par. It's perfect.
I agree.
They would've had this since the past.
Noblemen sure have good taste.
NOODLES ARE A MUST FOR SEOLLEONGTANG
Sir, the noodles are plentiful.
I've never seen this much in here.
Right, they add so little.
-Some people only want noodles, no rice.
-Right?
It's a noodle stew.
The noodles are seasoned.
-Noodles are made along with salt.
-I see.
A SATISFYING TASTE
Do you want kkakdugi water?
The water.
Sir, can we have kkakdugi juice?
Kkakdugi juice.
Cuckoo.
-Cuckoo.
-Cuckoo.
THE HIGHLIGHT OF SEOLLEONGTANG
THE KKAKDUGI JUICE
How many spoons?
-Trust me.
-All right.
I'm adding this
because I know its original taste.
THE SWEET, SPICY AND REFRESHING
KKAKDUGI JUICE
I wanted to see how it would change.
I think I failed.
Why? The sour taste is good.
I find this charming too.
What's the difference between
seolleongtang and gomtang?
Seolleongtang…
CURIOUS
…is boiled casually.
Then gomtang is boiled carefully?
Gomtang is boiled carefully.
Carefully.
How carefully?
According to what I've read,
the most accurate to tell
the difference is this.
If beef leg bones are used,
then it's a seolleongtang.
SEOLLEONGTANG USES THE BONES
If the broth is made with meat,
then it's a gomtang.
GOMTANG USES THE MEAT
100 years ago, weren't there
100 seolleongtang places?
Every vicinity had slaughterhouses.
When they caught anything,
the nobles only ate the meat.
Whereas the remainder,
like the bones, they didn't eat.
So, they were given as payment
to those who slaughtered the animal.
Then what?
They needed to make money,
not receive more meat.
That's why they developed
seolleongtang and gomtang.
We came all the way to Seoul station.
-Let's have one more thing.
-Sure.
One dogani-tang.
-Dogani-tang?
-Yes.
This is made with
knee cartilage and tendons.
We boil it for about an hour.
If the meat is tough, we boil again.
Oh, it's soft.
We have to add something.
Collagen calls for some alcohol.
To cleanse the oiliness in your mouth.
GIVE
AND TAKE
One bottle of soju, please.
You need one glass of this.
After you had a salty spoonful,
you cleanse your palette with soju.
If it gets salty again, another shot.
Gomtang was a nobleman's dish.
Yeah, it was for noblemen.
Seolleongtang was for commoners.
It grew with the joys and sorrows
of commoners.
That's its charm.
When I think seolleongtang,
I think of franchises.
That's why I think it has survived well
and adapted to the times better
than all Korean dishes.
That's my opinion.
Seolleongtang, galbitang?
-Seolleongtang.
-Me, too.
Me, too.
-It's a heartier dish.
-Yes.
-I love the milky broth.
-Yes.
SEOLLEONGTANG, THE ONE BOWL
KOREANS LOVE MOST
WHAT IS BROTH TO KOREANS?
Broth has comforted
and strengthened our nation
for a long time.
A meal without broth
is unimaginable to us.
The rice in broth tradition
courses through our blood.
It's a part of our culture.
We have broth when we're
in our mother's womb.
A pregnant mother eats seaweed soup
to nurture her child.
Even on good occasions,
like for weddings,
you spread goodwill with galbitang.
"When are you buying galbitang?
When are you making noodles?"
These sayings exist for a reason.
We spread generosity with soup.
We serve yukgaejang
upon someone's passing.
This shows how from before birth
and until after death
and every moment in between,
broth is always by our side.
To Koreans, broth is a way of life.
That's what I think.
BROTH WILL BE WITH US
IN EVERY MOMENT OF OUR LIVES
Subtitle translation by:
Jisu Park