A Nation of Broth (2022): Season 1, Episode 3 - Episode 3 - 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.
In the past, soups were more of a means
to make a meal tastier.
HAM YON-JI, ACTRESS
But there's a greater variety of broth,
and each type has become more distinct.
I think the era of independence
for broths has come.
GAPYEONG
-Wow, it's so cold.
-It's been a while since I saw snow.
-Yes.
-Yes.
The snow looks so pretty.
I love the sound of stepping on snow.
I think if we eat dakbokkeumtang
when it's snowing,
it will taste even better.
It would be delicious.
The location is amazing to start with.
FOOD TASTES BETTER
ON A COLD, SNOWY DAY
People may think that
dakbokkeumtang is a modern dish,
but in a cookbook from 1924,
The Greatest Modern
Joseon Recipe Book says
that it was a famous local dish
from Kaesong.
In those days,
instead of adding chili powder,
they probably made the dish
using a clear broth.
That's why dakdoritang
was also called doritang.
There was a separate category
called doritang.
Wow, that must be glory-bower I smell.
-Wow, it's so cool here.
-Wow, it's…
It feels like we stepped
into another world.
Wow, the walls are decorated so nicely.
It's really beautiful.
It's so gorgeous.
-The smoke…
-It's like an art gallery.
-Yes.
-It feels like a gallery.
PINEWOOD LOGS
A PICTURESQUE VIEW
OF LOGS AND CAULDRONS
Feels nice in front of the fire.
-It's romantic.
-It is.
It feels like we're going camping.
I've never been to a restaurant
like this before.
You haven't been to a lot of places, huh?
I've never been to a place
without tables like this.
This place was very popular
10 years ago, too.
-Was it like this 10 years ago too?
-Yes, it was.
I think they've been here for 30 years.
Sir, how old is this restaurant?
-It's 32 years old.
-Right, 32 years.
Was it like this from the beginning?
Of course.
We started out in the boonies.
It used to be located at the top
of the mountain on an unpaved road.
I remember that.
So you came back then, too.
I remember now.
You'd drive on an unpaved road,
and then go up the mountain
for over 10 minutes.
Then, there was a stream in front
of the place.
People still went there.
-Are you Min Gi-nam, the owner?
-No, my wife is the owner.
I just tend to the fire
and get free food in exchange.
So your wife is the owner, Min Gi-nam.
THE REAL OWNER
Wow!
What a show!
Wow!
Wow!
Young people these days
would love this place.
Gotta take a picture.
Where is my phone?
Wait, wait.
LOOKS GOOD
DAKBOKKEUMTANG
BY HUH YOUNG-MAN
When I first came here,
they were charging over 20,000 won
10 years ago.
It was expensive, but with huge servings.
-There's so much chicken.
-There is.
Is this one or two chickens?
I don't know things like that.
You're the best. You're awesome.
Man in charge of the fire.
How did you come up with this idea?
This?
It wasn't a new idea.
It wasn't?
My mom used to make buchimgae using this.
I remembered her doing that.
So I thought, "I should use this."
And I tried cooking in this.
I lived deep within the mountains.
In the spring, I'd get herbs.
And in the fall, I collected acorns.
Occasionally, a stranger would pass by.
They needed to eat,
but had no place to eat.
They'd ask us to cook chicken.
And so I decided,
I'll give them something I'd eat.
So I cooked this.
Somehow, the word spread.
For the seasoning, I used gochujang,
garlic, spring onions, and chili powder.
That's how I made it.
My mom was an only child and so am I.
And so I have soy sauce
that's been passed down
from my grandmother
and it's over 100 years old.
It's over 100 years old now.
We have a special soy sauce.
THIRD-GENERATION SOY SAUCE
RICH IN TASTE
DAKBOKKEUMTANG
Take a spoon and try the broth.
START WITH HOT AND SPICY BROTH
INSTANT NOODLES, A DELICACY
IN DAKBOKKEUMTANG
It's a little different from dakdoritang.
-Yeah.
-I get why it's called maeuntang.
It's not sweet, huh?
-Usually, it's sweet like tteokbokki.
-Yes.
The dish is changing into something
that's either too spicy or too sweet.
-But this isn't sweet.
-It's just spicy.
Why is it called dakbokkeumtang?
Bokkeum refers to a stir-fried dish
while tang refers to a stew.
The former doesn't have broth.
The latter does.
Usually, when broth is added to meat,
they call it a stew.
-Not soup.
-Stew just sounds better.
When it's called a stew,
it seems fancier, too.
-It does.
-It seems that way.
DAKBOKKEUMTANG HAS THE APPEAL
OF STIR-FRY AND STEW
-Let's get more broth.
-I agree.
Leave the extra broth here.
It's disappearing very quickly.
What's in this stock, sir?
I don't know anything.
I don't know anything.
He didn't know
how many chickens there were.
He is very well-trained.
"Honey, don't tell them anything.
Just tend the fire."
I'M JUST HERE FOR THE FIRE.
The stock is made with
whole chickens, including feet.
The stock tastes more flavorful
because of the chicken feet.
The collagen in chicken feet
all becomes part of the broth.
It tastes better.
I also add castor aralia, eleuthero,
jujube, and Mongolian milk vetch.
I boil them in a cauldron.
STOCK IS BOILED FOR SIX HOURS
I guess you like chicken.
I like chicken.
I'm eating fast because the broth
is reducing quickly.
HOMEGROWN CHICKEN
WITH HOT SPICES
-The drumsticks are gone.
-Soo-young ate them all.
I ate three.
I shouldn't eat so much.
The chicken is so tender, ma'am!
It's not tough.
Oh, my gosh, that's spicy!
This should be called
spicy chicken maeuntang.
-We need more stock.
-Let's make fried rice with this.
FRIED RICE AT THE END
I don't think I ever ate dakbokkeumtang,
and then stir-fried rice
into the leftover broth.
In our country,
we always add rice at the end,
regardless of whether
it's a stew or a soup.
FRIED RICE, DESSERT FOR KOREANS
We're making nurungji now, right?
After the rice goes through
a Maillard reaction,
it is deglazed.
And that tastes so savory.
We're digging deep.
DIGGING INTO THE CAULDRON
Whenever I look at a fire,
I always wonder what paint colors
I should use
to recreate what I'm seeing at the moment.
-But there's no such color.
-No, there isn't.
That's how beautiful it is.
I think this flame could be
this restaurant's biggest charm.
It looks perfect right now.
It's beautiful.
I can't see it from here, unfortunately.
My legs are extremely warm,
but I'm enjoying the view.
#IrresistibleMoment
#BeautifulFire
The thing I crave the most
on a cold winter day
is a bowl of spicy stew.
You can gather
three or four of your good friends
and satiate your hunger.
A dish you can enjoy with your friends is
dakbokkeumtang.
THE JOY OF SHARING FOOD
WITH FRIENDS
UIJEONGBU
This wasn't here before.
But there is a budae jjigae street now.
There is a street now.
A UIJEONGBU LANDMARK
BUDAE JJIGAE STREET
BUDAE JJIGAE STREET
IN THE HEART OF UIJEONGBU
MORE THAN A DOZEN BUDAE JJIGAE
PLACES ON ONE STREET
Hello.
Hello!
-Let's sit here.
-Where?
Let's sit.
Sir, when did you first come here?
Your cartoons are on the wall.
-20 years ago.
-You came here 20 years ago?
Back then, this was
the only restaurant here, right?
I think there were two or three more.
THE ORIGINAL UIJEONGBU
BUDAE JJIGAE RESTAURANT
My grandmother was the founder.
She opened the restaurant in 1960.
She was a street vendor at first.
And after that,
Koreans working in the US Army bases
brought her different ingredients
like ham and sausage.
At first, she made it a stir-fried dish
so people could eat it
while they drank alcohol.
But her regulars wanted
something with broth, like stews.
So she added ham, sausage, gochujang,
kimchi, and other ingredients.
And she boiled them in broth.
People loved it.
And she continued to sell the dish
known as budae jjigae.
You just use regular water.
This isn't water.
And it's not beef stock.
It's a vegetable stock we made.
Really?
VEGETABLE STOCK, THE SECRET
TO BUDAE JJIGAE BROTH
One of the basic ingredients is scallions.
We also add onions and spring onion roots.
We add an assortment of vegetables
and we boil them for over
two and a half hours.
So our budae jjigae is a stew
made with vegetable stock
that tastes clean and simple.
UIJEONGBU BUDAE JJIGAE
HAS A CLEAN, REFRESHING TASTE
To be honest,
it's my first time eating
Uijeongbu-style budae jjigae.
I heard the ones from Uijeongbu
have lighter broths.
And so you can taste the kimchi more.
And the ones from Songtan
add cheese, bacon, and baked beans.
-And they add more ham too.
-They add a lot.
So I'm used to eating budae jjigae
made with thick beef bone broth.
SONGTAN BUDAE JJIGAE,
THICK AND DEEP FLAVOR
I'm looking forward to tasting this.
UIJEONGBU BUDAE JJIGAE
A pot full of boiling-hot budae jjigae.
With onions.
And kimchi.
Plus ingredients like sausage and ham.
HAM AND SAUSAGE
YIELD THE STEW'S TASTE
You can't forget about the ramyeon.
You add the ramyeon
and it starts boiling.
The sound is appetizing.
I would eat the ramyeon first.
Then I would grab some ham
and put them on top of the white rice.
After that, I would mix
the rice with the broth.
PERFECT WITH STEAMED RICE
Then I would eat a spoonful
of the ham and rice.
I'm so hungry!
OH, I'M SO HUNGRY!
-This is delicious.
-The noodles are great.
I'm really enjoying my sausage right now.
Your ham slices are thick.
It's always been like that
since my grandmother made it.
It looks like a very generous serving.
CANNED HAM, A MAIN INGREDIENT
IN THE 62-YEAR TRADITION
SAUSAGES, A MAIN INGREDIENT
IN THE 62-YEAR TRADITION
HAM AND SAUSAGE
THICKENS THE BROTH
Do you know the difference
between sausage and ham?
Isn't sausage stuffed into a casing
made of skin or intestines?
Yes, that's right.
What do they stuff it with?
Ground pork.
Is it salted?
Salted…
They salt the ham.
Ham is the one they salt?
You know sausage is a French word?
The word comes from a term
that means to season with salt.
SAUSAGE: SAUCISSE IN FRENCH,
SALSUS IN LATIN, MEANING SALTED
The ham is very flavorful and savory too.
It's perfect.
It's a dish with an aftertaste
that lingers for a long time.
Without the ham and sausage,
this would be a kimchi stew.
But they completely change the flavor.
-You're right.
-That's amazing.
My American friends find it
very fascinating that Koreans eat Spam.
It probably represents
the painful history of war to them.
Canned foods were a vital part
of World War II.
They went wherever the US Army went.
They needed to supply
the soldiers with protein.
So they gave the soldiers ham.
Many ham dishes were developed.
During the Korean War, Uijeongbu and
Songtan budae jjigaes were made.
During the Vietnam War, they made
a Vietnamese stir-fried ham dish.
And in Okinawa,
the Okinawa chanpuru
and Spam musubi were invented.
This dish holds
a very significant position in our diet.
The fish cake stew.
I mean, the budae jjigae.
It's a dish we eat as often as stir-fried
pork or kimchi stew for lunch.
Working professionals eat budae jjigae
at least once a week for lunch.
I think budae jjigae is Korea's
first fusion dish.
It's been 70 to 80 years
since the dish was invented.
Even though the ingredients
weren't originally from our country,
it's still recognized as a Korean dish.
It's a part of our cuisine.
That's what budae jjigae is.
THAT'S BUDAE JJIGAE
SEOUL
MAPO-GU, SEOUL
In the past, Mapo wasn't this vibrant.
I have many memories down this street.
I was here often
to write stories for my comics.
Oh, so this is where you wrote.
Even in the past, there were many
restaurants for working professionals.
There are many jumulleok restaurants here.
Jumulleok. Mapo's original jumulleok.
The real original and
the original's original.
-They cook on big grills.
-Right.
And they grilled meat.
Where to, today?
-Kimchi stew.
-Kimchi stew.
Kimchi stew.
This is a dish you can't just pass by
when you're working.
The best lunch menu!
When you ask Koreans
what their favorite stew is,
the most common responses will probably be
kimchi stew or soybean paste stew.
When pork and slightly sour kimchi are
cooked together,
the flavors neutralize each other
to create a specific flavor.
Kimchi stew is very delicious.
-Hello.
-Welcome.
KIM JUNG-SOOK,
CEO OF KIMCHI STEW RESTAURANT
How many years has this been running?
Oh, it's been about 50 years.
50 years?
50-YEAR KIMCHI STEW RESTAURANT
Goodness, you're a veteran
resident of Mapo.
-You've seen the development of the area.
-I witnessed everything.
-I fed all those construction workers.
-I see.
I fed them all.
When people discuss what to eat for lunch,
kimchi stew or stir-fried pork
are always good.
-Always.
-Right.
That's right. Koreans love kimchi
and rice. We can't live without them.
You need to eat all three.
We don't add any jeotgal to our stew.
When you add jeotgal,
you can smell it in the stew.
It messes with the flavor.
So we don't use that.
Pork neck. The best grade.
Our servings are generous.
We don't try to conserve ingredients.
We don't hold back.
If you like our food and you eat a lot,
we give you everything you want.
PORK BONE BROTH
SIMMERS FOR FOUR HOURS
You can eat meat.
And vegetables too.
It's spicy so it's good
for your hangover too.
It has the two flavors Koreans love,
spicy and refreshing.
Kimchi stew has everything,
including meat and broth.
-It looks so good!
-Does it?
Yes!
A red stew,
stir-fried pork with a lot of meat,
yellow gyeranmari,
and white rice.
Doesn't your mouth water
just looking at these things?
-What a feast.
-It is.
Everything is big at this restaurant.
Their kimchi slices are big too.
I'm going to take a picture.
This is what I wanted.
This is it.
KIMCHI STEW ON THE TABLE
BY HAM YON-JI
You two take pictures. I'm going to eat.
GYERANMARI FIRST
You can't. There's an empty space now.
#MrHuh #TookAPiece #Gyeranmari
Wow, this kimchi stew.
THE RICH AND THICK TASTE
OF KIMCHI STEW
-It's so savory.
-It's so good.
The kimchi is perfectly ripe.
-It really is.
-This is a hangover stew.
This is amazing, ma'am!
It's really delicious!
If you cut meat this big for the grill,
-I know.
-I scold them.
"How are you supposed to eat
something so big?"
I prefer my boiled meat
to be sliced into thick pieces.
THICK CUTS OF PORK NECK
TASTE BETTER
It's so thick for stir-fried pork.
THICK PIECES FOR STIR-FRIED PORK
We should cut this up.
This looks delicious though.
I wonder if the customers here
have big mouths.
It's so good.
This stir-fried pork is great.
It tastes like braised pork neck
marinated in gochujang.
STIR-FRIED PORK GOES WELL
WITH KIMCHI STEW
May I eat one now?
I didn't try the gyeranmari yet.
SOFT AND SAVORY GYERANMARI
-Try this.
-This?
We need to eat this.
They used this kimchi.
They cooked this.
It's perfectly ripe.
Try it as a wrap.
It's so good.
We usually do this.
It tastes like soda.
AS REFRESHING AS A SODA
We usually eat it in a wrap like this.
Their kimchi is delicious.
It's so good. I'm so happy.
I can't eat this alone.
But I usually make this in my studio
and share it with my assistants.
It's never this good.
You're right.
Kimchi stew tastes better at a restaurant.
Homemade ones aren't the same.
It doesn't taste good
when the kimchi is too fresh.
You need cook it for at least 50 minutes.
Gotta take your time.
That's a long time.
You know kimchi stew is relatively modern?
Just a 100 years ago,
kimchi stew didn't have
the type of kimchi we use today.
Cabbages weren't as big back then.
But Joseon cabbages were like
eolgari cabbages and bomdongs.
Their leaves weren't as tightly packed.
A scientist named Woo Jang-choon
bred tightly packed cabbages.
And he created a new species
called "kimchi cabbage."
KIMCHI CABBAGE:
TIGHTLY PACKED CABBAGE FROM KOREA
You should take pride as Koreans.
Soo-young, you're like an encyclopedia.
Do you know the lactic ferment
used for kimchi?
Lactobacillus kimchi.
I'm serious.
Lactobacillus kimchi.
-Wow!
-That's the scientific name.
The rice bowls tell you
what kind of person the owner is.
-This rice bowl isn't the typical one.
-Really?
The standard ones
are usually 9 cm by 5 cm.
That's the Korean standard.
That was determined in 1973.
This is a different size.
It's much taller.
It has more rice.
What type of kimchi stew do you like?
Isn't kimchi stew the best with pork?
KIMCHI STEW WITH PORK
I think my family usually makes it
with back ribs.
That's very good, too.
Pork neck also.
KIMCHI STEW WITH BACK RIBS
-You boil it for a long time.
-My family uses anchovies.
Kimchi stew with anchovies.
KIMCHI STEW WITH ANCHOVIES
Kimchi stew with saury.
KIMCHI STEW WITH SAURY
Kimchi stew with tuna.
KIMCHI STEW WITH CANNED TUNA
Kimchi stew with mackerel.
KIMCHI STEW WITH MACKEREL
Kimchi here is really…
It's their biggest treasure.
When I eat good food like this,
I am so glad that…
GLAD TO BE BORN KOREAN
-I'm grateful I was born a Korean.
-Me too.
You can't find such food anywhere else
in the world.
Unless you didn't know this existed,
it'd be cruel to not be able to eat this.
FLAVORS FOUND
NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD
I think Korean cuisine
is continuing to change.
Even soybean paste stew
isn't how it used to be.
It's following the trend.
They add beef brisket.
Soups are changing with the trend.
They're becoming spicier, richer,
and stronger in flavor.
MAPO-GU, SEOUL
What is this building?
Sangam-dong used to be
a quiet neighborhood.
I think this is the place.
Here?
I think we're going to eat
something delicious.
Thank you.
What is this restaurant known for?
Soybean paste stew with beef brisket?
Let's try it.
Beef brisket paired with alcohol
used to be a luxury from 20 years ago.
Before we grilled the thicker meat,
we would briefly grill this
and it would be ready to eat.
Right.
It's popular now.
They're even putting it in stews.
BEEF BRISKET GOES
FROM THE GRILL TO STEWS
Soybean paste stew with beef brisket
has probably been popular
for 20 years now.
Before that, no one ever thought
about adding
beef brisket to soybean paste stew.
SAVORY BEAN PASTE STEW
WITH FLAVORFUL BEEF BRISKET
But the savory broth of soybean paste stew
and the fat from the beef
complement each other.
And that's probably why
it became so popular among customers.
BEAN PASTE STEW WITH BEEF BRISKET
I'll serve the lady first.
Been a while,
soybean paste stew with rice.
-Enjoy.
-Thank you.
I love this. This is it.
So this is the beef brisket.
The beef brisket makes it special.
-It's more savory.
-Yes, because of the fat.
Wow.
Rice, stew, and side dishes.
This is so good.
This stew is spicy and refreshing.
It's spicy.
Koreans can't live without this.
Yes, you're right.
This is our soul food.
They say Koreans have been
eating this since the Samhan Period.
When people ate greasy food,
it prevented it from
becoming too overwhelming.
During the Joseon Era,
they started to use it in various dishes
because this is protein
and they wanted to consume protein.
What kind of stock do you prefer
to use to make this?
Anchovy stock.
-You need anchovies.
-Right.
I add everything
to the anchovy stock all at once.
And I boil it.
Bean paste stew used to be darker.
You're right. I love that.
It's dark and barely sweet.
But this stew tastes like
it's a bowl of the latest trend.
A flavor that young people love,
and the meat looks great.
BEAN PASTE STEW EVOLVES
WITH THE TIMES
When I travel,
I crave soybean paste stew
for some reason.
If I move overseas,
I'm going somewhere with broth.
MAY MOVE TO A COUNTRY
THAT HAS BROTH
What else are you known for?
Our tripe gomtang is popular.
Is that right?
Unlike other places, ours is spicy.
People usually associate gomtang
with a clear broth.
But ours is a red, spicy broth.
So men in their 30s and 40s
really love it.
I see.
If I were to smell this
after a day of drinking--
It'd be the best.
Yes, it'd be the best.
This is incredible.
This must be their main dish.
TRIPE GOMTANG
Making tripe gomtang
is a very tricky process.
First, the intestines have to be boiled.
For the dadegi sauce,
we use a fat called beef suet.
We extract the beef fat.
Then we add chili powder,
followed by salt and pepper.
And we add the usual seasoning.
That thick sauce is called dadegi.
Among the intestine soups
with clear broth,
there's Naju-style gomtang.
Our soup is a bit more savory
and spicier than that.
SAVORY INTESTINES
AND HOT SPICES COMBINE
MARINATED INTESTINES
GO INTO A TTUKBAEGI
TOPPED OFF WITH AN EGG
The intestine soup is very red.
UGH, COUGH, COUGH.
-You like that, huh?
-It's refreshing.
-The broth is great.
-Right?
-What is this?
-It's a cow's first stomach.
-Which one is that?
-The first stomach.
This, I don't know.
Ma'am, would you mind
explaining the parts to us?
The intestines in this soup are
hongchang, gopchang, and tripe.
-We use a mix of these three…
-Hongchang, gopchang, and tripe.
It's delicious.
Egg yolk mixed into the broth.
This looks so good.
Is it good?
A bottle of soju?
OH, THE DILEMMA…
-No, I can't drink today.
-Not today?
It's been a while since I ate
something I like so much.
An expert made this.
It's just what I like.
TRIPE GOMTANG CALLS FOR RICE
CAN'T PUT THE SPOON DOWN
My hands have a mind of their own.
My brain is saying, "Hey, stop eating."
But my hands keep moving.
Oh, no. I shouldn't see this.
-Why?
-Why?
Gotta eat sungnyung.
People say that you should never eat
nurungji and Peanut and Squid Snack
because you can't stop.
It's kind of like
Yangpyeong hangover soup.
It also tastes like yukgaejang but not.
-It has its own unique flavor.
-Yes.
Overall, they made all the dishes
very trendy.
Even when it comes to food,
chefs have to always be one step
ahead of the trend.
Okay.
To Netflix.
THE BROTH MEAL ENDS
WITH SUNGNYUNG
WOW.
A SURE SIGN OF A FULL TUMMY
You seem like you had a drink yesterday.
BUAM-DONG, SEOUL
Other countries have dishes
where you dip the meat in broth
like hot pot, sukiyaki, shabu-shabu,
and such dishes.
We're different. We add
all the ingredients to make broth.
We make the stock
and we drink the broth first.
And that's how jeongol was created.
Many countries may cook the meat in water.
While some countries focus on the meat,
we focus on the broth.
OUR NEIGHBORS LOVE SOLID FOOD,
BUT KOREANS LOVE BROTH.
If you look here,
they have a full-course meal.
A full-course meal?
Never seen a dumpling course meal.
Hello.
-Hello.
-Hello.
Hello.
We've never seen
a dumpling course meal like this before.
When you eat dumplings,
you don't eat just a bowl of dumplings.
In the past, we used to set
a table full of dumplings.
But people don't eat a whole feast
like that now.
There is a limited number of dishes,
but it's a full-course meal.
These are handmade vegetable dumplings.
Don't they look like
Florence Nightingale's nursing cap?
You're right.
It has no meat, but it's still delicious.
It has cucumbers.
The mushrooms taste like meat.
I've never tried dumplings
that only have vegetables before.
It's as if meat is in it.
No.
Hoped you'd say yes.
Thanks for that.
We use beef and shiitake mushrooms
to make pyeonsu.
Cucumbers give it a crunchy texture.
Then we make it into
a square or a cylinder
and these are called mi dumplings.
The dumplings are square-shaped.
This is pyeonsu.
Pyeonsu?
How did they make the dumplings
look so pretty?
My gosh.
No meat in this, either?
-This has meat.
-It does.
It does?
It has no tofu.
So it has a clean flavor.
It's like a pot from the old TV show,
"Today's Dish."
You're right.
The traditional dish is dumpling soup.
Jeongol is a dish that
was developed from that.
It has more variety.
It's a dish that many people
can cook and eat together.
First, we place a piece of cabbage
on the bottom of the pot.
This will prevent the dumplings
from sticking to the bottom.
And then we add the seasoned
suyuk from the stock…
and the dumplings.
And then we add minari or spring onions.
It tastes even better with fish jeon.
And for the toppings,
we add colored dumplings on the top.
Then we add hot broth and boil everything.
DUMPLING JEONGOL
WITH VARIOUS INGREDIENTS
The color of the ingredients
below the glass lid looks beautiful.
I love that we can continue
to cook the food at the table.
-Do you know how jeongol got its name?
-I don't.
The helmets that soldiers used to
wear in the past
were called jeonrip or jeonriptu.
They were made of iron.
They flipped them over to cook food.
So they cooked this dish in the helmets.
Gol means "to mix."
So when you combine the two words,
you get jeonriptugol.
Shortened, the word is jeongol.
JEONRIPTUGOL: SOLDIERS
COOKED FOOD IN THEIR HELMETS
That's the origin of the dish.
It's boiling over.
DUMPLING JEONGOL
I can smell the flank and brisket stock.
It has fish jeon.
And minari too.
-It almost looks like sinseollo.
-You're right.
Would you like some broth?
Goodness, that's refreshing.
It's flank and brisket stock.
5:00 A.M.
Dumplings shouldn't have
multiple strong flavors.
So for the stock, we only use
flank and briskets.
The broth is savory and deep.
BEEF FLANK AND BRISKET STOCK
HAS A DEEP TASTE.
We season with sea salt,
homemade soy sauce,
and water, so four ingredients.
We usually make our jang
at the start of a new year.
It's the most important and basic task
at our restaurant.
First, making the meju is most important.
We add red chili pepper.
And we also add charcoal.
And after 50 to 60 days,
we check on the jang.
And so one of our most important tasks
for the year is done.
Adding the jang signals
the start of that day's broth.
DELICIOUS STOCK IS MADE
WITH DELICIOUS SOY SAUCE
I really love this.
I love it, too.
Sir, this is the stock
that the kings used to eat.
This is a king's meal.
-May you rise from a noble to a king.
-To the palace.
From a noble's house to a palace.
This dish is dumpling soup.
I love dishes like this.
DUMPLING FROM JEONGOL
WITH WARM BROTH
I love mild dumplings cooked in
flank and brisket broth like this.
I prefer mild ones over spicy.
-This has meat in it.
-Yes, this has a lot.
A flavor we all know.
But you can't taste this
in commercial products.
I have to try the flank and briskets.
-I love it.
-Me too.
Gosh.
Try this.
This dumpling is the same color
as your outfit.
Sir, would you like the green one
or the yellow one?
-Yellow.
-Yellow.
I'll add the noodles now.
Even the noodle plating looks great.
It's so pretty.
NOODLES INTO JEONGOL
What kind of noodles are these?
They're just flour noodles.
I see.
It doesn't taste like what we usually eat.
A FULL POT, AS THOUGH
THE NOODLES WERE ALREADY IN IT
Why does it taste so savory?
-It's savory.
-It's savory.
This is so relaxing to eat.
I realized that jeongol is a dish
that helps you relax.
I feel at ease.
CALM ENERGY FROM A MILD BROTH
We can only enjoy such luxury
in the winter, not when it's hot.
Our lives are like food.
It's synergy at work.
HUMANS AND FOOD WORK IN SYNERGY
You gather various ingredients together
to make a dish.
I wonder if humans can also get along
and create a harmonious society like this
with a little selflessness.
I think this pot sets the standard.
I love that a jeongol's ingredients
determine how good the dish is.
I believe that a good dish focuses
on the ingredients rather than the recipe.
You're very particular.
A man of details.
PYEONGCHANG-DONG, SEOUL
Today feels different from the other days…
You're right. The vibe is different today.
-Okay, let's have a seat.
-Yes.
-Hello.
-Hello.
-Today, it's very…
-You're late today.
I'm a little late today.
We're at a very nice restaurant today.
We usually go to old restaurants
to eat soup dishes.
But today, we're at a hotel.
It feels very elegant.
-Hello.
-Hello.
Hello.
Broth usually refers to the liquid
in which all the ingredients
are boiled in to create a dish.
But I wanted to show that
the broth alone
could be a dish that we can enjoy.
The overall theme of the course meal is
"the independence of broth."
All we did is drink broth
for the past two, no, three months.
-That's all we've been having.
-So I hear.
-Is it some kind of broth today too?
-It's another dish with broth today.
Why do we have these?
I know, right? I think we only need this.
You need those.
-Really?
-We do?
-Are we slicing up broth?
-Yes.
It's a dish that requires
a fork and a knife for the broth.
The soup must have solid ingredients.
How fascinating.
Something's coming.
Already?
Wow.
Wow.
WHAT IS THIS DISH?
Wow.
You've never seen anything
like this before, right?
CHOPPED SEAWEED SOUP
Is this a broth too?
It is.
I made seaweed soup.
The idea is for people to taste
the original flavors but with a twist.
What I wanted to add was texture.
SEAWEED SOUP WITH A NEW TEXTURE
This technique is called spherification.
The broth is made into a sphere
and that is slightly hardened
on the surface.
You can use a knife or fork
to eat it with the seaweed and beef.
When you use a spoon to eat this,
you can taste the rich flavor
of a beef seaweed soup.
Pop the yolk-shaped broth.
Mix it well and then try it.
Unbelievable.
This is something people
would come to try.
Foreigners would find this
very fascinating.
Wow, it looks amazing.
It tastes like steamed cheongpo.
The black stuff surrounding it is seaweed.
This is good.
Savor the texture.
How is it? The seaweed soup?
-It's delicious.
-It's good?
It's a delicious bowl of seaweed soup.
-It's good.
-Very well cooked.
-What'll be next?
-We'll be full just from broth.
1, 2, 3. Ta-da!
-What is this?
-What is it?
It's foam.
It's foam.
FOAM SOYBEAN PASTE SOUP
I used soybean paste
to make a dish that's foamy
like a cappuccino.
After making a savory bowl of
soybean paste stew,
I strain that and add a protein
called lecithin.
Then I beat it to make it foamy.
By making it foamy,
people can enjoy the strong flavor
of soybean paste
and the soft texture of the foam
as it goes into their mouths.
They can savor the rich flavor
of soybean paste
in a simple yet new and interesting way
through this soybean paste stew.
There are different textures
when it comes to food.
A foam like this allows people
to enjoy the softest
and smoothest texture you can eat.
We may be used to
the flavor of soybean paste.
But to Westerners, it can be
a very strong flavor.
The aroma is incredible.
I never imagined that soybean paste
could have such an amazing aroma.
I understand
what "broth texture" means now.
The broth's texture.
He only made it foamy,
but it feels completely different.
It tastes different too.
The broth has bubbles
just like our economy.
THE BROTH HAS BUBBLES
JUST LIKE OUR ECONOMY
POLLACK STEW EATEN AS CHIPS
Is this some kind of broth too?
-I don't think it is.
-This time,
-I made the broth into chips.
-Yes?
-This?
-Yes.
-Chips.
-Yes.
-This is broth?
-Try it, sir.
One of the most popular dishes
is fresh pollack soup or seafood soup.
POLLACK STEW, LOVED BY KOREANS
I used the fresh pollack stock
to make chips.
I made it like a biscuit.
BAKED IN THE OVEN
TO MAKE THE BROTH CRISPY
When you eat just the biscuit,
the flavor can be slightly strong.
But even just a bite
will allow you to taste
the very rich flavor
of a fresh pollack soup.
And when you eat
the radish and grilled fish
that are served with the chips,
you will be able to enjoy
a pot full of fresh pollack soup
that was boiled for a long time.
It's seasoned well with salt.
CRUNCH
Yum, this is delicious.
Why don't you try all three together?
Like this.
I am starting to have
a lot of questions about broth now.
-"Do I really know what broth is?"
-Life is full of mysteries.
CRUNCHY SAMGYETANG
Wow, it's so pretty.
Those are chips made from samgyetang.
SAVORY SAMGYETANG MADE
INTO CRISPY CHIPS
I added this on top.
IT SOUNDS DELICIOUS
All kinds of textures are exploding
simultaneously in my mouth!
When I eat samgyetang,
I love how smoothly
it goes down my throat.
But I thought that it might be great
if there was some crunch to it too.
I take the samgyetang broth
and the chicken and blend them
to turn the mix into a crispy chip.
That is added to the dish.
You break that up
eat everything together.
The chip itself tastes like samgyetang
so it will taste like
a concentrated samgyetang
with an interesting texture.
That's what this dish is.
This is too pretty.
-Wow.
-Do we finally have noodles?
This is broth.
I'm not falling for that now.
I know what to draw today.
I made all kinds of dishes.
This is like a big blockbuster.
YUKGAEJANG KALGUKSU
Yukgaejang kalguksu.
I put the broth in the noodles.
I created this dish because
I thought it'd be interesting for people
to feel like they're eating
a soup while eating noodles.
After making a delicious pot of
yukgaejang…
I use a long syringe and insert the broth
into a long tube
to make it into a jelly.
By doing that,
I can make the jelly in the form
of a noodle.
YUKGAEJANG BROTH
MADE INTO JELLY NOODLES
I made the chili oil into a powder.
And that can be sprinkled
on the top at the end.
When you mix everything together,
you'll feel like you're eating
a spicy and refreshing bowl
of yukgaejang kalguksu.
All these dishes taste so good.
They're all delicious.
The savory flavor is so concentrated.
The last dish is gukbap.
Will we get rice too?
It's gukbap.
But it's a gukbap without rice.
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT?
Does he think we're fools?
-What is this?
-Tapioca pearls?
GUKBAP WITHOUT RICE
The broth from the gukbap
is used to make
many small balls that look like caviar.
I wanted to recreate the broth
to look like the rice in gukbap.
Some people add kkakdugi or kkakdugi juice
to the gukbap when they eat.
So I diced up some kkakdugi
and added them to the bottom.
DIFFERENT LOOK
BUT THE SAME TASTE OF GUKBAP
It even has kimchi in the middle.
This tastes the best
out of all the dishes.
So this is why it's called gukbap.
GUKBAP REBORN BY A NEW IDEA
I was so shocked that day.
"This is nothing like the broths
that I know."
It was really fun. It really was.
It was a fun experience.
"But broths taste best
when they're in their original form."
That's what I thought
after trying those dishes.
We tried nearly
all of the soups in the nation.
I know there are more.
But we ate all the famous ones.
There are probably many lesser known soups
in places that we don't know.
Some random island
probably has unknown dishes.
You're right.
I'm finally getting an idea
of what a soup is.
I think I know how to enjoy a broth now.
And I learned just how important
this is to me.
Recently, I haven't been eating any soups.
But through this program,
we ate soups
that warmed up our bodies
so I've grown fond of soups.
In the 18th century,
when our Joseon kings ate,
they had 64 different kinds of soups.
But we don't know most of them now.
We don't even remember them.
MANY TYPES OF BROTHS ARE
NO LONGER REMEMBERED
But I think that we should at least know
that they existed.
I hope that many of those dishes
will be recreated
so that we can continue the tradition.
I didn't know we had
so many soups in the country.
There is such a variety.
And based on each region's
characteristics,
different soup dishes were developed
using ingredients and recipes
from that region.
It was very fun to experience
all that too.
It made me wish
that I had more opportunities
to encounter these dishes often.
To be honest, I thought only people
older than 30 or 40 liked broth.
But it's not just for older folks.
Kids eat ramyeon with triangle gimbap
at convenience stores.
And they'll probably want broth
even when they're older.
This shows that
all generations love broth.
There's a saying that Koreans
need rice to carry on with life.
A thought occurred to me
while we were on this gukbap trip.
Soup is actually what kept us going.
Soup is the great force
that makes us eat rice.
Because we had soup,
we had the strength to carry on.
Take gukbap as an example.
It's soup and rice.
It made me think that
soup is what empowers us.
THE POWER OF BROTH,
ENERGY SOURCE FOR THE PEOPLE
Subtitle translation by:
Jane Jung
---
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.
In the past, soups were more of a means
to make a meal tastier.
HAM YON-JI, ACTRESS
But there's a greater variety of broth,
and each type has become more distinct.
I think the era of independence
for broths has come.
GAPYEONG
-Wow, it's so cold.
-It's been a while since I saw snow.
-Yes.
-Yes.
The snow looks so pretty.
I love the sound of stepping on snow.
I think if we eat dakbokkeumtang
when it's snowing,
it will taste even better.
It would be delicious.
The location is amazing to start with.
FOOD TASTES BETTER
ON A COLD, SNOWY DAY
People may think that
dakbokkeumtang is a modern dish,
but in a cookbook from 1924,
The Greatest Modern
Joseon Recipe Book says
that it was a famous local dish
from Kaesong.
In those days,
instead of adding chili powder,
they probably made the dish
using a clear broth.
That's why dakdoritang
was also called doritang.
There was a separate category
called doritang.
Wow, that must be glory-bower I smell.
-Wow, it's so cool here.
-Wow, it's…
It feels like we stepped
into another world.
Wow, the walls are decorated so nicely.
It's really beautiful.
It's so gorgeous.
-The smoke…
-It's like an art gallery.
-Yes.
-It feels like a gallery.
PINEWOOD LOGS
A PICTURESQUE VIEW
OF LOGS AND CAULDRONS
Feels nice in front of the fire.
-It's romantic.
-It is.
It feels like we're going camping.
I've never been to a restaurant
like this before.
You haven't been to a lot of places, huh?
I've never been to a place
without tables like this.
This place was very popular
10 years ago, too.
-Was it like this 10 years ago too?
-Yes, it was.
I think they've been here for 30 years.
Sir, how old is this restaurant?
-It's 32 years old.
-Right, 32 years.
Was it like this from the beginning?
Of course.
We started out in the boonies.
It used to be located at the top
of the mountain on an unpaved road.
I remember that.
So you came back then, too.
I remember now.
You'd drive on an unpaved road,
and then go up the mountain
for over 10 minutes.
Then, there was a stream in front
of the place.
People still went there.
-Are you Min Gi-nam, the owner?
-No, my wife is the owner.
I just tend to the fire
and get free food in exchange.
So your wife is the owner, Min Gi-nam.
THE REAL OWNER
Wow!
What a show!
Wow!
Wow!
Young people these days
would love this place.
Gotta take a picture.
Where is my phone?
Wait, wait.
LOOKS GOOD
DAKBOKKEUMTANG
BY HUH YOUNG-MAN
When I first came here,
they were charging over 20,000 won
10 years ago.
It was expensive, but with huge servings.
-There's so much chicken.
-There is.
Is this one or two chickens?
I don't know things like that.
You're the best. You're awesome.
Man in charge of the fire.
How did you come up with this idea?
This?
It wasn't a new idea.
It wasn't?
My mom used to make buchimgae using this.
I remembered her doing that.
So I thought, "I should use this."
And I tried cooking in this.
I lived deep within the mountains.
In the spring, I'd get herbs.
And in the fall, I collected acorns.
Occasionally, a stranger would pass by.
They needed to eat,
but had no place to eat.
They'd ask us to cook chicken.
And so I decided,
I'll give them something I'd eat.
So I cooked this.
Somehow, the word spread.
For the seasoning, I used gochujang,
garlic, spring onions, and chili powder.
That's how I made it.
My mom was an only child and so am I.
And so I have soy sauce
that's been passed down
from my grandmother
and it's over 100 years old.
It's over 100 years old now.
We have a special soy sauce.
THIRD-GENERATION SOY SAUCE
RICH IN TASTE
DAKBOKKEUMTANG
Take a spoon and try the broth.
START WITH HOT AND SPICY BROTH
INSTANT NOODLES, A DELICACY
IN DAKBOKKEUMTANG
It's a little different from dakdoritang.
-Yeah.
-I get why it's called maeuntang.
It's not sweet, huh?
-Usually, it's sweet like tteokbokki.
-Yes.
The dish is changing into something
that's either too spicy or too sweet.
-But this isn't sweet.
-It's just spicy.
Why is it called dakbokkeumtang?
Bokkeum refers to a stir-fried dish
while tang refers to a stew.
The former doesn't have broth.
The latter does.
Usually, when broth is added to meat,
they call it a stew.
-Not soup.
-Stew just sounds better.
When it's called a stew,
it seems fancier, too.
-It does.
-It seems that way.
DAKBOKKEUMTANG HAS THE APPEAL
OF STIR-FRY AND STEW
-Let's get more broth.
-I agree.
Leave the extra broth here.
It's disappearing very quickly.
What's in this stock, sir?
I don't know anything.
I don't know anything.
He didn't know
how many chickens there were.
He is very well-trained.
"Honey, don't tell them anything.
Just tend the fire."
I'M JUST HERE FOR THE FIRE.
The stock is made with
whole chickens, including feet.
The stock tastes more flavorful
because of the chicken feet.
The collagen in chicken feet
all becomes part of the broth.
It tastes better.
I also add castor aralia, eleuthero,
jujube, and Mongolian milk vetch.
I boil them in a cauldron.
STOCK IS BOILED FOR SIX HOURS
I guess you like chicken.
I like chicken.
I'm eating fast because the broth
is reducing quickly.
HOMEGROWN CHICKEN
WITH HOT SPICES
-The drumsticks are gone.
-Soo-young ate them all.
I ate three.
I shouldn't eat so much.
The chicken is so tender, ma'am!
It's not tough.
Oh, my gosh, that's spicy!
This should be called
spicy chicken maeuntang.
-We need more stock.
-Let's make fried rice with this.
FRIED RICE AT THE END
I don't think I ever ate dakbokkeumtang,
and then stir-fried rice
into the leftover broth.
In our country,
we always add rice at the end,
regardless of whether
it's a stew or a soup.
FRIED RICE, DESSERT FOR KOREANS
We're making nurungji now, right?
After the rice goes through
a Maillard reaction,
it is deglazed.
And that tastes so savory.
We're digging deep.
DIGGING INTO THE CAULDRON
Whenever I look at a fire,
I always wonder what paint colors
I should use
to recreate what I'm seeing at the moment.
-But there's no such color.
-No, there isn't.
That's how beautiful it is.
I think this flame could be
this restaurant's biggest charm.
It looks perfect right now.
It's beautiful.
I can't see it from here, unfortunately.
My legs are extremely warm,
but I'm enjoying the view.
#IrresistibleMoment
#BeautifulFire
The thing I crave the most
on a cold winter day
is a bowl of spicy stew.
You can gather
three or four of your good friends
and satiate your hunger.
A dish you can enjoy with your friends is
dakbokkeumtang.
THE JOY OF SHARING FOOD
WITH FRIENDS
UIJEONGBU
This wasn't here before.
But there is a budae jjigae street now.
There is a street now.
A UIJEONGBU LANDMARK
BUDAE JJIGAE STREET
BUDAE JJIGAE STREET
IN THE HEART OF UIJEONGBU
MORE THAN A DOZEN BUDAE JJIGAE
PLACES ON ONE STREET
Hello.
Hello!
-Let's sit here.
-Where?
Let's sit.
Sir, when did you first come here?
Your cartoons are on the wall.
-20 years ago.
-You came here 20 years ago?
Back then, this was
the only restaurant here, right?
I think there were two or three more.
THE ORIGINAL UIJEONGBU
BUDAE JJIGAE RESTAURANT
My grandmother was the founder.
She opened the restaurant in 1960.
She was a street vendor at first.
And after that,
Koreans working in the US Army bases
brought her different ingredients
like ham and sausage.
At first, she made it a stir-fried dish
so people could eat it
while they drank alcohol.
But her regulars wanted
something with broth, like stews.
So she added ham, sausage, gochujang,
kimchi, and other ingredients.
And she boiled them in broth.
People loved it.
And she continued to sell the dish
known as budae jjigae.
You just use regular water.
This isn't water.
And it's not beef stock.
It's a vegetable stock we made.
Really?
VEGETABLE STOCK, THE SECRET
TO BUDAE JJIGAE BROTH
One of the basic ingredients is scallions.
We also add onions and spring onion roots.
We add an assortment of vegetables
and we boil them for over
two and a half hours.
So our budae jjigae is a stew
made with vegetable stock
that tastes clean and simple.
UIJEONGBU BUDAE JJIGAE
HAS A CLEAN, REFRESHING TASTE
To be honest,
it's my first time eating
Uijeongbu-style budae jjigae.
I heard the ones from Uijeongbu
have lighter broths.
And so you can taste the kimchi more.
And the ones from Songtan
add cheese, bacon, and baked beans.
-And they add more ham too.
-They add a lot.
So I'm used to eating budae jjigae
made with thick beef bone broth.
SONGTAN BUDAE JJIGAE,
THICK AND DEEP FLAVOR
I'm looking forward to tasting this.
UIJEONGBU BUDAE JJIGAE
A pot full of boiling-hot budae jjigae.
With onions.
And kimchi.
Plus ingredients like sausage and ham.
HAM AND SAUSAGE
YIELD THE STEW'S TASTE
You can't forget about the ramyeon.
You add the ramyeon
and it starts boiling.
The sound is appetizing.
I would eat the ramyeon first.
Then I would grab some ham
and put them on top of the white rice.
After that, I would mix
the rice with the broth.
PERFECT WITH STEAMED RICE
Then I would eat a spoonful
of the ham and rice.
I'm so hungry!
OH, I'M SO HUNGRY!
-This is delicious.
-The noodles are great.
I'm really enjoying my sausage right now.
Your ham slices are thick.
It's always been like that
since my grandmother made it.
It looks like a very generous serving.
CANNED HAM, A MAIN INGREDIENT
IN THE 62-YEAR TRADITION
SAUSAGES, A MAIN INGREDIENT
IN THE 62-YEAR TRADITION
HAM AND SAUSAGE
THICKENS THE BROTH
Do you know the difference
between sausage and ham?
Isn't sausage stuffed into a casing
made of skin or intestines?
Yes, that's right.
What do they stuff it with?
Ground pork.
Is it salted?
Salted…
They salt the ham.
Ham is the one they salt?
You know sausage is a French word?
The word comes from a term
that means to season with salt.
SAUSAGE: SAUCISSE IN FRENCH,
SALSUS IN LATIN, MEANING SALTED
The ham is very flavorful and savory too.
It's perfect.
It's a dish with an aftertaste
that lingers for a long time.
Without the ham and sausage,
this would be a kimchi stew.
But they completely change the flavor.
-You're right.
-That's amazing.
My American friends find it
very fascinating that Koreans eat Spam.
It probably represents
the painful history of war to them.
Canned foods were a vital part
of World War II.
They went wherever the US Army went.
They needed to supply
the soldiers with protein.
So they gave the soldiers ham.
Many ham dishes were developed.
During the Korean War, Uijeongbu and
Songtan budae jjigaes were made.
During the Vietnam War, they made
a Vietnamese stir-fried ham dish.
And in Okinawa,
the Okinawa chanpuru
and Spam musubi were invented.
This dish holds
a very significant position in our diet.
The fish cake stew.
I mean, the budae jjigae.
It's a dish we eat as often as stir-fried
pork or kimchi stew for lunch.
Working professionals eat budae jjigae
at least once a week for lunch.
I think budae jjigae is Korea's
first fusion dish.
It's been 70 to 80 years
since the dish was invented.
Even though the ingredients
weren't originally from our country,
it's still recognized as a Korean dish.
It's a part of our cuisine.
That's what budae jjigae is.
THAT'S BUDAE JJIGAE
SEOUL
MAPO-GU, SEOUL
In the past, Mapo wasn't this vibrant.
I have many memories down this street.
I was here often
to write stories for my comics.
Oh, so this is where you wrote.
Even in the past, there were many
restaurants for working professionals.
There are many jumulleok restaurants here.
Jumulleok. Mapo's original jumulleok.
The real original and
the original's original.
-They cook on big grills.
-Right.
And they grilled meat.
Where to, today?
-Kimchi stew.
-Kimchi stew.
Kimchi stew.
This is a dish you can't just pass by
when you're working.
The best lunch menu!
When you ask Koreans
what their favorite stew is,
the most common responses will probably be
kimchi stew or soybean paste stew.
When pork and slightly sour kimchi are
cooked together,
the flavors neutralize each other
to create a specific flavor.
Kimchi stew is very delicious.
-Hello.
-Welcome.
KIM JUNG-SOOK,
CEO OF KIMCHI STEW RESTAURANT
How many years has this been running?
Oh, it's been about 50 years.
50 years?
50-YEAR KIMCHI STEW RESTAURANT
Goodness, you're a veteran
resident of Mapo.
-You've seen the development of the area.
-I witnessed everything.
-I fed all those construction workers.
-I see.
I fed them all.
When people discuss what to eat for lunch,
kimchi stew or stir-fried pork
are always good.
-Always.
-Right.
That's right. Koreans love kimchi
and rice. We can't live without them.
You need to eat all three.
We don't add any jeotgal to our stew.
When you add jeotgal,
you can smell it in the stew.
It messes with the flavor.
So we don't use that.
Pork neck. The best grade.
Our servings are generous.
We don't try to conserve ingredients.
We don't hold back.
If you like our food and you eat a lot,
we give you everything you want.
PORK BONE BROTH
SIMMERS FOR FOUR HOURS
You can eat meat.
And vegetables too.
It's spicy so it's good
for your hangover too.
It has the two flavors Koreans love,
spicy and refreshing.
Kimchi stew has everything,
including meat and broth.
-It looks so good!
-Does it?
Yes!
A red stew,
stir-fried pork with a lot of meat,
yellow gyeranmari,
and white rice.
Doesn't your mouth water
just looking at these things?
-What a feast.
-It is.
Everything is big at this restaurant.
Their kimchi slices are big too.
I'm going to take a picture.
This is what I wanted.
This is it.
KIMCHI STEW ON THE TABLE
BY HAM YON-JI
You two take pictures. I'm going to eat.
GYERANMARI FIRST
You can't. There's an empty space now.
#MrHuh #TookAPiece #Gyeranmari
Wow, this kimchi stew.
THE RICH AND THICK TASTE
OF KIMCHI STEW
-It's so savory.
-It's so good.
The kimchi is perfectly ripe.
-It really is.
-This is a hangover stew.
This is amazing, ma'am!
It's really delicious!
If you cut meat this big for the grill,
-I know.
-I scold them.
"How are you supposed to eat
something so big?"
I prefer my boiled meat
to be sliced into thick pieces.
THICK CUTS OF PORK NECK
TASTE BETTER
It's so thick for stir-fried pork.
THICK PIECES FOR STIR-FRIED PORK
We should cut this up.
This looks delicious though.
I wonder if the customers here
have big mouths.
It's so good.
This stir-fried pork is great.
It tastes like braised pork neck
marinated in gochujang.
STIR-FRIED PORK GOES WELL
WITH KIMCHI STEW
May I eat one now?
I didn't try the gyeranmari yet.
SOFT AND SAVORY GYERANMARI
-Try this.
-This?
We need to eat this.
They used this kimchi.
They cooked this.
It's perfectly ripe.
Try it as a wrap.
It's so good.
We usually do this.
It tastes like soda.
AS REFRESHING AS A SODA
We usually eat it in a wrap like this.
Their kimchi is delicious.
It's so good. I'm so happy.
I can't eat this alone.
But I usually make this in my studio
and share it with my assistants.
It's never this good.
You're right.
Kimchi stew tastes better at a restaurant.
Homemade ones aren't the same.
It doesn't taste good
when the kimchi is too fresh.
You need cook it for at least 50 minutes.
Gotta take your time.
That's a long time.
You know kimchi stew is relatively modern?
Just a 100 years ago,
kimchi stew didn't have
the type of kimchi we use today.
Cabbages weren't as big back then.
But Joseon cabbages were like
eolgari cabbages and bomdongs.
Their leaves weren't as tightly packed.
A scientist named Woo Jang-choon
bred tightly packed cabbages.
And he created a new species
called "kimchi cabbage."
KIMCHI CABBAGE:
TIGHTLY PACKED CABBAGE FROM KOREA
You should take pride as Koreans.
Soo-young, you're like an encyclopedia.
Do you know the lactic ferment
used for kimchi?
Lactobacillus kimchi.
I'm serious.
Lactobacillus kimchi.
-Wow!
-That's the scientific name.
The rice bowls tell you
what kind of person the owner is.
-This rice bowl isn't the typical one.
-Really?
The standard ones
are usually 9 cm by 5 cm.
That's the Korean standard.
That was determined in 1973.
This is a different size.
It's much taller.
It has more rice.
What type of kimchi stew do you like?
Isn't kimchi stew the best with pork?
KIMCHI STEW WITH PORK
I think my family usually makes it
with back ribs.
That's very good, too.
Pork neck also.
KIMCHI STEW WITH BACK RIBS
-You boil it for a long time.
-My family uses anchovies.
Kimchi stew with anchovies.
KIMCHI STEW WITH ANCHOVIES
Kimchi stew with saury.
KIMCHI STEW WITH SAURY
Kimchi stew with tuna.
KIMCHI STEW WITH CANNED TUNA
Kimchi stew with mackerel.
KIMCHI STEW WITH MACKEREL
Kimchi here is really…
It's their biggest treasure.
When I eat good food like this,
I am so glad that…
GLAD TO BE BORN KOREAN
-I'm grateful I was born a Korean.
-Me too.
You can't find such food anywhere else
in the world.
Unless you didn't know this existed,
it'd be cruel to not be able to eat this.
FLAVORS FOUND
NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD
I think Korean cuisine
is continuing to change.
Even soybean paste stew
isn't how it used to be.
It's following the trend.
They add beef brisket.
Soups are changing with the trend.
They're becoming spicier, richer,
and stronger in flavor.
MAPO-GU, SEOUL
What is this building?
Sangam-dong used to be
a quiet neighborhood.
I think this is the place.
Here?
I think we're going to eat
something delicious.
Thank you.
What is this restaurant known for?
Soybean paste stew with beef brisket?
Let's try it.
Beef brisket paired with alcohol
used to be a luxury from 20 years ago.
Before we grilled the thicker meat,
we would briefly grill this
and it would be ready to eat.
Right.
It's popular now.
They're even putting it in stews.
BEEF BRISKET GOES
FROM THE GRILL TO STEWS
Soybean paste stew with beef brisket
has probably been popular
for 20 years now.
Before that, no one ever thought
about adding
beef brisket to soybean paste stew.
SAVORY BEAN PASTE STEW
WITH FLAVORFUL BEEF BRISKET
But the savory broth of soybean paste stew
and the fat from the beef
complement each other.
And that's probably why
it became so popular among customers.
BEAN PASTE STEW WITH BEEF BRISKET
I'll serve the lady first.
Been a while,
soybean paste stew with rice.
-Enjoy.
-Thank you.
I love this. This is it.
So this is the beef brisket.
The beef brisket makes it special.
-It's more savory.
-Yes, because of the fat.
Wow.
Rice, stew, and side dishes.
This is so good.
This stew is spicy and refreshing.
It's spicy.
Koreans can't live without this.
Yes, you're right.
This is our soul food.
They say Koreans have been
eating this since the Samhan Period.
When people ate greasy food,
it prevented it from
becoming too overwhelming.
During the Joseon Era,
they started to use it in various dishes
because this is protein
and they wanted to consume protein.
What kind of stock do you prefer
to use to make this?
Anchovy stock.
-You need anchovies.
-Right.
I add everything
to the anchovy stock all at once.
And I boil it.
Bean paste stew used to be darker.
You're right. I love that.
It's dark and barely sweet.
But this stew tastes like
it's a bowl of the latest trend.
A flavor that young people love,
and the meat looks great.
BEAN PASTE STEW EVOLVES
WITH THE TIMES
When I travel,
I crave soybean paste stew
for some reason.
If I move overseas,
I'm going somewhere with broth.
MAY MOVE TO A COUNTRY
THAT HAS BROTH
What else are you known for?
Our tripe gomtang is popular.
Is that right?
Unlike other places, ours is spicy.
People usually associate gomtang
with a clear broth.
But ours is a red, spicy broth.
So men in their 30s and 40s
really love it.
I see.
If I were to smell this
after a day of drinking--
It'd be the best.
Yes, it'd be the best.
This is incredible.
This must be their main dish.
TRIPE GOMTANG
Making tripe gomtang
is a very tricky process.
First, the intestines have to be boiled.
For the dadegi sauce,
we use a fat called beef suet.
We extract the beef fat.
Then we add chili powder,
followed by salt and pepper.
And we add the usual seasoning.
That thick sauce is called dadegi.
Among the intestine soups
with clear broth,
there's Naju-style gomtang.
Our soup is a bit more savory
and spicier than that.
SAVORY INTESTINES
AND HOT SPICES COMBINE
MARINATED INTESTINES
GO INTO A TTUKBAEGI
TOPPED OFF WITH AN EGG
The intestine soup is very red.
UGH, COUGH, COUGH.
-You like that, huh?
-It's refreshing.
-The broth is great.
-Right?
-What is this?
-It's a cow's first stomach.
-Which one is that?
-The first stomach.
This, I don't know.
Ma'am, would you mind
explaining the parts to us?
The intestines in this soup are
hongchang, gopchang, and tripe.
-We use a mix of these three…
-Hongchang, gopchang, and tripe.
It's delicious.
Egg yolk mixed into the broth.
This looks so good.
Is it good?
A bottle of soju?
OH, THE DILEMMA…
-No, I can't drink today.
-Not today?
It's been a while since I ate
something I like so much.
An expert made this.
It's just what I like.
TRIPE GOMTANG CALLS FOR RICE
CAN'T PUT THE SPOON DOWN
My hands have a mind of their own.
My brain is saying, "Hey, stop eating."
But my hands keep moving.
Oh, no. I shouldn't see this.
-Why?
-Why?
Gotta eat sungnyung.
People say that you should never eat
nurungji and Peanut and Squid Snack
because you can't stop.
It's kind of like
Yangpyeong hangover soup.
It also tastes like yukgaejang but not.
-It has its own unique flavor.
-Yes.
Overall, they made all the dishes
very trendy.
Even when it comes to food,
chefs have to always be one step
ahead of the trend.
Okay.
To Netflix.
THE BROTH MEAL ENDS
WITH SUNGNYUNG
WOW.
A SURE SIGN OF A FULL TUMMY
You seem like you had a drink yesterday.
BUAM-DONG, SEOUL
Other countries have dishes
where you dip the meat in broth
like hot pot, sukiyaki, shabu-shabu,
and such dishes.
We're different. We add
all the ingredients to make broth.
We make the stock
and we drink the broth first.
And that's how jeongol was created.
Many countries may cook the meat in water.
While some countries focus on the meat,
we focus on the broth.
OUR NEIGHBORS LOVE SOLID FOOD,
BUT KOREANS LOVE BROTH.
If you look here,
they have a full-course meal.
A full-course meal?
Never seen a dumpling course meal.
Hello.
-Hello.
-Hello.
Hello.
We've never seen
a dumpling course meal like this before.
When you eat dumplings,
you don't eat just a bowl of dumplings.
In the past, we used to set
a table full of dumplings.
But people don't eat a whole feast
like that now.
There is a limited number of dishes,
but it's a full-course meal.
These are handmade vegetable dumplings.
Don't they look like
Florence Nightingale's nursing cap?
You're right.
It has no meat, but it's still delicious.
It has cucumbers.
The mushrooms taste like meat.
I've never tried dumplings
that only have vegetables before.
It's as if meat is in it.
No.
Hoped you'd say yes.
Thanks for that.
We use beef and shiitake mushrooms
to make pyeonsu.
Cucumbers give it a crunchy texture.
Then we make it into
a square or a cylinder
and these are called mi dumplings.
The dumplings are square-shaped.
This is pyeonsu.
Pyeonsu?
How did they make the dumplings
look so pretty?
My gosh.
No meat in this, either?
-This has meat.
-It does.
It does?
It has no tofu.
So it has a clean flavor.
It's like a pot from the old TV show,
"Today's Dish."
You're right.
The traditional dish is dumpling soup.
Jeongol is a dish that
was developed from that.
It has more variety.
It's a dish that many people
can cook and eat together.
First, we place a piece of cabbage
on the bottom of the pot.
This will prevent the dumplings
from sticking to the bottom.
And then we add the seasoned
suyuk from the stock…
and the dumplings.
And then we add minari or spring onions.
It tastes even better with fish jeon.
And for the toppings,
we add colored dumplings on the top.
Then we add hot broth and boil everything.
DUMPLING JEONGOL
WITH VARIOUS INGREDIENTS
The color of the ingredients
below the glass lid looks beautiful.
I love that we can continue
to cook the food at the table.
-Do you know how jeongol got its name?
-I don't.
The helmets that soldiers used to
wear in the past
were called jeonrip or jeonriptu.
They were made of iron.
They flipped them over to cook food.
So they cooked this dish in the helmets.
Gol means "to mix."
So when you combine the two words,
you get jeonriptugol.
Shortened, the word is jeongol.
JEONRIPTUGOL: SOLDIERS
COOKED FOOD IN THEIR HELMETS
That's the origin of the dish.
It's boiling over.
DUMPLING JEONGOL
I can smell the flank and brisket stock.
It has fish jeon.
And minari too.
-It almost looks like sinseollo.
-You're right.
Would you like some broth?
Goodness, that's refreshing.
It's flank and brisket stock.
5:00 A.M.
Dumplings shouldn't have
multiple strong flavors.
So for the stock, we only use
flank and briskets.
The broth is savory and deep.
BEEF FLANK AND BRISKET STOCK
HAS A DEEP TASTE.
We season with sea salt,
homemade soy sauce,
and water, so four ingredients.
We usually make our jang
at the start of a new year.
It's the most important and basic task
at our restaurant.
First, making the meju is most important.
We add red chili pepper.
And we also add charcoal.
And after 50 to 60 days,
we check on the jang.
And so one of our most important tasks
for the year is done.
Adding the jang signals
the start of that day's broth.
DELICIOUS STOCK IS MADE
WITH DELICIOUS SOY SAUCE
I really love this.
I love it, too.
Sir, this is the stock
that the kings used to eat.
This is a king's meal.
-May you rise from a noble to a king.
-To the palace.
From a noble's house to a palace.
This dish is dumpling soup.
I love dishes like this.
DUMPLING FROM JEONGOL
WITH WARM BROTH
I love mild dumplings cooked in
flank and brisket broth like this.
I prefer mild ones over spicy.
-This has meat in it.
-Yes, this has a lot.
A flavor we all know.
But you can't taste this
in commercial products.
I have to try the flank and briskets.
-I love it.
-Me too.
Gosh.
Try this.
This dumpling is the same color
as your outfit.
Sir, would you like the green one
or the yellow one?
-Yellow.
-Yellow.
I'll add the noodles now.
Even the noodle plating looks great.
It's so pretty.
NOODLES INTO JEONGOL
What kind of noodles are these?
They're just flour noodles.
I see.
It doesn't taste like what we usually eat.
A FULL POT, AS THOUGH
THE NOODLES WERE ALREADY IN IT
Why does it taste so savory?
-It's savory.
-It's savory.
This is so relaxing to eat.
I realized that jeongol is a dish
that helps you relax.
I feel at ease.
CALM ENERGY FROM A MILD BROTH
We can only enjoy such luxury
in the winter, not when it's hot.
Our lives are like food.
It's synergy at work.
HUMANS AND FOOD WORK IN SYNERGY
You gather various ingredients together
to make a dish.
I wonder if humans can also get along
and create a harmonious society like this
with a little selflessness.
I think this pot sets the standard.
I love that a jeongol's ingredients
determine how good the dish is.
I believe that a good dish focuses
on the ingredients rather than the recipe.
You're very particular.
A man of details.
PYEONGCHANG-DONG, SEOUL
Today feels different from the other days…
You're right. The vibe is different today.
-Okay, let's have a seat.
-Yes.
-Hello.
-Hello.
-Today, it's very…
-You're late today.
I'm a little late today.
We're at a very nice restaurant today.
We usually go to old restaurants
to eat soup dishes.
But today, we're at a hotel.
It feels very elegant.
-Hello.
-Hello.
Hello.
Broth usually refers to the liquid
in which all the ingredients
are boiled in to create a dish.
But I wanted to show that
the broth alone
could be a dish that we can enjoy.
The overall theme of the course meal is
"the independence of broth."
All we did is drink broth
for the past two, no, three months.
-That's all we've been having.
-So I hear.
-Is it some kind of broth today too?
-It's another dish with broth today.
Why do we have these?
I know, right? I think we only need this.
You need those.
-Really?
-We do?
-Are we slicing up broth?
-Yes.
It's a dish that requires
a fork and a knife for the broth.
The soup must have solid ingredients.
How fascinating.
Something's coming.
Already?
Wow.
Wow.
WHAT IS THIS DISH?
Wow.
You've never seen anything
like this before, right?
CHOPPED SEAWEED SOUP
Is this a broth too?
It is.
I made seaweed soup.
The idea is for people to taste
the original flavors but with a twist.
What I wanted to add was texture.
SEAWEED SOUP WITH A NEW TEXTURE
This technique is called spherification.
The broth is made into a sphere
and that is slightly hardened
on the surface.
You can use a knife or fork
to eat it with the seaweed and beef.
When you use a spoon to eat this,
you can taste the rich flavor
of a beef seaweed soup.
Pop the yolk-shaped broth.
Mix it well and then try it.
Unbelievable.
This is something people
would come to try.
Foreigners would find this
very fascinating.
Wow, it looks amazing.
It tastes like steamed cheongpo.
The black stuff surrounding it is seaweed.
This is good.
Savor the texture.
How is it? The seaweed soup?
-It's delicious.
-It's good?
It's a delicious bowl of seaweed soup.
-It's good.
-Very well cooked.
-What'll be next?
-We'll be full just from broth.
1, 2, 3. Ta-da!
-What is this?
-What is it?
It's foam.
It's foam.
FOAM SOYBEAN PASTE SOUP
I used soybean paste
to make a dish that's foamy
like a cappuccino.
After making a savory bowl of
soybean paste stew,
I strain that and add a protein
called lecithin.
Then I beat it to make it foamy.
By making it foamy,
people can enjoy the strong flavor
of soybean paste
and the soft texture of the foam
as it goes into their mouths.
They can savor the rich flavor
of soybean paste
in a simple yet new and interesting way
through this soybean paste stew.
There are different textures
when it comes to food.
A foam like this allows people
to enjoy the softest
and smoothest texture you can eat.
We may be used to
the flavor of soybean paste.
But to Westerners, it can be
a very strong flavor.
The aroma is incredible.
I never imagined that soybean paste
could have such an amazing aroma.
I understand
what "broth texture" means now.
The broth's texture.
He only made it foamy,
but it feels completely different.
It tastes different too.
The broth has bubbles
just like our economy.
THE BROTH HAS BUBBLES
JUST LIKE OUR ECONOMY
POLLACK STEW EATEN AS CHIPS
Is this some kind of broth too?
-I don't think it is.
-This time,
-I made the broth into chips.
-Yes?
-This?
-Yes.
-Chips.
-Yes.
-This is broth?
-Try it, sir.
One of the most popular dishes
is fresh pollack soup or seafood soup.
POLLACK STEW, LOVED BY KOREANS
I used the fresh pollack stock
to make chips.
I made it like a biscuit.
BAKED IN THE OVEN
TO MAKE THE BROTH CRISPY
When you eat just the biscuit,
the flavor can be slightly strong.
But even just a bite
will allow you to taste
the very rich flavor
of a fresh pollack soup.
And when you eat
the radish and grilled fish
that are served with the chips,
you will be able to enjoy
a pot full of fresh pollack soup
that was boiled for a long time.
It's seasoned well with salt.
CRUNCH
Yum, this is delicious.
Why don't you try all three together?
Like this.
I am starting to have
a lot of questions about broth now.
-"Do I really know what broth is?"
-Life is full of mysteries.
CRUNCHY SAMGYETANG
Wow, it's so pretty.
Those are chips made from samgyetang.
SAVORY SAMGYETANG MADE
INTO CRISPY CHIPS
I added this on top.
IT SOUNDS DELICIOUS
All kinds of textures are exploding
simultaneously in my mouth!
When I eat samgyetang,
I love how smoothly
it goes down my throat.
But I thought that it might be great
if there was some crunch to it too.
I take the samgyetang broth
and the chicken and blend them
to turn the mix into a crispy chip.
That is added to the dish.
You break that up
eat everything together.
The chip itself tastes like samgyetang
so it will taste like
a concentrated samgyetang
with an interesting texture.
That's what this dish is.
This is too pretty.
-Wow.
-Do we finally have noodles?
This is broth.
I'm not falling for that now.
I know what to draw today.
I made all kinds of dishes.
This is like a big blockbuster.
YUKGAEJANG KALGUKSU
Yukgaejang kalguksu.
I put the broth in the noodles.
I created this dish because
I thought it'd be interesting for people
to feel like they're eating
a soup while eating noodles.
After making a delicious pot of
yukgaejang…
I use a long syringe and insert the broth
into a long tube
to make it into a jelly.
By doing that,
I can make the jelly in the form
of a noodle.
YUKGAEJANG BROTH
MADE INTO JELLY NOODLES
I made the chili oil into a powder.
And that can be sprinkled
on the top at the end.
When you mix everything together,
you'll feel like you're eating
a spicy and refreshing bowl
of yukgaejang kalguksu.
All these dishes taste so good.
They're all delicious.
The savory flavor is so concentrated.
The last dish is gukbap.
Will we get rice too?
It's gukbap.
But it's a gukbap without rice.
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT?
Does he think we're fools?
-What is this?
-Tapioca pearls?
GUKBAP WITHOUT RICE
The broth from the gukbap
is used to make
many small balls that look like caviar.
I wanted to recreate the broth
to look like the rice in gukbap.
Some people add kkakdugi or kkakdugi juice
to the gukbap when they eat.
So I diced up some kkakdugi
and added them to the bottom.
DIFFERENT LOOK
BUT THE SAME TASTE OF GUKBAP
It even has kimchi in the middle.
This tastes the best
out of all the dishes.
So this is why it's called gukbap.
GUKBAP REBORN BY A NEW IDEA
I was so shocked that day.
"This is nothing like the broths
that I know."
It was really fun. It really was.
It was a fun experience.
"But broths taste best
when they're in their original form."
That's what I thought
after trying those dishes.
We tried nearly
all of the soups in the nation.
I know there are more.
But we ate all the famous ones.
There are probably many lesser known soups
in places that we don't know.
Some random island
probably has unknown dishes.
You're right.
I'm finally getting an idea
of what a soup is.
I think I know how to enjoy a broth now.
And I learned just how important
this is to me.
Recently, I haven't been eating any soups.
But through this program,
we ate soups
that warmed up our bodies
so I've grown fond of soups.
In the 18th century,
when our Joseon kings ate,
they had 64 different kinds of soups.
But we don't know most of them now.
We don't even remember them.
MANY TYPES OF BROTHS ARE
NO LONGER REMEMBERED
But I think that we should at least know
that they existed.
I hope that many of those dishes
will be recreated
so that we can continue the tradition.
I didn't know we had
so many soups in the country.
There is such a variety.
And based on each region's
characteristics,
different soup dishes were developed
using ingredients and recipes
from that region.
It was very fun to experience
all that too.
It made me wish
that I had more opportunities
to encounter these dishes often.
To be honest, I thought only people
older than 30 or 40 liked broth.
But it's not just for older folks.
Kids eat ramyeon with triangle gimbap
at convenience stores.
And they'll probably want broth
even when they're older.
This shows that
all generations love broth.
There's a saying that Koreans
need rice to carry on with life.
A thought occurred to me
while we were on this gukbap trip.
Soup is actually what kept us going.
Soup is the great force
that makes us eat rice.
Because we had soup,
we had the strength to carry on.
Take gukbap as an example.
It's soup and rice.
It made me think that
soup is what empowers us.
THE POWER OF BROTH,
ENERGY SOURCE FOR THE PEOPLE
Subtitle translation by:
Jane Jung