Cheat day

Yechan (2)

“Judge Ban Chanyong is impressive. It’s like he just picked up his spoon. That must mean it’s really delicious, right?”

At Jwa Wang-taek’s words, I came to my senses.

“Yes. I already love braised monkfish, but it’s especially delicious because it’s made with fresh ingredients. The spicy and thick seasoning goes perfectly with it. If Park Seong-chil had served this monkfish in Round 3, I think he would have won.”

Park Seong-chil beamed with joy.

“With that monkfish, along with the sesame leaf salad and bean sprout salad, it’s easy to cleanse the palate. And the rich pot rice is really delicious. I really enjoyed it.”

It was indeed a hearty meal.

Both my body and spirit felt nourished, making it hard to judge whether it was better than the beef bulgogi served by the 5th team, Yuk Hye-rin and Lee Sang-ho.

So, I gave them both a score of 9.

“Scores are generally high today. Judge Park Jeong-ah, what did you think?”

“Honestly, it’s better to use frozen fish for monkfish. That way, the flesh doesn’t break apart.”

I didn’t know that.

“But in Incheon, they uniquely use fresh monkfish for braising. It’s also called ‘multeombong,’ and it’s characterized by using kelp and anchovies to make the broth while boiling the monkfish, enhancing its umami. Plus, there are special parts you can only taste when using fresh fish.”

Now that I think about it, I’ve seen videos from other Mukbang YouTubers mentioning that Incheon’s monkfish braising is famous.

They say the monkfish liver is particularly tasty.

“Was the rich flavor from the monkfish liver?”

When I asked, Judge Park Jeong-ah nodded.

“Yes. It’s been a while since I had it, and mashing the liver and mixing it with the seasoning was really a delicacy. I enjoyed it a lot.”

Judge Park Jeong-ah wrote down a score of 10.

“It seems like we’re expecting high scores again. Judge Ham Seok-ho, please share your evaluation.”

After Ham Seok-ho and Oh Mi-gyeong gave scores of 9 and 8 respectively, Joo Ji-seung and Park Seong-chil celebrated with a high-five, and only Lee Chan-seok’s turn remained.

“Lee Chan-seok, what did you think of Team 1’s presentation?”

Lee Chan-seok hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“The monkfish is…”

He paused briefly.

As Jwa Wang-taek and Jwa Wang-taek tilted their heads in confusion, he continued.

“It was originally a fish that nobody would eat. The reason it’s called ‘multeombong’ in Incheon is that fishermen would throw away the monkfish because they thought it looked ugly.”

Ham Seok-ho watched Lee Chan-seok closely.

“Monkfish braising started in Masan. There was an old woman who wondered why anyone would eat this fish, so she threw it outside in the cold winter, and after freezing and thawing it repeatedly, it dried naturally and became a dish. Now, monkfish is considered an expensive food, but it was once looked down upon.”

Lee Chan-seok stopped speaking after that.

A brief silence fell over the recording studio, and I decided to speak up.

“I’ve heard that the semi-dried monkfish braising from Masan is also delicious. The fish that was once discarded became a delicacy, celebrated for its umami and chewy texture. Everyone was disappointed after Round 3’s mistakes, but with this monkfish, you’ve proven your worth.”

Park Seong-chil bowed his head.

Before that, his eyes had been red, showing how much he had suffered.

“Isn’t that right, Lee Chan-seok?”

Lee Chan-seok looked at me.

I wanted to ask him what monkfish meant to him, considering he had dismissed inexpensive ingredients like mackerel, soybean paste stew, and angel hair.

Lobster was once a food only available to prisoners but is now considered expensive.

Monkfish and eel were also discarded by fishermen, yet they have become expensive ingredients.

I hoped Lee Chan-seok would realize that people could be the same, so I asked him, and he slowly turned his gaze towards Joo Ji-seung and Park Seong-chil.

“I enjoyed it.”

Lee Chan-seok gave Team 1, Joo Ji-seung and Park Seong-chil, a score of 9, and as the panel’s scores were tallied, the results for Round 4 were determined.

“Round 4’s winner is Joo Ji-seung and Park Seong-chil!”

Joo Ji-seung raised his fist triumphantly, while Park Seong-chil seemed to relax, letting his shoulders drop as he lifted his head.

When Joo Ji-seung hugged him, he finally smiled, relishing the joy of their first round victory.

The 2nd place went to Team 6 (Oh Sang-gil, Choi Eun-sam), who scored 90 points, while 3rd place went to Team 5 (Yuk Hye-rin, Lee Sang-ho) with 89 points.

Due to Lee Chan-seok’s biased judging criteria, despite being capable of winning, Yuk Hye-rin and Lee Sang-ho finished in 3rd place, which must be disappointing for them.

Following that, 4th place went to Team 2 (Sa Daemun, Jo Il-sang) with 85 points, and 5th place went to Team 3 (Gu Yeon-ja, Shim Dong-pal) with 84 points.

Even though Team 4 (Kim Han-yeol, Kim Du-il) received a relatively high score of 82 and favorable reviews, they ended up in last place.

It’s disheartening due to the limitations of the competitive program.

With that, the individual overall rankings began to take shape, with Joo Ji-seung rising as the sole candidate for victory.

1st place: Joo Ji-seung (+34 points)

2nd place: Sa Daemun (+23 points)

3rd place: Gu Yeon-ja (+16 points)

4th place: Yuk Hye-rin (+14 points), Oh Sang-gil (+14 points)

6th place: Choi Eun-sam (+13 points)

7th place: Lee Sang-ho (+11 points)

8th place: Kim Han-yeol (+10 points)

9th place: Park Seong-chil (+9 points)

10th place: Shim Dong-pal (+3 points)

11th place: Kim Du-il (+2 points)

12th place: Jo Il-sang (+1 point)

Currently, with a 9-point lead over 2nd place Sa Daemun, if there are no major mistakes in the remaining two rounds, victory seems likely.

Another point of interest is that Yuk Hye-rin and Choi Eun-sam, who faced difficulties early on, have entered the competition for the win.

The theme for Round 5 is homemade meals.

Writer Song No-eul explained that the theme is for storytelling through each participant’s individual experiences.

I wonder what changes will occur among the participants moving forward.

Considering Yuk Hye-rin and Lee Sang-ho, who regrettably finished 3rd due to Lee Chan-seok, I’m concerned that they might develop a tendency to desperately seek expensive ingredients.

When I turned my head, I saw Lee Chan-seok leaving the studio without greeting anyone.

—

** * **

The 4th episode of the Korean Food Appreciation program began airing.

I sat on the sofa alongside my pickled vegetables, snacking on blueberries while monitoring the broadcast.

As the advertisement ended, the studio of the “Banya Sikgyeong” show appeared.

“It seems like today isn’t a competition,” I remarked.

“Yeah, I heard they’re doing interviews with the contestants. They’ll talk about their motivations for participating and what they’re currently doing,” Mukunji replied, nodding as he munched on blueberries.

It seemed he had almost overcome his reluctance to eat, which was a relief.

“Let’s take a look at contestant number 12, Joo Ji-seung, who runs a YouTube channel with 1.3 million subscribers. Let’s see how he spends his daily life.”

Woo Wang-seon introduced the segment in an old-school reporter style and knocked on a door.

The screen shifted immediately to reveal the interior of the Banya Sikgyeong studio, shown artfully through the narrator’s guidance.

Even a place I had seen many times looked different when presented that way.

The screen changed again.

Joo Ji-seung was holding his daughter, Taerin.

“The studio looks great, doesn’t it?”

“Thank you.”

“I’ve always wanted to ask you, Joo Ji-seung. You’re already a successful YouTuber, and your income must be considerable, so why do you want to become a chef and run a restaurant?”

“You know how it is, Woo Wang-seon. We never know how long we can do this kind of work.”

“That’s true. Even if I don’t make any mistakes, I could just lose my popularity.”

“Exactly. So I’ve always had a desire to find something I can do consistently. During that time, I briefly experienced running a lunchbox business.”

“Baek Seung-yong’s car. It was mentioned a lot in the news, right?”

“Yeah, it was tough, but I really enjoyed it. I felt happiness in seeing people enjoy the food I made.”

“So that’s the reason?”

“Right. I wanted to create another avenue besides YouTube, and since I enjoy cooking, I thought about pursuing that.”

“That cute baby you’re holding is your daughter, right?”

“Yes. Taerin, say hello!”

“Hello!”

Five-year-old Taerin greeted us. Although her speech wasn’t fully developed, she was just as bright as her mother.

“I have a daughter too, and she’s so cute. I wish I could keep her from getting married and live with her forever.”

“Haha! I know, right? But I also hope she grows up quickly. I can’t help but think about how old I’ll be when Taerin graduates from college.”

“That ties back to the concern you mentioned about steady income.”

“Exactly. I worry about how long I can provide for her. By then, I’ll have white hair, wrinkles, and a hunched back, and that worries me.”

“It seems all parents feel the same way.”

“Not really?”

Joo Taerin chimed in, feigning innocence.

She’s not at the age where she can accept that her father will grow old.

Joo Ji-seung smiled and said, “It’s okay. Everyone gets older. If I grow old, that means Taerin is growing up too.”

He gently patted his daughter.

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Then what do you mean?”

“If you’re bald, how will you turn white?”

“Phahaha!”

I turned my head at the loud laugh, noticing Mukunji’s serious expression.

Our eyes met.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing at all.”

I turned my head back.

Just as I got distracted, a proper interview began.

“Now, let’s talk about Korean Food Appreciation. You’re currently in first place overall. How do you feel about that?”

“So far, everything has gone as planned. However, everyone’s skills are really good, so it’s too early to relax.”

“With such fierce competition, I don’t think you’ll let your guard down.”

“Honestly, I do feel some pressure. My subscribers have been threatening to unsubscribe if I don’t win.”

“Wow, that sounds scary. If you don’t win, your dream of starting a business could go up in smoke, along with losing subscribers.”

“Exactly. So I absolutely must win.”

“Fighting!”

Joo Taerin clenched her fist in support, and Joo Ji-seung mimicked her gesture.

“Do you think Ji-seung has a chance of winning?” Mukunji asked.

“Yes. If we look at the scores, the gap is quite wide. Unless something unusual happens, I just need to be cautious of Sa Daemun and Gu Yeon-ja.”

“Is there anything bothering you?”

“Um…”

“Is it because of Lee Chan-seok?”

“No, not him. I won’t have to deal with him after Korean Food Appreciation, so I’m not worried about that. It’s the other contestants that are on my mind.”

Mukunji turned his head.

In the meantime, the interview with contestant number 3, Choi Eun-sam, began.

“It seems that both Choi Eun-sam, Park Seong-chil, and Yuk Hye-rin all have their stories. They have skills, too. It’s a shame that talented people like them don’t receive any benefits unless they come in first place,” I said.

“Wasn’t Choi Eun-sam’s spicy ribs decided to be commercialized?”

“That’s true. But I still think all twelve participants are amazing.”

Mukunji thought for a moment before speaking.

“How about inviting each contestant to the show?”

“Excuse me?”

“It would help promote their individual businesses or YouTube channels. Chan-yong would get a free day of broadcasting, so it would be good for him too.”

“Ah.”

Mukunji really is a genius.