The ‘Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant’ national hero Park Tae-hwan was a model son.

On the 13th at 8:30 p.m., KBS 2TV’s ‘Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant’ (hereinafter ‘Fun-Staurant’) revealed the honest story of the legend Park Tae-hwan, who wrote the history of swimming in Korea. To shorten his record, Park Tae-hwan has lived for nearly 30 years constantly pushing himself. Behind the incredible records he set, there was Park Tae-hwan's intense effort and a heartfelt commitment to his family that helped him endure. This deeply touched the viewers.

That day, Park Tae-hwan had a heartfelt call with his older sister. His sister said to him, "I saw you not enjoying what others have taken for granted because you were solely focused on training. It’s a sad thing.” She added, “You have spent more time in the water than others. You seem comfortable enjoying simple meals these days after retiring. I hope you enjoy life.”

As his sister mentioned, Park Tae-hwan has lived more fiercely than anyone else. He started swimming at the age of five and endured rigorous training from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. Park Tae-hwan admitted, "It feels like I was whipped without a carrot." He confessed, "There were times when I wanted to quit swimming. Swimming is a record sport where you have to overcome alone, and you only see the bottom for 365 days a year. That was so hard for me." Nonetheless, what kept Park Tae-hwan going was his family.

Park Tae-hwan recalled, "My mother battled cancer. My intention wasn’t to become ‘the best in Korea’ through swimming, but to do as much as I could for my family. No matter how tough it felt, I thought my pain was nothing compared to my mother's pain." Therefore, the happiest moments for Park Tae-hwan were not when he achieved first place, but when he was able to gift his parents a home.

The heartfelt sincerity that Park Tae-hwan shared surprised everyone. It was so impressive that people remarked, “The national hero turned out to be a model son.” It was because Park Tae-hwan, with such a mindset since childhood, faced challenges without giving up, making his records feel even more valuable and meaningful. Moreover, viewers were also pleased and happy to see the current Park Tae-hwan enjoying his favorite foods.

Meanwhile, on that day, Ki Eun-se spent meaningful time with her older brother, who is two years her senior. Ki Eun-se's brother not only listened to her requests while she lived alone but also made barbecue pulled pork, which takes 10 hours to prepare. Ki Eun-se expressed her gratitude, saying, "When I tell him something, he never says ‘no’. He comes to help when I need him. My brother is always my hero who rushes to me anywhere, anytime."

On the same broadcast that day, Jang Shin-young, Ki Eun-se, and Park Tae-hwan held a ‘steamed dish’ menu competition. Jang Shin-young presented a chicken dish using her mother’s recipe, Ki Eun-se showcased a coriander rib dish created with her brother, and Park Tae-hwan revealed an upgraded gold medal pork dish overcoming criticism from Choo Sung Hoon. All three dishes received high praise, and Jang Shin-young's chicken dish took the victory. Jang Shin-young's winning dish will be released by OURHOME and can be purchased immediately after the broadcast.

[Photo] ‘Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant’

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