Lee Jang-woo from 'Do You Know Home-cooked Meals' captured the taste buds of Thai people with 'K-home-cooked meals.'
The first episode of 'Do You Know Home-cooked Meals,' which aired on MBN and MBC Every1 at 10:20 p.m. on the 9th, featured Lee Jang-woo's activities in Thailand as the first country of the 'Food and Fun' journey, conveying the taste and spirit of Korean home-cooked meals to people around the world. Upon entering the Taling Chan night market in Bangkok, Thailand, Lee Jang-woo opened the 'Food and Fun' journey with a street food skewers eating broadcast, saying, "There are so many delicious things that I can't overlook," while serving 'K-home-cooked meals' using local ingredients, allowing people to fully experience the flavors and spirit of Koreans.
Upon entering the Taling Chan market in Bangkok, Thailand, Lee Jang-woo declared, "Thai people usually buy all three meals, so there isn’t a culture like Korean home-cooked meals. I’m going to spend this trip making Korean home-cooked meals to get to know the locals and also enjoy some delicious food." After devouring various skewers sold in the market and local beef stir-fried noodles called pad see ew, he asked the restaurant owner, "Cooking in a night market like this has been my dream. Is it okay if I cook some Korean dishes here?" With the owner's cool consent, Lee Jang-woo prepared kimchi fried rice on the spot with fiery wok skills.
Then, unexpectedly, BamBam, a supporter of the Thailand trip, made a surprise appearance. After exchanging enthusiastic greetings, the two held a tasting event where Lee Jang-woo served the kimchi fried rice he made to market vendors and locals. Encouraged by the enthusiastic response, they cautiously asked, "Would it be okay if we went back to our homes and prepared 'home cooking' for you?" However, they were disappointed by the repeated rejections and wrapped up the first day quietly.
The next morning, the two headed to a place called Nonthaburi, which had been recommended by a vendor the day before. Unlike Bangkok, which has a developed dining culture, this city is said to still have a strong home-cooked meal culture, which piqued their interest. Shortly after, upon visiting a 40-year-old traditional noodle shop in Nonthaburi, they hesitated between pork and beef noodles, and Lee Jang-woo ordered both, finishing every drop of broth and practicing 'Jang-woo's offering' (bowl+Jang-woo offering).
Having truly enjoyed the local flavors, the two moved on to a place selling a local specialty, "platu" (Thai mackerel), upon the owner's recommendation. Arriving at a floating house along the river in a modified Thai pickup truck called a songthaew, they were warmly welcomed by the owner, a 'platu master,' who generously offered them platu dishes. After the meal, Lee Jang-woo said, "We’d like to show our gratitude and propose a 'K-home-cooked meal.'" The owner readily agreed, and before preparing the meal, Lee Jang-woo and BamBam decided to board the boat to help the owner with 'platu selling.' In the early stages of the selling, it wasn’t easy, but at that moment, Lee Jang-woo suddenly sniffed and said, "Where is that delicious smell coming from?"
Immediately, they spotted 'bottle noodles' (noodles cooked on the spot from the boat) from a distance and Lee Jang-woo became 'Sniffing Jang-woo.' Energized by the bottle noodles, the two returned to selling. During this time, BamBam introduced Lee Jang-woo as "an actor from Korea!" to a group of grandmothers nearby, and the locals responded, "He’s handsome!" and purchased plenty of platu. After achieving a complete sell-out, they decided to take a break and happily shared 'Som Tam' (Thai spicy salad) and 'fried duck tongues' that BamBam highly recommended.
Returning to the kitchen, the two began preparing their 'K-home-cooked meal.' Even though they were in a floating house, the outdoor kitchen equipped with running water and automatic ventilation captivated Lee Jang-woo. BamBam made boiled pork marinated in cola. Lee Jang-woo prepared dishes such as braised mackerel with platu, papaya, tofu soup, papaya and mango salad, and rice cakes using local ingredients. The family of the platu restaurant owner who tasted their dishes said, "It’s unfamiliar food, but it’s delicious," and gave a thumbs up.
Having successfully served their 'K-home-cooked meal,' the two had a special experience of staying in a floating house for a day. While peacefully enjoying a beer and reminiscing, BamBam revealed, "I’m 28 this year and seriously considering marriage." Lee Jang-woo advised, "Marriage is done with conviction. I realized that even with nothing, I could live well after meeting a girlfriend who shares my values." He continued, "I’ve been dating for 8 years, and I think it would be even better if we got married. It’s strange that I’ve never fought with my girlfriend until now, and it changed my life to be more relaxed and stable after I chose to get married.” Lee Jang-woo is set to marry actress Jo Hye-won on Nov. 23.
While saying, "BamBam, you must come to the wedding! If you don’t come, I’ll come to Thailand to find you," he jokingly threatened him. BamBam worried, "I don’t know what wedding gift to get." Lee Jang-woo responded, "I’ll never forget the luxurious leopard-patterned underwear you gave me before. Wearing that makes me feel like an idol, so I definitely wear it on important days," which made BamBam burst into laughter. BamBam declared, "Then I'll check if you wore it on your wedding day and will gift you zebra-patterned underwear before the wedding," concluding a delightful second night in Thailand.
The 'K-home-cooked meal evangelization' project with Lee Jang-woo and BamBam, who bonded in Thailand, will continue in episode two of 'Do You Know Home-cooked Meals,' airing at 10:20 p.m. on the 16th (Wednesday).
[Photo] MBN, MBC Every1
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