(The CEN News / Reporter Yang Hyung-ju) MBC’s OneulN dishes up a colorful lineup of on-location stories and offbeat features, giving viewers a fresh, feel-good mix of food, people and places.
On the 8th, OneulN spotlights scenes where food, community, spaces and the season collide, through its segments “Great Workplaces,” “YOU, Odd Stories,” “Village House Renaissance,” and “Spotlight.”
Deodeok takes the plunge into seafood galbijjim!
In “Great Workplaces,” the show visits a cozy restaurant in Buk-gu, Daegu, famous for its deodeok-and-seafood galbijjim — a braised short-rib dish that combines the earthy, slightly bitter Korean root deodeok with fresh seafood. The menu also showcases deodeok pot rice and deodeok galbitang (short-rib soup). The owner prepares eight side dishes each morning, laying out a hearty table for every guest.
The kitchen layers flavor with about 50 different house-made seasonings using cheongyang chili, aronia berries and plum enzyme, creating deep, unexpected notes. The owner says he once carried 200 million KRW (about $150,000) in debt after the foreign exchange crisis, but his passion for deodeok and loyal regulars helped him recover. Today he runs the 20-year-old restaurant with his son.
A man who plays ping-pong without a paddle?!
“YOU, Odd Stories” introduces Lee Won-jae, a former competitive player who has turned table tennis into a stage for tricks. He manipulates the ball using unconventional tools — a shoehorn, a permanent marker and even a needle — showing off gravity-defying control and showy flair.
Standout stunts include ultra-precise target shooting, like dropping a ball into the narrow neck of a bottle, and reverse-spin moves that send the ball back toward him. He credits 20 years playing on a corporate team with honing these eye-catching skills.
A loft opening straight into the living room?!
“Village House Renaissance” follows Ham Myung-ju’s transformation of an old rural house in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. After moving from Daegu when her daughter found work nearby, Ham fell for a neglected property and decided to buy it.
She bought the house after the owner dropped the price from 120 million KRW (about $90,000) to 100 million KRW (about $75,000) — and then removed an old cowshed and illegal additions. Ham replaced windows and doors with hanok-style frames and undertook major renovations, with the living room reconfiguration being the standout change.
How to savor egg-packed jjukkumi to the fullest!
“Spotlight” visits the jjukkumi (webfoot octopus) festival at Maryangjin Port in Seocheon, Chungnam, where the octopus — just before spawning — is at its fattiest and most flavorful. Festivalgoers can try their hand at fishing and taste super-fresh jjukkumi right on the spot.
Catch your jjukkumi on a boat trip and enjoy it prepared as shabu-shabu, stir-fried, or tangtangi-style — a chopped-and-seasoned dish. These roe-packed octopuses are a springtime delicacy beloved for their rich taste.
OneulN airs Monday through Thursday at 6:05 p.m.
Photo=MBC
(The CEN News) Reporter Yang Hyung-ju press@mhns.co.kr
