Lee Man-gi explores traditions and local life in Gyeongju

KBS 1TV will air an episode of "A Walk Around the Neighborhood" on October 31, 2026, featuring Gyeongju's Geumridan-gil, where three sisters preserve a 46-year-old spicy braised pork ribs legacy. The program also visits the Silla Cultural Festival and a traditional silk-weaving village in Dusan-ri.

Episode 392 of "A Walk Around the Neighborhood": Shining in Gold Again – Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do

The neighborhood guide, Lee Man-gi, heads to Gyeongju. In "Geumridan-gil," a 46-year-old tradition continues as three sisters preserve their father's spicy braised pork ribs. The program airs on KBS 1TV on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 7:10 p.m.

Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, is drawing global attention following the APEC summit. Lee Man-gi takes a leisurely stroll through the grounds of Bulguksa Temple, where he offers a wish at the Geungnakjeon Hall lucky pig. The 392nd journey of "A Walk Around the Neighborhood" begins in Gyeongju, a place where memories of yesterday and the vitality of today meet.

Fermented meals ripening in Geumridan-gil, the center of Gyeongju's commercial district

The old downtown of Gyeongju holds the traces of the Silla Royal Capital. Once a thriving center, the area lost some of its vitality over time but is gaining new life as it draws attention under the name "Geumridan-gil." In one corner of this street, where people continue to visit every alley, a couple prepares healthy meals using crops they grow themselves and carefully made fermented liquids. Song Byeong-suk (66) and her husband Jeong Ji-un (75) opened the restaurant at the suggestion of neighbors, serving side dishes made from vegetables grown in their garden. They also share leftover crops with neighbors, adding warmth to the alley.

The core of this meal is the natural fermented liquid made by Song Byeong-suk. The liquid, aged in jars in the yard, adds deep flavor to seasonal vegetables and enhances the savory taste of their signature dish, mountain mushroom bulgogi. The couple's fermented meals are completed through good ingredients, sincerity, and generosity.

Silla Cultural Festival meets the festivities of the alley in Geumridan-gil

The Silla Cultural Festival is a representative festival that brilliantly decorates the autumn in the thousand-year-old capital of Gyeongju. Continuing from 1962 to the present, this is a comprehensive arts festival that modernizes the thousand-year history and tradition of Silla. The brilliance of the cultural heritage and the festival heat spread throughout the city, including Geumridan-gil, transforming the entire city into a massive festival venue. In particular, around Bonghwangdae, abundant food prepared by Geumridan-gil merchants adds to the joy of the festival. The program visits the scene of the Silla Cultural Festival, which vividly revives a thousand years of time with diverse sights and excitement.

A son continues his father's taste: Herbal Jokbal at Gyeongju Seongdong Market

In Gyeongju Seongdong Market, which has stood by the side of Gyeongju citizens for 55 years, there is an herbal jokbal restaurant boasting 30 years of deep flavor. The shop is run by the second-generation owner Kwon Ro-uk (46). Instead of his father, who passed away due to illness, Kwon returned to his hometown to stay by his mother's side. Although his hands were constantly wounded by knives he had never used before, he worked hard to ensure the jokbal had no odor, massaging each piece of pork every day to remove blood and boiling it for three hours in a broth containing 15 types of medicinal herbs. By sticking to this diligent process rather than taking shortcuts, he fully preserved the nostalgic taste that even long-time regulars recognize. Neighborhood guide Lee Man-gi tastes the plate of jokbal filled with multi-generational perseverance.

The only one in the country: "Traditional Silk Village" in Dusan-ri

Yangji Village in Dusan-ri, Gyeongju, is the only place in the country that produces traditional hand-woven silk. The village, where mulberry trees are abundant, has a deep history, with its residents being recognized as a holder of the intangible cultural property "Silk Weaving," as they have traditionally earned their living by spinning silk threads and weaving cloth. Lee Nam-du (66), whose maternal and in-laws are both from this village, is the only one among seven daughters to have inherited the silk-weaving skill from her mother. Sitting before the 100-year-old loom passed down through generations in her in-laws' family, Lee silently weaves the threads. Even now, 11 people, including Lee, keep traditional silk weaving in their homes with looms. The program looks into the lives of the villagers who preserve tradition, weaving years together one thread at a time with the clattering sound of the looms.

A 65-year-old novice fisherman's struggle to adapt to the sea

Cheoksa Port in Gampo-eup, Gyeongju, takes its name from its fine, silk-like sand. This port, famous for catching plump flounder, has a special novice fisherman. Lee Jeong-hwa (65) returned to her hometown 19 years ago to care for her elderly mother after working as a software developer in the city. Even after losing her mother, she did not leave her hometown and chose the path of a fisherman. After learning the work by watching on a friend's boat for a month, it has been 1 year and 6 months since she took the helm herself. Flounder, which live on the seabed, are a species that is not easily found even with fish finders. However, drawing on her background as an engineer, Lee analyzes the ecology and movement patterns of flounder according to water temperature and food by researching various papers. From a developer reading code on a computer monitor to a fisherman reading the flow of the sea and using advanced navigation equipment, the program follows the struggling fishing scenes of the late-blooming novice fisherman.

Three sisters protect their father's legacy: "Spicy Braised Pork Ribs" in Geumridan-gil, Gyeongju

In Geumridan-gil, Gyeongju, old shops and unique stores sit side by side. Amidst the changing scenery of the street, there is an old restaurant that has occupied the same spot for 46 years. The owner of this restaurant is the eldest daughter, Jin Jeong-yeon (59), who entered her father's kitchen at the age of 21, 38 years ago. The specialty of this house is "spicy braised pork ribs," which boasts an unchanging taste over the years. The seasoning, made by mixing garlic and red pepper powder in a golden ratio with bone broth, is a secret recipe her late father completed after much deliberation. Following the eldest daughter Jeong-yeon, the fourth daughter Jin Eun-ju (52) and the third daughter Jin Hyeon-ju (56) have joined, with the three sisters together guarding their father's kitchen. The sisters realized that despite changing pots and adjusting seasonings, the most difficult thing to maintain is the "basics." After several attempts, the program meets the three sisters who have returned to the original taste left by their father to cook consistent braised ribs.

The stories of golden happiness from those shining in the now-sparkling Geumridan-gil will be revealed on the 392nd episode of "A Walk Around the Neighborhood," "Shining in Gold Again – Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do," on Saturday, October 31, at 7:10 p.m.

(Photo provided by KBS 1TV "A Walk Around the Neighborhood")

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