'Trot Kitchen: Traveling Dinner Show' holds first dinner show in Cheongyang... sharing neighbors' stories through meals and songs

TV CHOSUN's 'Trot Kitchen: Traveling Dinner Show' held its first dinner show in Cheongyang, South Chungcheong Province, gifting food and live performances to local residents. In the first episode broadcast at 10 PM on the 5th, CEO Lee Soo-geun and singers Ahn Sung-hoon and Kim Yong-bin, along with chefs Yoon Na-ra and Lim Tae-hoon, appeared. The broadcast showed the process of preparing food with ingredients from Cheongyang, listening to the stories of invited guests, and arranging song stages. Na Sang-do and Nam Seung-min also joined as daily part-timers to help with preparations. The first guests invited were local medical staff, young entrepreneurs, and a father and son continuing a 115-year-old brewery family business. In particular, the cast offered advice on audition preparation and singing to the brewery son, who had harbored dreams of becoming a singer, and he took to an official stage for the first time at the dinner show.

The first schedule started with harvesting Cheongyang chili peppers amidst heavy rain

The 'Trot Kitchen: Traveling Dinner Show' members headed to Cheongyang while singing 'Woman of Samba'. However, heavy rain pouring down in the early morning appeared as a variable from the very first filming. Although wind and rain lashed into the outdoor kitchen, Lee Soo-geun brightened the mood, saying, "Other programs don't do well when it rains, but for us, it's a stroke of luck. Food and songs are great on rainy days." The first mission was to secure local ingredients to make the food the invited guests wanted. The members visited a chili pepper farm and harvested Cheongyang chili peppers.

At the farm, harvesting and singing continued together. While harvesting peppers, Kim Yong-bin said, "I've never done this before," and sang 'Wish', which the farm owner likes, with the members. In a rock-paper-scissors game to eat Cheongyang chili peppers, Ahn Sung-hoon lost and ate a spicy pepper. Ahn Sung-hoon said, "It makes me cry," before drinking water. While the members secured local ingredients and prepared to welcome the guests, Na Sang-do and Nam Seung-min made a surprise appearance singing 'Why Are You Coming Out of There?'. The two joined as daily part-timers to help with the busy preparations, allowing the members to welcome the first guests on time.

Food prepared with Cheongyang ingredients and mistakes by kitchen assistants

The chefs took charge of the food preparation. Chef Yoon Na-ra prepared gochujang jjageuli, boiled pork (suyuk), and fresh kimchi (geotjeori) using homemade glutinous rice gochujang and goji berry broth. Chef Lim Tae-hoon made fried meat using Cheongyang dried chili peppers and goji berries. Ahn Sung-hoon and Kim Yong-bin stepped up as kitchen assistants. From completing the cooking to serving the guests, the chefs' cooking and the singers' assistance continued, and Kim Yong-bin challenged himself to make green onion kimchi.

After making the green onion kimchi, Kim Yong-bin showed confidence, asking, "I'm good, right?" However, Lee Soo-geun and Ahn Sung-hoon, who tasted it, showed reluctance, saying, "It's too salty." When Kim Yong-bin repeatedly insisted, "It's not salty," Lee Soo-geun retorted, "There must be something wrong with your body," and Chef Yoon Na-ra stepped in to fix the green onion kimchi. This day's broadcast captured such kitchen mistakes and conversations. The prepared food included boiled pork and fresh kimchi, gochujang jjageuli, and fried meat.

Stories told by medical staff, young entrepreneurs, and a brewery father and son

The first guests were three teams introduced as the 'Romantic Doctors', 'Makgeolli Father and Son', and the 'Chili Bread Trio'. The 'Romantic Doctors' were obstetrician Kim Sang-gyeong, the director of Cheongyang County Public Health and Medical Center, and oriental medicine doctor Kim Jin-uk. The two shared stories about their service and sense of mission for local residents. The 'Chili Bread Trio' were young entrepreneurs who settled in Cheongyang after starting a month-long stay there and developed food products using Cheongyang chili peppers. They expressed their hope that young people would challenge various startups and grow together.

Mr. Kwon Sun-o, introduced as the 'Makgeolli Father and Son', was continuing the 115-year-old brewery family business with his father. He said he chose the family business instead of utilizing his university major, but had wanted to be a singer since childhood. He revealed that even after setting aside his dream for realistic reasons, he continued his passion for singing, and recently applied for 'Mr. Trot 4'. Ahn Sung-hoon advised that to reach the finals in an audition, one must prepare five killer songs, and Na Sang-do said storytelling is important when selecting songs. Kim Yong-bin offered encouragement, saying, "I have also been debuted for over 20 years. It didn't happen immediately, and there were many ups and downs. There are many things that are actually good if there are ups and downs. Your life will all be contained and come out in your songs." Mr. Kwon Sun-o shed tears, saying, "That is what I always wanted to hear."

Stage following the meal, Mr. Kwon Sun-o's first official performance

After finishing the meal, a dinner show stage was prepared. Kim Yong-bin started the performance with 'Golden Spoon', and Ahn Sung-hoon sang 'Rain Falls on a Man's Heart'. Na Sang-do and Nam Seung-min presented 'Night Train' together. The performance, which continued in the space where the table had been placed, included the guests and the cast. Lee Soo-geun offered Mr. Kwon Sun-o a chance to stand on stage. He said he would gladly provide the stage for his first official performance in his life, saying, "If it helps give hope and nurture dreams, I will gladly give you this place."

Mr. Kwon Sun-o sang 'My Mom' amidst the cheers. After the stage ended, Ahn Sung-hoon said, "You were born with that voice. I am so thankful you started trot even now." Kim Yong-bin also offered encouragement, saying, "You are an indispensable talent in the trot world. I hope you definitely appear on 'Mr. Trot 4'." The broadcast sequentially captured the harvesting of Cheongyang chili peppers, food preparation, the guests' stories, and the performance after the meal. TV CHOSUN's 'Trot Kitchen: Traveling Dinner Show' broadcasts every Monday at 10 PM.

Read the original (Korean)