A Walk Around the Neighborhood: Lee Man-gi Meets Seodaemun-gu... Chicken Gomtang and Ssangpo-gato Catch the Eye

'A Walk Around the Neighborhood' will broadcast episode 384, 'History Becomes Culture - Seodaemun-gu, Seoul,' on KBS 1TV on Saturday, August 29, at 7:10 PM. The episode follows Lee Man-gi as he walks through Seodaemun-gu to see how the 'power of high culture' dreamed of by Baekbeom Kim Gu is being carried on today in various parts of the district.

First, in Sinchon Yonsei-ro, they meet 'Be-Crown,' a dance team that came from Japan. Having won first place in a Japanese K-POP dance competition, they visited Korea with a sincere passion for K-POP to perform on the streets of Sinchon. Next, they visit the Baramsan Observatory, which offers a panoramic view of the city center.

Hongje-dong Retro Eatery and the Provisional Government Memorial Hall

A fusion restaurant in an alley in Hongje-dong serves 'Bear Gratin' as its signature menu in a space that preserves the interior of an old hair salon. Operated by Hwang Chan-hee, who has experience in culinary high schools, as a military cook, and in hotel culinary departments, the restaurant changes its character designs every season to encourage repeat visits from customers. Next, they visit the National Memorial Hall of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, which opened in March 2022. As UNESCO designated 2026 as the 'Kim Gu Memorial Year' in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Kim Gu's birth this year, the program looks back at the footsteps of the Provisional Government, which continued the independence movement while moving between Shanghai and Chongqing.

An International Student Carrying Korean History and a 40-Year Tradition Chicken Gomtang Restaurant

Shekhupa, an international student from Iran, became fascinated with the Japanese colonial period and the March 1st Movement after reading 'Baekbeom Ilji' (The Diary of Baekbeom) and is now writing a novel set against the backdrop of Korean history. The episode captures the daily life of a typical person in their twenties enjoying jjolmyeon and kimbap at a snack bar, alongside the serious depiction of recording the history of another country. In Migun-dong, the story of a mother who has been boiling chicken gomtang for over 40 years since she was 25, and her child and son-in-law who stay by her side, is also told. The signature menu is Neungi Chicken Gomtang, made by boiling chicken bones and chicken feet broth from 4:00 AM every day and adding 20 types of medicinal herbs.

Finally, near Seodaemun Prison, they visit a cafe opened after renovating an old hanok that bears the traces of independence activists' families who supported them from prison. The siblings here have developed 'Ssangpo-gato,' inspired by the traditional tea Ssanghwa-cha, which features jujube extract poured over ice cream, and are presenting it to customers.

Source: KBS Press Release

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