On the MBC entertainment program 'I Live Alone', SHINee's Key reminisced about the 'Grandma's Gomtang' he missed after 13 years. Lee Joo-seung showcased his affectionate family love as a daily guide for his new Vietnamese sister-in-law and as a 'Jootographer' (Joo-seung + Photographer).
In the episode aired on the 19th, Key visited the National Yeongcheon Patriotic Cemetery to see his grandparents, and 'young master' Lee Joo-seung took his Vietnamese sister-in-law and mother to the Korean Folk Village.
Key visited the National Yeongcheon Patriotic Cemetery to see his biological grandparents. He surprised the Rainbow members by revealing that his biological grandfather, uncle, and maternal grandfather are all 'national merit recipients'. Key, who spent a lot of time with his biological grandparents during his childhood instead of his working parents, recalled his cherished memories with his grandmother.
Key shared, "I have my birthday in September. My grandmother's memorial day is on the same day as my birthday," confessing that he found it so difficult after his grandmother suddenly passed away that he didn't even want to see birthday cakes for 2-3 years. He continued, "Thinking about it, I wondered, 'Would she want me to feel this way?' At some point, it changed to reflecting on happy memories." Park Na-rae was also moved and wiped away tears, empathizing deeply with Key's story.
After greeting his biological grandparents, Key headed to Daegu Dongseongro to enjoy a birthday date with his mother. The Rainbow members were surprised to see a mother-son duo dressed in matching outfits, wondering if it was intentional. Key, linking arms with his mother and sharing an umbrella, had a meal at her favorite snack shop and captured memories with a four-cut photo. His mother's happy smile while taking a photo with her son for the first time brought joy to everyone watching.
After finishing the date with his mother, Key returned home to receive a birthday cake and congratulatory gifts from his parents. In particular, Key was speechless upon seeing the 'Grandma's Gomtang' prepared by his mother on the birthday table.
Key was greatly surprised to hear that his mother woke up at 4 AM and spent 5 hours making gomtang, and after 13 years, he tasted his grandmother's gomtang, saying, "The last gomtang my grandmother made is still in the freezer. It has never been thawed in 13 years. It's really delicious. It feels like I'm on a time machine. This means so much to me..." as he quickly finished a bowl of rice, evoking deep emotions. It was a moment that conveyed Key's longing for his grandmother.
Meanwhile, Lee Joo-seung welcomed his older brother and sister-in-law, who had their wedding in Vietnam last year and held a wedding in Korea about a year later. Joo-seung held the wedding at a carefully selected venue on behalf of his busy brother, who was occupied with business in Vietnam, and the ceremony was hosted by Go Seung-hwan, showcasing a special bond. On this day, Joo-seung took his Vietnamese sister-in-law and mother on an outing to the Korean Folk Village.
As a 'daily guide', Joo-seung provided tailored guidance for his sister-in-law and also acted as a 'Jootographer'. From the warm moments between his mother and sister-in-law to his sister-in-law's earnestness in taking photos, he poured his passion into capturing memories. Park Na-rae was impressed by his sister-in-law, who brought extra clothes and shoes for new photos. Following Joo-seung, his mother also joined in capturing beautiful moments of the new family member, his sister-in-law.
Joo-seung's sister-in-law praised, "The photos are beautiful, Joo-seung takes great pictures," expressing satisfaction with the trip and Joo-seung's photography skills. Joo-seung then said, "Since my sister-in-law can't come often, I wanted to give her many gifts," and filled a souvenir shop with gifts for her.
Additionally, Joo-seung took his sister-in-law, who loves pork belly, and his mother, who loves eel, to a restaurant with a camping concept. Enjoying 'K-sam' together, Joo-seung created new memories for his sister-in-law, stating, "It definitely feels like the atmosphere has become more harmonious since my sister-in-law became part of the family," and added, "I don't usually go out much with my mother, but this event allowed me to travel with her. I feel proud that I got closer to my sister-in-law while spending time together."
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
