In the latest episode of KBS2's variety show ‘Newly Released Pyeon Restaurant’, Kim Jaejoong was moved to tears by the tumultuous life story of his parents that he heard for the first time.
The episode aired on the 19th and was the first part of a special ‘Mom's Hand’ episode, prepared by the production team for the upcoming major national holiday, Chuseok. As the title suggests, the special was filled with family love, featuring the cooking genius Kim Jaejoong, known as a national filial son, and the eternal marine boy Park Tae-hwan. Thanks to the two national filial sons who teamed up with Kim Jaejoong's mother, a cooking artisan, the episode was filled with laughter and emotion. The broadcast recorded a viewership rating of 4.1% in the metropolitan area, an increase from the previous week, and ranked first among all channels in the same time slot, including terrestrial, general programming, and cable channels. (Nielsen Korea)
On that day, Kim Jaejoong expressed concern for his mother, who was suffering from knee, hip, and ankle problems. Kim Jaejoong's father revealed, “I promised to make her live without a drop of water touching her, but I only made her suffer,” showing his remorse towards his wife. Shortly after, Kim Jaejoong's mother joined them and shared her tumultuous past, including stories that Kim Jaejoong had never heard before. The revelations were so shocking that even the ‘Pyeon Restaurant’ crew was taken aback.
Kim Jaejoong's father, who had a seemingly perfect youth that could be described as ‘golden spoon’, walked a smooth path after marrying and working in the transportation industry. However, he faced a significant failure after getting involved in a business proposal from acquaintances, accumulating an enormous debt of 100 million won in the 1980s. At that time, 100 million won was an unfathomable amount compared to today. Kim Jaejoong's father said, “I was so shocked by that incident that people didn’t even recognize me. They called me a lunatic.”
Kim Jaejoong's mother recalled, “My father also went through many ups and downs. He faced many life-threatening situations.” She mentioned that her husband suffered from mental health issues due to the shock. Eventually, Kim Jaejoong's father lived in a temple for a while, and Kim Jaejoong's mother had to support their nine children alone. She worked tirelessly, from peddling to working in restaurants, to feed her nine children.
Kim Jaejoong's mother said, “Thinking back to that time, even if I wanted to die, I couldn’t…” Nevertheless, she continued to fight for her family and eventually seized an opportunity for a turnaround by starting a restaurant. She opened a restaurant in Gongju with a menu featuring pig's feet, handmade dough soup, and barley rice, and it became a hit through word of mouth, even without social media. Kim Jaejoong's mother recalled that within a year, she paid off all the debts and cried while embracing her husband. Hearing this, Kim Jaejoong was greatly surprised and moved, saying, “Mom, you’re amazing.”
On that day, Kim Jaejoong made handmade dough soup with his mother. The dish was filled with his mother’s love and sincerity, who had supported the family of nine. Additionally, Kim Jaejoong made pig's feet with his own tips added to his mother’s flavors. The mother-son duo resembled each other in both cooking skills and family love.
Meanwhile, the eternal marine boy Park Tae-hwan also showcased a fantastic chemistry with his mother. On that day, Park Tae-hwan visited his family home, which he had prepared for his parents when he became the world number one in swimming at the age of 19. He showed his affectionate side by hugging his mother tightly upon returning home. Park Tae-hwan and his mother noted that they shared similar athletic instincts and competitive spirits, raising anticipation for what dishes they would present together in the ‘Mom's Hand’ special.
Kim Jaejoong and Park Tae-hwan, the national filial sons, stepped up for the ‘Mom's Hand’ special. Another chef with a heart full of filial piety is also set to join. The highly anticipated ‘Mom's Hand’ special will continue on the upcoming episode of ‘Newly Released Pyeon Restaurant’ airing on the 26th at 8:30 PM.
[Lee Da-gyeom, Star Today Reporter]
