[Sportschosun Reporter Kim So-hee] Lee Kyung-kyu boasted that he is still receiving royalties from "Kkokkomyeon," which was launched in 2011.
KBS 2TV's "Boss in the Mirror" (directed by Choi Seung-hee, hereafter "Boss in the Mirror") is a self-reflection program in which bosses in Korea try to create a workplace where people enjoy working. As of the previous episode, it had ranked No. 1 in its time slot for 209 consecutive weeks, according to Nielsen Korea.
In the episode of "Boss in the Mirror" airing on the 14th, viewers will see 40-year fishing veteran Lee Kyung-kyu and two-year beginner angler Kim Sook visiting Yang Joon-hyuk's fishing spot.
Lee Kyung-kyu and Yang Joon-hyuk are especially connected through their time as members of "Qualifications of Men." After visiting Guryongpyo Fish Farm, Lee Kyung-kyu declared, "If we do 'Qualifications of Men 2,' I will do it with Yang Joon-hyuk, not Jun Hyun-moo," and then added, "Hyun-moo is too big to do a show with," drawing laughter.
Lee Kyung-kyu, who confirmed Yang Joon-hyuk as part of his "Gyuline," also drew laughs by pointing to their shared history of repeated business failures. He confessed, "I also raised chickens fed with crickets, but it failed," referring to his love-hate "Cricket-fed Chicken" business. He then said, "Cricket-fed Chicken was my business cheat code, but it eventually failed because the crickets cost more than the feed," and added, "I even sold Cricket-fed Chicken to a zoo as lion feed," revealing the painful collapse of the venture.
Soon after, however, a smile spread across Lee Kyung-kyu's face. The reason was "Kkokkomyeon." When Kim Sook asked, "Are you still getting royalties from Kkokkomyeon?" Lee Kyung-kyu replied, "Kkokkomyeon royalties are still coming in," expressing pride. He had previously drawn attention by saying he arranged the contract so that the royalties could be passed down to his daughter, Lee Ye-rim.
More than anything, Lee Kyung-kyu said, "Behind the birth of Kkokkomyeon was the pain of Cricket-fed Chicken," drawing attention to the fact that his love-hate "Cricket-fed Chicken" was the hidden force behind the hit product's creation. He explained, "Since I couldn't sell the chicken, I kept eating it, and then a chicken recipe came to mind," adding, "That's how the Kkokkomyeon recipe could be created." Park Myung-soo, who has experience with various businesses, reportedly looked at Lee Kyung-kyu with admiration and said, "I've tried running several businesses too, but Kyung-kyu is amazing."
The behind-the-scenes story of how "Kkokkomyeon" was created, told directly by Lee Kyung-kyu, along with his hilarious tales of business failures across land, sea, and air, will be revealed in the full broadcast of "Boss in the Mirror."
Meanwhile, KBS 2TV's "Boss in the Mirror" airs every Sunday at 4:40 p.m.
