[Sportschosun Lee Ji-hyun] On 'Jeon Hyun-moo's Plan 4,' Jun Hyun-moo, 49, and Kwaktube teamed up with K.Will and Tei to thoroughly explore Uijeongbu's famous 'shoulder-boosting' restaurants, completing a food trip that combined eating, banter, and high-quality live performances.
In episode 7 of the full-scale real street-food documentary 'Jeon Hyun-moo's Plan 4' (co-produced by MBN and Channel S), which aired on Friday the 14th, Jun Hyun-moo and Kwaktube (Kwak Joon-bin) set out with their 'food friends' K.Will and Tei to discover the true taste of Uijeongbu. Guided by local recommendations, they uncovered everything from a beloved Uijeongbu budaejjigae spot to a tteokgalbi restaurant with 47 years of tradition and even the so-called 'Uijeongbu Dungeon,' a hidden pub alley beneath a traditional market, bringing viewers a feast for the senses.
That day, Jun Hyun-moo declared, "Today is a special feature on Uijeongbu's 'shoulder-boosting' restaurants, the places locals take visitors to make them proud!" He then rushed straight to the city's most iconic budaejjigae destination. The two chose a popular restaurant through street interviews with residents and activated their 'truthful frown' while tasting budaejjigae simmered with vegetable broth. Jun Hyun-moo especially drew attention by adding ramen noodles to the reduced broth and mashing in ham and minced meat to make his signature 'ra-juk,' a cheat code that made everyone's mouths water.
After proving Uijeongbu's strong culinary credentials with their first meal, the pair was joined by two of the entertainment industry's most gifted vocalists, K.Will and Tei. When Jun Hyun-moo and Kwaktube asked about their appearance together and how they knew each other, they replied, "We were double-cast in the Korean premiere of a musical that captures the life and music of American pop star Alicia Keys." Tei then candidly added, "It took me a full year just to get through the audition process. Alicia herself handled the casting, and K.Will was accepted right away, while I barely made it in on my fourth try," drawing both sympathy and laughter.
A little later, the four arrived at Uijeongbu's second restaurant, a tteokgalbi place. As soon as they sat down, Tei showed off his big-eater instincts by ordering one serving of every item on the menu. When the charcoal-grilled tteokgalbi and rib bones arrived, the four launched into a furious eating spree. Tei also ordered yeolmu noodles for just 3,000 won and finished them in a single bite. Even then, he said he was only "20 percent full," shocking everyone.
During the meal, Jun Hyun-moo also staged a playful 'filial piety battle' with K.Will, making everyone laugh. He began by saying, "Tteokgalbi is sometimes called 'hyo-galbi,'" then looked at K.Will and added, "That's our weakest point!" K.Will, stung by the joke about being unfilial, complained about his mother while still sounding affectionate: "My mom is far too interested in the private life of her only son. It's completely different from being doted on." Kwaktube tried to soften the moment by saying, "Still, maybe the two of you turned out so well because of your mother's guidance?" But Jun Hyun-moo shot back, "No. If she had paid less attention to her son, we would have turned out even better. Faster!" His relentless teasing left the set in stitches.
For the final stop, Jun Hyun-moo introduced the place by saying, "This is the kind of restaurant that makes you feel proud when you bring your closest friends." He then led everyone to the underground pub alley beneath the traditional market, nicknamed the 'Uijeongbu Dungeon.' The four walked secretly down to the basement after passing the market shops with their shutters down for the evening, and there they found a retro-style pub village. They settled into a long-running pojangmacha run by an 81-year-old grandmother. After fruit came a tender stir-fry of pork skin and pollack stew, and the four soaked in the hip atmosphere that can only be felt in a market basement, showing off their appetite and excitement.
In the warm atmosphere, Kwaktube suddenly asked, "Did you really say you'd sing the congratulatory song if Hyun-moo gets married in May 2027?" K.Will laughed, saying, "Why did I ever say that?" and showed off their close friendship. He then added, "I'm not against staying single," before turning the question back to Jun Hyun-moo: "You're not either, right?" Jun Hyun-moo grinned and replied, "I don't really have any thoughts about it." K.Will then said, "The older you get, the harder the marriage process seems to become. I admire and respect the courage to be certain about marriage, like Joon-bin has."
For the finale, K.Will and Tei each sang a line from a musical number, and the 'Uijeongbu Dungeon' instantly turned into a stage. Jun Hyun-moo wrapped up the food trip romantically, saying, "This is La La Land!" The preview released right after showed Jun Hyun-moo and Kwaktube in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, for a special titled "Let's Eat as Much as We Can, We'll Order It," raising expectations for the next episode even higher.
MBN and Channel S's 'Jeon Hyun-moo's Plan 4' airs every Friday at 9:10 p.m.
olzllovely@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
