Have you had any outstanding
experiences recently?
Not long ago, Jin definitely did; he recently became the student of a great master of traditional Korean alcohol. This opportunity came about as part of his promotional activities for “The Astronaut,” and it took him on a four-episode journey to learn how to make it from scratch.
If you haven’t watched it yet, let us tell you a little bit about it, because you won’t want to miss it!
How it Happened
Jin's undeniable charisma helps him meet fascinating people. One of them is chef Baek Jeong-won, who has a great interest in preserving Korea’s culinary traditions and was excited when Jin expressed curiosity about the process of making the traditional drink. Much to Jin’s surprise, rather than teaching him himself, chef Baek reached out to a respected master in the art to take him on as a student.
First things first, get ready for a fun car ride. Their chemistry and friendly banter are on full display on their way to visit the master, and it’s a delight to see it. The chef even gets the chance to listen to “The Astronaut” before its release, how lucky is he?
Their destination is Korea Studio Sool, a training center for traditional Korean alcohol, where they meet Park Rokdam – the master who founded it in 1999. The master’s experience speaks for himself as he has taught around 30,000 students over the last 30 years. That’s the kind of person that’s teaching Jin.
If you were expecting him to be strict and uptight, you’ll be surprised. The three of them have a good time chatting before getting to the main task of the day. After reviewing the steps, it’s time for Jin to start rinsing the rice—100 times!
Now, let’s learn the actual process to prepare traditional alcohol alongside Jin, who’s getting down to business and gaining some practical experience with the guidance of Mr. Park. Of course, it’s not all work. The drinking intermission when they all share snacks and simply talk is just as enjoyable.
After a long day of hard work, Jin is able to take the big alcohol container back home to continue the fermentation process by himself. His task for the next few days is to check the container’s temperature and – with the help of both his mentors – to make sure that it’s progressing well. It’s a delicate process, and he gives it his best.
Soon enough, the day for the big reveal arrives, and it’s time to meet with chef Baek to taste the results.
Ready for a fun episode?
After filtering the alcohol that Jin brought, they both taste the final product. If you’re curious about how good it was, you have to see chef Baek running to the kitchen to get his own brand to compare them. Suffice it to say that Jin’s alcohol received such great praise that they even passed it around for the filming crew to taste.
But two foodies couldn’t enjoy their drink without a good meal, so a quick trip to the market is in order. Who do you think would win a popularity contest between them in the market? You’ll have to watch to see, and also to know whose alcohol the people preferred.
Back home, the friendly banter continues, including an iconic eye roll from Jin. Soon, a surprise guest will join them as well.
The guest is none other than actor Kim Nam Gil, who’s also lucky enough to listen to “The Astronaut” early. They have a great time chatting, cooking, eating, and drinking. With such good company and delicious-looking food, who wouldn’t want to be there?
But the night isn’t over, since chef Baek decides to show them how to distill the alcohol as well. They have one last drinking round, but not until the chef gets a special present from Jin—matching pajamas that they both wear, much to Mr. Kim’s amusement.
After such an enjoyable trip, it’s time to pay the master another visit with an important request. Jin wishes to gift people the drink he makes, but he’s legally required to have a brand to do so.
What’s the solution? Asking Mr. Park if he can give him the recipe to use. This becomes a significant moment since the master agrees with the condition that he really be interested and continues studying traditional alcohol. He even gives him a special name for his brand, “Brothers of Four Seas.”
If you love this series, you won’t want to miss the other side of the story.
Recently, Mr. Park Rokdam posted a video with a behind-the-scenes, more in-depth look at the process, and details about how their teacher-student relationship developed. Curious about the brand name he gave Jin? Turns out he made it hoping that everyone who drinks it will become good friends with Jin. How sweet and thoughtful is that?
An Ongoing Journey
Jin’s journey is not over.
Recently he got the chance to act as a special judge at the 12th annual Korea Heritage Liquor Awards, and his master had a beautiful gesture upon hearing about his enlistment. They got together again to prepare alcohol that they’ll toast with when he comes back. Check out the pictures on Jin’s Instagram. As usual, Jin’s charisma and good heart have won everyone he met along the way!
DISCLAIMER: We do not own any audio & visual content in this video except for the editing. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS. No copyright infringement intended.
Written By: Rebeca
Edited By: Aury
Checked By: Shelley
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