TV
DinDin's Witty Jab at Cha Seung-won on 'Chagane' Sparks Laughter
On the October 5th episode of 'Chagane', the team traveled to Shizuoka, Japan, known as the 'sanctuary of wasabi', to expand their spicy business. The episode featured the team's spicy chemistry as they explored top-grade wasabi through research and cooking. The show achieved the highest viewership ratings in its time slot across all channels, including terrestrial, among the 20-49 age group in both the metropolitan area and nationwide, according to Nielsen Korea.
The 'Chagane' team set off to Shizuoka with dreams of business expansion, only to be greeted by a mysterious forest path. They soon discovered the identity of a mysterious couple waiting for them, who ran a wasabi farm and a camping site offering wasabi harvesting experiences. The team embarked on a mission to uncover the secrets of the 'green spicy taste' of wasabi.
DinDin was in charge of the first dinner in Shizuoka. The team went shopping together, and DinDin, encouraged by his seniors, took on the challenge of cooking his first dish, calling it "the most nerve-wracking moment of my cooking life." The total bill came to a whopping 450,000 won. Boss Cha Seung-won humorously scolded Choo Sung-hoon and Tommy for buying too many eggs, joking, "We'll go bankrupt at this rate."
Once all the dishes were ready, the team enjoyed a standing meal. Cha Seung-won's fish cake soup was so popular that it received multiple refill requests, and Choo Sung-hoon's dumplings were also well-received. DinDin's wasabi shiitake mushroom sauce was praised for pairing well with rice, and he sighed in relief, saying, "I'm just glad I didn't get scolded." The team concluded their satisfying dinner by agreeing that "wasabi is indeed challenging."
The next day's mission involved infiltrating a wasabi field. Starting with Danny Koo waking up without an alarm, the team headed to the wasabi field to harvest the plant, which grows in 14-degree flowing water. They aimed to uncover more secrets by harvesting, cleaning, and processing the wasabi by hand. Danny Koo, transformed into a 'wasabi fanatic', added humor with his enthusiastic harvesting performance.
For breakfast, DinDin's wasabi soy sauce egg rice and Cha Seung-won's kimchi stew were served. DinDin humorously jabbed at Cha Seung-won, who was unfamiliar with using a camping burner, saying, "It's because you're not used to it," earning him the title of 'the youngest who challenges the boss'. Cha Seung-won, taken aback by DinDin's unexpected boldness, jokingly complained to Choo Sung-hoon, "I almost got stepped on," adding to the laughter.
After the short but intense trip to Shizuoka, the team headed to Tokyo for further spicy exploration. They visited a popular soup curry restaurant where they could adjust the spice level. The team tasted and analyzed the different spice levels, with Cha Seung-won opting out of the spiciest option, saying, "I oppose this level of spiciness," while reminiscing about the Chubasco sauce he enjoyed. The friendly rivalry over sauce shares between Choo Sung-hoon and Cha Seung-won added excitement.
Before DinDin's early departure, the team created special memories by taking sticker photos, a popular trend in Japan. While Choo Sung-hoon and the younger members showcased 'excessive face editing' for an unrealistic look, Cha Seung-won humorously failed to have his face recognized, resulting in laughter. The spicy banter between the seniors and juniors continued, leaving viewers eager to see what unfolds next in Tokyo.
Meanwhile, tvN's 'Chagane' airs every Thursday at 8:40 PM.
Reporter Kim Se-ah, TenAsia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr
