Creator Hibab's Culinary Adventure Across Seoul on 'The Big Eater's Table'

On Comedy TV's 'The Big Eater's Table', creator Hibab embarked on a culinary journey across Seoul, completing a four-meal mukbang with a variety of dishes.

The first stop was a sushi restaurant near Children's Grand Park. As a premium sushi platter crafted by omakase-trained chefs was served, Hibab savored each piece, starting with white fish sushi. Impressed by the quality, she particularly enjoyed the mackerel sushi, pairing it with udon and even placing additional orders. Her top pick was the omakase-style sushi platter, appreciating the variety it offered in one sitting.

Next, Hibab visited a 40-year-old traditional restaurant. As spicy chicken stew, donggeurangttaeng, and beef tripe hot pot were served, she took a bite of the stew, noting its spicy umami flavor with little sweetness, and enjoyed a big spoonful of rice. Admiring the large chicken drumsticks, she commented on the generous meat portions and expressed satisfaction with the homemade-style side dishes. After tasting the beef tripe, Hibab, a fan of its chewy texture, chose it as her favorite bite of the meal.

The third meal was at an eel restaurant in Eunpyeong-gu, known for its 17-year tradition of serving only salt-grilled eel, adhering to a same-day stocking and selling policy. While the eel was grilling, Hibab enjoyed side dishes like cold noodle soup, eel bone crisps, and eel soup, finishing a bowl of rice with them alone. Upon tasting the perfectly grilled eel, she remarked on its inherent flavor without needing additional salt, and enjoyed experimenting with combinations like ginger sauce. Her favorite was wrapping the eel with ginger slices and aged kimchi.

The final meal of the day was at a 21-year-old milmyeon (wheat noodles) restaurant. After tasting the spicy milmyeon, Hibab sipped the broth, praising its rich flavor. Pairing it with dumplings, she declared the combination a classic. Surprised by the generous portion of seafood kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), she marveled at the abundance of clams, likening it to a tidal flat. Her last favorite bite was the seafood kalguksu.

'The Big Eater's Table' is a mukbang show where Hibab explores various restaurants and dishes across the country, airing every Sunday at 9 AM on Comedy TV.

Ryu Yeji, TenAsia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr