The essence of kongguksu lies in its broth.
There are many types of noodle dishes in the world, and each bowl of noodles has its own proportions.
The proportion of noodles, and the proportion of broth.
Yuseong believes that in most noodle dishes, the noodles themselves carry a bit more weight.
For kalguksu-type noodles, it’s noodles 6, broth 4.
For ramen, noodles 7, broth 3.
For udon, noodles 8, broth 2.
He considers the excellence of the noodles themselves as the most important factor in noodle dishes.
But kongguksu is different.
Among countless noodle dishes, kongguksu has the highest proportion of broth.
If Yuseong were to assign importance to the components of kongguksu, noodles would be 2, and broth would be 8.
A kongguksu with delicious broth is a good kongguksu.
Good quality soybeans are ground finely, passed through a sieve, and a bit of the richly flavored Crying Nut is lightly ground and added.
The thickness and nuttiness are important. But if it’s too thick, it becomes uncomfortable to eat.
A few ice cubes were added to lower the thickness of the soybean broth and make it refreshing.
Although the noodles only weigh 2 in importance, Yuseong did not overlook the significance of the noodles.
Kongguksu never uses somyeon (thin noodles).
At least medium-thick noodles must be used so that the broth adheres sufficiently to the noodles.
However, when boiling dried medium-thick noodles, the texture tends to be a bit rough.
So through Cheonghwa, he acquired a noodle maker and made the noodles himself.
A little wheat gluten was added to give elasticity, and the noodles were pulled slightly thinner than kalguksu noodles but thicker than regular medium-thick noodles.
The smooth noodles, slightly yellowish in color, had already shown their true worth when Shin Noin first tasted them as a child.
Slurp.
The noodles, soaked in the kongguk broth, were instantly drawn into his mouth without any trace of leftover steamed rice.
He simply slurped the noodles, but the nutty presence of the soybean broth filled his mouth.
The perfectly balanced viscosity of the kongguk broth slid down his throat smoothly, without any unpleasant stickiness despite its overwhelming nuttiness.
The salt seasoning was impeccably adjusted, neither too salty nor bland.
The texture was as smooth as fine silk.
The springy noodles danced in his mouth.
“Hmm, hmm.”
As he exhaled, no trace of any fishy smell remained—only the pure, savory aroma was felt.
It had been over 30 years since he last ate kongguksu.
Now it was the kongguksu his late mother, Shin Noin’s Mother, used to make.
Her version was much rougher, and she warned not to add too much salt, so it was quite bland.
Yet somehow, the words she once said to him came back to mind.
It was as if Shin Jangho had returned to the days when the three of them, the family of three, sat together happily eating kongguksu made with black soybeans.
The conversations from those days played vividly in his mind.
“Don’t leave any behind, or you’ll end up like your father with a big head.”
“You! Why do you keep nagging when we’re eating dinner?”
“Am I wrong? Huh, anyway, Jangho, if you leave any, you’ll be scolded.”
His mother and father grumbled while eating kongguksu made with black soybeans.
The young Shin Jangho smiled slyly as he cleaned his bowl thoroughly.
Now he had become an old man.
Both father and mother had passed away, and now he was much older than they had been.
Shin Noin absentmindedly ran his hand through his hair.
Despite his age, his silver hair was thick and abundant.
It was a hairstyle that all his peers envied.
“Mother… you have been passed down to me.”
Perhaps, the kongguksu his mother made back then had transcended genetic bounds and left him the inheritance of abundance.
Shin Noin’s eyes sparkled brightly.
“Ah, hey…”
“Mr. Shin… really… ha ha ha.”
Other elders were similarly moved.
Not only Shin Jangho but everyone there felt nostalgic, traveling through time, stirred by kongguksu.
More than anything, the flavor of Yuseong’s kongguksu was outstanding.
“How does it have such a rich nutty taste?”
“We ground up the ‘Crying Net’ from the Abyss. They say before the Great Cataclysm, land soybeans were used, but Crying Nut is much better. Though dried and hard, when ground and added, nothing beats its nuttiness. Try the pickled side dish, too.”
“Oh, I forgot about the pickled side dish.”
The elders hurriedly grabbed the pickled side dish with their chopsticks.
Alongside it were some small radish and something that was neither green onion nor scallion, dressed and served.
Crunch.
The crisp sound was refreshing.
“Oh, the spicy flavor pairs perfectly with kongguksu. What vegetable is this?”
“This is ‘Green Onion.’ It’s also from the Abyss. Its pungent aroma is quite strong, so it was rinsed in cold water to lessen the spiciness before pickling.”
“Hahaha, we’re beaten! This can’t be the cooking of young students!”
The atmosphere soared.
The chat window of viewers watching all this was equally lively.
: Your passion for kongguksu has come through!
: I might become a Baek Yuseong fan too!
: This food… might actually be quite fun?
: kkkkkk teamwork indeed
: Ahnn 2 ooh so curious to taste ~ What is kongguksu anyway!!!
Taste cannot be conveyed through video.
But even viewers who didn’t know the taste of the food could clearly tell how moved the elders were.
As the good scenes unfolded, bright smiles also appeared on Lee Yul Hee and Kim Min Cheol’s faces.
Lee Yul Hee took this opportunity to ask the elders a question.
“Grandfather, kongguksu must have been very delicious, right?”
“Exactly! It reminded me of my late mother, and tears welled up…”
The person with the strongest reaction was Shin Noin.
“Ah, your mother came to mind. I’m really curious about the taste of this kongguksu too.”
“Kongguksu is the best food. When your body is worn out, a bowl of this fills you up completely. Besides, this is made from black soybeans. You know black soybeans, right?”
“Do black soybeans have some special effect?”
“Of course! It’s good for women too, but especially for men. See how thick my hair is?”
“Yes, very full.”
“That’s because when I was young, my mother made a lot of black soybean dishes for me.”
“You mean… this ‘black soybean’ is effective against hair loss?”
“That’s right!”
Other elders nodded in agreement.
Hearing this sudden, interesting story, Lee Yul Hee looked back at Yuseong.
“Really?”
“Hm?”
“That black soybeans are good for hair loss.”
Students, vitality, hair loss.
These three keywords always attract public interest no matter how much time passes.
Just now, the elders said black soybeans help with hair loss. Lee Yul Hee wanted to hear Yuseong’s explanation.
Meanwhile, the chat window was buzzing with Shin Noin’s testimony.
: Grow, hair, grow!
: Hair, hair! Grow, grow!
: Another fake news
“Writing about it, hair loss. Black soybeans definitely have abundant protein. In the past, they were famous as a black food good for hair loss… They contain many unsaturated fatty acids which help blood circulation and prevent hair loss!”
“Wow, that’s true.”
However, among the viewers, some looked on with suspicious eyes.
: Hmm, but sounds a bit fishy.
: Hair loss treatments other than Propecia are all scams. I liked Baek Yuseong’s last interview.
: kkkkkk Eating something black and expecting hair to grow? Energy bars are black too, aren’t they? But I’ve been eating energy bars my whole life and still no hair.
Since the topic was sensitive, some people were skeptical.
“Well, it might have hair loss prevention effects but not treatment effects.”
“Ah, I see. So it’s only preventive!”
“Yes, if you want treatment, better see a dermatologist as soon as possible.”
Yuseong quickly drew the line, and Lee Yul Hee caught on and changed the subject.
: That’s probably right kkkkkk Baek Yuseong really knows how to draw the line in interviews.
: Honestly, eating those things for hair loss is ridiculous kkkk Where do you buy those?
: Imagining myself eating black soybeans and becoming abundant lololol
Suddenly, one viewer noticed something strange.
: Hey, don’t you recognize that grandpa in the back?
Among the four elders gathered here, including Shin Jangho, one was introduced as a friend of Shin Noin living in this neighborhood.
But one viewer recognized one of them.
: Oh, really. I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere.
: Crazy, isn’t that Lee Woo Do?
: What? Pudoo?
An elderly man silently smiling, eating kongguksu and pickled side dishes.
He wore ordinary clothes, but somehow radiated wealth and charisma.
Lee Woo Do was mingling among them.
Although his face is not as publicly known as an entertainer’s, he is the chairman of a major conglomerate.
Once one recognized him, other viewers also realized Lee Woo Do was present.
However, his appearance was somewhat different from how the media usually portrayed him.
: Yeah, looks like Lee Woo Do, but what’s with that hair? Is it a wig? kkkkkkk Why is it so abundant?
: Hey, wigs aren’t natural like that, even a high mod. I know because I wear one now.
: Didn’t recognize him because of the hair? Maybe that’s a hair transplant? lolol
: Hair transplants need some hair to begin with! What can you do if you’re completely bald? I heard that at the hospital.
: Ah nah kkkkk True stories.
Lee Woo Do was famous for his shaved monk-like hairstyle and stylish perm.
But his recent media appearance was completely different.
His hair had grown out thick and black, almost like a wig.
The chat room suddenly exploded with excitement over this new topic.
: Even a conglomerate chairman can’t cure hair loss. And he’s sponsored by Baek Yuseong and Cheonghwa. This must be a solid connection, 100%.
: Urgent request for black soybeans! Priority purchase!
: Guuaaaah me too! Me too!
Sensing the situation heating up, Lee Yul Hee checked the time.
The scheduled streaming time was 20 minutes.
The plan was to show the cooking process and record reactions a bit.
The key scenes were captured, and the time was up.
She signaled Kim Min Cheol to end the broadcast.
“Wow, I want to try it soon too. Did everyone enjoy the surprise streaming? The footage from today will be edited and uploaded in about three days. See you then, everyone!”
And the live streaming ended.
Lee Yul Hee and Kim Min Cheol wiped the sweat from their brows.
Lee Woo Do hadn’t revealed his identity but had openly eaten kongguksu from the start.
Some thought someone might recognize Lee Woo Do, but the reaction was even more enthusiastic than expected.
Meanwhile, Lee Woo Do, who drank every drop of the kongguksu broth, showed no sign of nervousness.
He noisily set down his empty bowl and gave a thumbs-up.
“Hahaha, as expected, excellent! Well done, Yuseong!”
The value of the ingredients he had entrusted to Yuseong for this kongguksu dish was unimaginable.
Yet Yuseong delivered a dish that did not disappoint Lee Woo Do’s expectations.
“Would anyone like another bowl? I think we should loosen our belts and eat some more today.”
“Great! Let’s eat, eat! Ji Ah, and the reporters, come and have some too.”
Lee Woo Do and Shin Noin were an unlikely pair.
But as the saying goes, there are no borders before food, and they quickly became close over kongguksu.
“A-alright, Yuseong?”
Lee Yul Hee asked worriedly.
But Yuseong responded nonchalantly.
“Well, what can I do? Just edit it well. Anyway, sit down. I’ll boil more noodles.”
Since the nature of the Gift had not yet been revealed, it probably wasn’t a big problem.
Messages kept pouring in for Yuseong.
[The taste of mother’s hand you long for!]
[Muscle strength dramatically increases.]
[The faint flavor left in memory!]
[Perception greatly improves.]
[Embodiment of nostalgic taste!]
[Ma Power noticeably rises.]
[Gift ‘Tammijuui’ is growing.]
[The more people you move, the greater the rewards you receive.]
The Gift was growing little by little.
A wide smile hung on Yuseong’s lips as he carried the kongguksu.
This life was growing so easily and joyfully.