Baek Jong-won Praises Gongneung-dong Stew Set Meal Restaurant: "Feels Like Betraying Regular Customers"

Photo by SBS entertainment program 'Baek Jong-won's Alley Restaurant' capture

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] Baek Jong-won from 'Baek Jong-won's Alley Restaurant' stepped in to provide a solution for a stew set meal restaurant in Gongneung-dong.

On the 19th, the SBS entertainment program 'Baek Jong-won's Alley Restaurant' aired a segment where Baek Jong-won visited a restaurant in the railway track alley of Gongneung-dong and offered a solution.

That day, Baek Jong-won stopped by the stew set meal restaurant and ordered a set meal.

Baek praised the stew set meal restaurant owner’s management style of providing side dishes tailored to regular customers' tastes. While inspecting the interior of the restaurant, Baek said, "I don't want to criticize," adding, "(When it comes to other restaurants, the points of criticism are) the same, but the standards change."

He commented, "It's been a while since I ate a home-style set meal. It tastes exactly like homemade food. Even though I had lunch, I want to eat this. After a long time, eating this kind of set meal really appeals to me."

He continued, "Even at home, it's rare to have such an 8-dish meal. These kinds of places are almost nonexistent nowadays."

In the end, Baek Jong-won refused to give an evaluation. He said, "I don't want to judge this place by the taste of the food. Such a table setting doesn't exist for 6,000 won. The taste is at least above basic."

He added, "This place shouldn't be on the broadcast. It can't be aired. It would be like betraying the regular customers."

The stew set meal restaurant owner explained the reason for appearing on 'Alley Restaurant': "Because I only made food to suit the tastes of the workers on site, it was done in a makeshift way. I want to meet good people, learn properly, and show proper food. That would make me very happy."

He added, "When there were many workers on site, I just made a lot and served it. But now, the number of workers has decreased a lot. I want to learn how to make tastier food."