"First 'Wanppong' of the Year"…Singer Challenges Spicy Jjamppong Known for Its Heat

Over 100 Times Spicier Than Cheongyang Chili Pepper
Visited by Numerous Famous Broadcasters and YouTubers

An unexpected figure became this year's first "Wanppong" (finishing all the jjambbong including the soup) achiever at a place famous for Korea's representative "spicy" jjambbong. On the 24th, Kim Jaejoong, a member of the group JYJ, posted on his social media (SNS) a photo showing an empty jjambbong bowl with the caption, "The first Wanppong customer, that's me." Kim Jaejoong added, "The owner gave me milk as a service, which I appreciate," and explained, "They also gave me a black bag just in case my stomach got upset, but fortunately, my stomach was fine, so I used it as a trash bag in the car."

An unexpected figure became this year's first "Wanppong" (finishing all the jjambbong including the broth) achiever at a famous domestic spot known for its representative "spicy" jjambbong. On the 24th, Kim Jaejoong posted on his social media (SNS) with the caption, "The first Wanppong customer, that's me," along with a photo showing an empty jjambbong bowl.
[Photo by Kim Jaejoong Instagram]

This restaurant, located in Singil-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, specializes in spicy jjambbong. It is known as a spicy food hotspot with a level of heat that even people with a strong "maepbushim" (pride in eating spicy food) struggle to handle. The restaurant has even offered a lifetime free-use voucher for those who complete the "Wanppong." Instead of using capsaicin, the restaurant uses a chili powder made solely from Cheongyang chili peppers, Chinese yihchao, and Vietnamese taengcho, resulting in an extremely spicy flavor with warnings that say "Please do not eat."

Because of this, many famous broadcasters and YouTubers have visited. Broadcaster Kim Daehee challenged himself to eat the restaurant’s spicy jjambbong on his YouTube channel but gave up midway due to dizziness. About 10 years ago, on an SBS variety show, broadcasters Jo Seho, actress Nana, and Seo Kangjoon visited the restaurant, and Seo Kangjoon’s struggle to eat and his search for the restroom became a hot topic. The mukbang YouTuber Tzuyang (real name Park Jungwon), who has over 10 million subscribers, also visited last year and commented, "It's too spicy."

Meanwhile, excessive consumption of spicy food can damage the stomach lining and lead to gastritis. Capsaicin is hard to digest and tends to stimulate the stomach for a relatively long time. Moreover, spicy food can relax the sphincter between the stomach and esophagus, causing indigestion and heartburn. It can also irritate the colon tissue, worsening symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

In severe cases, it can even cause cancer. Capsaicin reduces the function of natural killer cells that attack cancer cells, promoting the development of stomach cancer and other cancers. According to research by Professor Kim Heonsik’s team at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, capsaicin itself is not a carcinogen, but excessive intake causes dysfunction in the cytoplasmic granule release of natural killer cells, promoting cancer development. To enjoy spicy food healthily, it is most important to consume an appropriate amount and to eat foods that neutralize spiciness, such as milk and eggs, to reduce irritation to the stomach.