Daily Shincho Reports on the Success of "Kodokuna Gourmet" Movie
Highlights Influence of the Drama on South Korea's Honbap Culture and Japanese Tonkatsu Popularity
Mentions "President Yoon, a Fan of Kodokuna Gourmet"
Notes the Irony of His Detention as a "True Solitary Gourmet"
President Yoon Suk-yeol is having lunch with merchants from Uijeongbu Jeil Market, enjoying Budae Jjigae, a representative dish of Uijeongbu, near the market. 2024.0.15. Photo by the Presidential Office
As the theatrical version of the Japanese drama "Kodokuna Gourmet" is enjoying box office success in Japan, Japanese media covered the program's popularity and influence in South Korea, mentioning President Yoon Suk-yeol. They reported on the ironic situation of President Yoon, a fan of Kodokuna Gourmet, being detained in custody, describing him as having become a "true solitary gourmet."
On the 24th, the Japanese media outlet Daily Shincho reported that "Kodokuna Gourmet has changed South Korea's food culture." Starring actor Matsushige Yutaka, "Kodokuna Gourmet The Movie," released on January 29, has attracted 630,000 viewers and surpassed 900 million yen in box office revenue, marking a success. This film adaptation of the drama series, which aired up to season 10 on TV Tokyo, tells the adventurous story of Inogashira Goro, an imported goods dealer played by Matsushige, who travels around the world in search of food. It became a hot topic as Matsushige took on directing and screenwriting duties for the first time. In South Korea, filming resumed for the Korean scenes originally shot during season 7, drawing attention. The theatrical version also features actor Yoo Jae-myung, who appeared in "Itaewon Class," which was remade in Japan, playing an immigration officer and appearing in a scene where Matsushige enjoys delicious Hwangtae soup.
The media noted, "Kodokuna Gourmet has gained great popularity in South Korea, with a Korean business trip episode produced in season 7," adding, "When aired in Korea, Japanese menus were localized into Korean, increasing accessibility for viewers." A food specialist told the media, "Traditionally in Korea, the culture strongly emphasizes 'meals are shared with others,' so eating alone carried a negative image of being a 'lonely person.' However, due to the drama's influence, resistance to eating alone has decreased, and the concept of 'honbap' (eating alone) has even taken root."
The media analyzed that the influence of Kodokuna Gourmet led to a rapid increase in Japanese restaurants in South Korea. The number of Japanese-style restaurants, which was about 5,000 in 2006, grew more than fourfold to approximately 22,000 in 2022, with further increases in the past one to two years. The media pointed out that Japanese-style eateries have become noticeably abundant in Seoul's Sinchon, Hongdae, and Gangnam areas, with tonkatsu restaurants being the most popular among them. They reported, "Along the road from Sinchon Rotary to Yonsei University, there are four tonkatsu specialty restaurants spaced about 10 meters apart."
President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife held a friendship dinner with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife on March 16, 2023. Photo provided by the Presidential Office
The media especially noted, "The boom in Japanese food in South Korea is also related to President Yoon Suk-yeol's efforts to improve Korea-Japan relations after his inauguration in 2022," explaining, "As more Korean tourists visited Japan, they naturally encountered Japanese cuisine, leading to more Koreans enjoying Japanese dishes." They continued, "President Yoon was known as an avid viewer of Kodokuna Gourmet, but he is currently detained on charges of insurrection and held in a detention center," adding, "Ironically, President Yoon is now living the life of a 'true solitary gourmet' in a solitary cell."
In fact, President Yoon became a topic of interest in Japan during his visit in March 2023 as a fan of Kodokuna Gourmet. On March 16, after a meeting with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, he discussed Kodokuna Gourmet during a second dinner at a Western-style restaurant in Ginza, a bustling district in Tokyo. At that time, First Lady Kim Kun-hee remarked, "How does the protagonist eat so much without gaining weight?" The restaurant owner reportedly replied, "The drama's protagonist has also been here; it's true he eats a lot, but he makes tremendous efforts to lose weight." The Yomiuri Shimbun published an exclusive interview with President Yoon at his Seoul Yongsan office on the 15th, coinciding with his visit to Japan, reporting, "President Yoon said he likes Japanese food and always watches the Japanese drama 'Kodokuna Gourmet' when it airs in Korea."
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