Chapter 26

Chapter 26

A Real Man’s My Way

<​Sura’s Kitchen>

A broadcast currently running at number 1 in entertainment program viewership that anyone in the Republic of Korea with even a little interest in cooking wouldn’t not know.

Bong-gu asked with a shocked face.

“Th, that famous program, why here...?”

“We came because we have urgent words to deliver after meeting the chef of Jin Myeong Gak directly. Can we meet the chef right now?”

At that time, the parents who were organizing ingredients in the kitchen approached the hall side.

“Customers already entered··· oh my?”

When the mother was bewildered seeing Kim PD’s group, Bong-gu hurriedly approached and said.

“Madam, there they came from K broadcasting station. They say they’re the Sura’s Kitchen production team?”

“Su, Sura’s Kitchen? That famous cooking broadcast?”

“Yes, there.”

“...!”

“...!”

Why suddenly that famous broadcast production team?

They thought that then soon the person who rose in the two people’s minds.

‘Namgung Wi!’

The celebrity who suddenly came to Jin Myeong Gak, left strange words to Jin Myeong and escaped as if fleeing.

Wasn’t that broadcast where that Namgung Wi sits as the main judge exactly that ‘Sura’s Kitchen’.

“Ho, honey··· by any chance did they come because of that matter yesterday?”

“Seems... like that.”

The two were looking at each other with uneasy eyes.

*

Outside the restaurant, the murmuring of people standing in the waiting line gradually began to grow larger.

“Did you see the letters written on the staff bag there? It said ‘Sura’s Kitchen’.”

At those words people went into chaos.

“What?! Sura’s Kitchen?! That cooking survival where that Namgung Wi chef appears as judge?!”

“Where, where!”

People approached the glass window and looked inside.

“Crazy, it’s real! Jackpot! Then the broadcasting station came directly for casting?!”

“Somehow, from when Namgung Wi appeared I felt there was something!”

People began making a fuss as if they couldn’t believe it.

“But isn’t it a bit strange? That broadcast is a survival where you have to survive with various cookings. Here they only sell one single menu of jajangmyeon and they’re going there?”

“Eh··· hearing it, right? How do they compete with those renowned chefs with one jajangmyeon?”

“Moreover yesterday Namgung Wi suffered such humiliation here and left, does it make sense they came to call him to appear on the broadcast where that Namgung Wi is? Rather didn’t they come in holding a grudge?”

“If holding a grudge they would have done it another way. Breaking with broadcast or something. But people coming directly is strange.”

“Hearing it, right.”

In that way it was noisy with confusion and excitement.

*

“So, so··· you’re not saying you came because of Namgung Wi chef?”

At the parents’ words the youngest assistant director Kim PD was startled and shook both hands.

“No, we rather came to escort the chef!”

“Esc, escort···?”

Kim PD brought out the main point in a highly excited voice.

“Our production team is preparing to organize a jajangmyeon special feature episode in the middle of the regular broadcast this time. We’re trying to gather jajangmyeon masters nationwide and hold a competition. And we definitely want to escort the chef of this Jin Myeong Gak there so we came directly like this!”

At those words the parents were surprised.

“Spe, special episode···? Our Jin-myeong···?”

“Yes! We hope you come unconditionally!”

Kim PD continued speaking with a face determined to get approval somehow.

“These days if you don’t know Jin Myeong Gak on the internet and SNS you’re completely a spy!”

“Ayu, that much...”

“No, no. Even Namgung Wi chef came directly, and famous YouTubers and even foreign tourists come because they fell for that taste.”

“Well...”

The parents couldn’t come to their senses at the pouring praise.

“What meaning is there in a jajangmyeon special missing the Jin Myeong Gak chef whose topicality exploded like this and whose skill is also overwhelming! Please, think of it as saving our production team and help us so we can definitely escort!”

“Keueueueueok!!”

In an instant, a bizarre sound like a beast’s roar echoed loudly through the restaurant hall.

“Euhik!”

“Mom!”

The youngest assistant director Kim PD and the broadcasting station staff freaked out and looked back.

There the huge-bodied Bong-gu was trembling all over with both fists clenched.

“To escort our master hyung··· to that best stage···! Heueuk!”

Bong-gu was tearing up from being choked with emotion and pounding his wide chest with puk puk.

Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!

“Eueoeo!”

At that appearance the staff were terrified.

There was even a person seriously worrying whether if they said something wrong their limbs would be torn by that monster.

But at that time.

Someone walked out alone from the kitchen serving window side.

Blank and languidly sunk pupils.

It was Jin Myeong of a young-looking face roughly wearing a white t-shirt over loose pants.

“Eh?!”

Kim PD who confirmed Jin Myeong opened his eyes wide.

Then he hurriedly ran in front of Jin Myeong avoiding the gorilla(?) who still hadn’t come to his senses and was sniffling.

“Che, chef! Good day! I am Kim PD of the K broadcasting station Sura’s Kitchen production team!”

Kim PD bent his waist 90 degrees and held out the business card with both hands.

“...”

But Jin Myeong didn’t even look at the business card and blankly looked down at him.

It was an indifferent gaze with no emotional agitation at all.

“This time we specially planned a national jajangmyeon special, and we came directly to escort because we want to inform the chef’s tremendous skill nationwide!”

Kim PD’s words pouring like a machine gun.

But Jin Myeong as soon as his words ended lightly tilted his chin and spat out shortly.

“If you want to eat, come and eat.”

“···Yes?”

“Don’t say come and go, come yourself and eat.”

“...!”

Kim PD’s mouth fell open.

It was that dream stage that any chef in the Republic of Korea would be anxious to go out at least once.

But that appearance of no interest is something?

Kim PD who fell into shock hurriedly came to his senses.

“Che, chef! The winning prize money is a whopping 200 million won! 200 million won! Moreover our program viewership is overwhelming 1st in the same time slot. If you appear on the broadcast once this shop will become a huge hit incomparable to now because of the tremendous promotional effect! You can earn a fortune!”

Money and honor.

It would be impossible to refuse.

Kim PD waited for Jin Myeong’s answer with a face full of conviction.

But.

“······.”

There was no change at all on Jin Myeong’s expression.

“There...”

“...”

Prize money 200 million?

Tremendous promotional effect?

Jin Myeong snorted inwardly.

Soon the debt will be all cleared.

Moreover Jin Myeong had recently watched that cooking broadcast called ‘Sura’s Kitchen’ on the smartphone.

‘Fellows without skill.’

The cooking of the chefs who come out on the broadcast and show off was merely crude pranks full of only superficial style.

At least Namgung Wi sitting in the judges’ seat had the highest level of taste among them.

But even the real Namgung Wi is a brat anyway.

But receiving evaluation from even lower ones than that?

Ridiculous talk.

So he indifferently threw one word.

“Not doing.”

“Yes?! Ah, no! Chef! Please think just once more···! Do you know how tremendous an opportunity this is?!”

“Not doing.”

“Che, chef!!”

Kim PD was going crazy.

No interest even in 200 million won prize money and tremendous promotion.

He clutched his head in frustration and this time clung toward the parents standing behind.

“Th, there boss! Madam! Please persuade a bit! Are you going to kick away the fortune that rolled in like this? This is a tremendous opportunity!”

At Kim PD’s earnest request the parents looked at each other once, then soon shook their heads with calm faces.

“We’ll do as Jin-myeong does.”

“Yes. Right.”

Even if it was the past, the current Jin Myeong was everything of Jin Myeong Gak.

They couldn’t forcibly send the son out to the broadcast when he doesn’t want to.

“No, even the bosses doing this what to do!”

Just when Kim PD was clinging with a crying face.

“Keueueu···!”

A thick nasal sound was heard from behind.

‘Indeed our master hyung! That firmness that doesn’t shake even in front of a large sum! A true real man who silently pushes his own will more than worldly money and honor or whatever! This is a real chef!’

Bong-gu nodded his head drunk on infinite respect for Jin Myeong, then soon blocked in front of Kim PD.

Bong-gu’s eyes shone fiercely.

“Don’t interfere with business, go outside while speaking nicely. Since our hyung said he won’t do it, it’s over.”

“Th, there! Just a bit more conversation···!”

“Go out!!”

“Euaak!”

“Mom!”

“Euheek!”

Chased by Bong-gu’s vicious momentum the broadcasting station staff were flusteredly pushed outside the restaurant.

Ding!

“...”

Kim PD who was thrown outside Jin Myeong Gak blankly looked up at the firmly closed glass door with a dejected expression.

“Haa··· going crazy, really.”

Kim PD covered his head with both hands and screamed a scream of despair.

“Oh my, were those people really kicked out?”

“Seems like it?”

Dozens of waiting customers were looking at the staff with bewildered eyes.

A group wearing vests with the K broadcasting station logo embedded were pushed out like luggage so it was natural that people’s gazes concentrated.

Some quick-footed people took out smartphones and began filming this scene.

“PD, PD···. Shall we just go back like this?”

The youngest writer beside Kim PD said with a flustered face.

Another staff also added with a soul-left expression.

“If we go empty-handed we’ll all die. Shouldn’t we somehow go in again and try to persuade?”

At the staff’s urging Kim PD was also going crazy.

The main PD’s thunderous order that would rage right away vividly flickered in front of his eyes.

He tightly clenched his trembling fist and tried to take steps toward the glass door again.

“Th, yeah. Somehow just once more conversation···!”

But.

“······.”

Kim PD’s steps couldn’t advance even one step forward.

Beyond the firmly closed restaurant glass door, Bong-gu of rough build was standing firm in front of the door with arms exactly crossed.

With fierce eyes wide open, a vicious momentum as if he would smash them right away if they just entered.

“For now··· let’s go back.”

“Haa···.”

In the end Kim PD and the staff began escaping the alley as if fleeing with deeply lowered heads and slumped shoulders.

The people in the waiting line watching that appearance began murmuring all at once.

“Crazy! Really kicked out!”

“Wow, this house is a jackpot really! It seemed the Sura’s Kitchen staff came for casting!”

“Made even Namgung Wi flee, and even the Sura’s Kitchen staff?!”

“If going out on that broadcast the prize money would be in the hundreds of millions. Seems this place really has no interest in money or honor. Only my way!”

“Wow, a real man! Swag is no joke!”

And a few hours later.

The smartphone camera videos of people who witnessed all this situation began pouring out simultaneously through YouTube and TikTok, various SNS and online communities.

[‘Sura’s Kitchen’ production team, story of getting entrance cut at neighborhood Chinese restaurant ㅋㅋㅋ]

[Jin Myeong Gak real man chef class ㄷㄷ]

[Following Namgung Wi mental breakdown, even the broadcasting station stripped]

Short form videos with stimulating and intuitive thumbnails and titles spread at a crazy speed riding the algorithm.

The pitiful appearance of K broadcasting station staff being flusteredly pushed outside the restaurant after being turned away at the door.

Even the face of the mosaic-processed staff standing with a soul-left expression outside the restaurant door.

The views were literally explosive.

In less than half a day after upload they lightly broke through millions of views, and the comment windows attached to each video began raging.

-Wow crazy ㅋㅋㅋ

-Stripped Sura’s Kitchen production team a day after Namgung Wi got stripped ㅋㅋㅋ What on earth is the identity of this house?

-No, the prize money is 200 million and refusing it in one cut? Is it real having no greed for money?

└ It’s not that there’s no greed for money but having that much conviction in his own skill. With that skill he can sweep money for life even without going out on broadcast and doing clown acts so why say regretful words?

└ ㄹㅇ A true skilled person doesn’t bow his head to power or money. Really fucking cool.

-But look at the pose of that large hyung guarding the door ㄷㄷ Thought Zhang Fei of Romance of the Three Kingdoms reincarnated ㅋㅋㅋ

-Look at the expression ㅋㅋㅋ Soul left ㅋㅋㅋ

The appearance of the young chef confronting all authority trusting only his own cooking skill one thing gave people tremendous catharsis.

The broadcasting station entrance cut incident following Namgung Wi’s humiliation.

With this incident Jin Myeong Gak began to be recognized as the holy land of an absolute master who doesn’t compromise with authority.

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