The final winner of 'Baek Jong-won's Les Misérables' who got to have their own shop was Joo Hyun-wook.
The final episode of ENA 'Baek Jong-won's Les Misérables' aired on the 22nd. The 100-day journey of 20 contestants with intense narratives, competing for what could be the first and last opportunity to turn their lives around, has come to an end. The contestants, who started with desperation, have begun to shed the label of 'loser' and started to transform into true merchants. The protagonist who seized the opportunity for a turnaround through the final victory was Joo Hyun-wook.
On this day, the TOP3 (08 Choi Jung-hyun, 14 Son Woo-sung, 16 Joo Hyun-wook) who made it through the fierce semifinals received their final mission for the finals. They opened their shops at Gwanghanru in Namwon and would run them for three days. The final victory would be determined by the net profit obtained over the three days. Baek Jong-won noted, "This mission is very close to actual business. Since the criterion is net profit, there are many things to keep in mind, such as turnover rate, inventory management, and profit margin. It is the most challenging mission."
The TOP3 approached their businesses with firm resolutions. 08 Choi Jung-hyun, who wanted to succeed to take revenge on the parents who abandoned him during his childhood, had the shortest cooking career among the TOP3, but he took a gamble on his excellent sociability and customer service skills. 14 Son Woo-sung, as the head of a family in his 40s with a debt of 500 million won, focused on his feelings of guilt and responsibility toward his family. 16 Joo Hyun-wook, whose father fell into a pyramid scheme and incurred a debt of 400 million won, had to give up sports, his major, to make a living by working in a kitchen. He entered the finale based on solid cooking skills and diligence.
The TOP3 clearly had their strengths and weaknesses. Since Baek Jong-won and the four leading chef mentors (Kim Min-seong, David Lee, Lim Tae-hoon, Yoon Nam-no) had closely monitored the TOP3's journey over 100 days, they watched the final with supportive hearts. However, true to the nature of the finals, the TOP3 were pushed to the brink both mentally and physically. 08 Choi Jung-hyun's voice, which was calling out customers until he was hoarse, had finally become exhausted, while 14 Son Woo-sung endured intense pain that reminded him of past health issues and relied on painkillers to hold on. 16 Joo Hyun-wook was utterly worn out by the flood of orders.
Despite this, what caught attention was the transformation and growth of the TOP3. In particular, 16 Joo Hyun-wook created a popular restaurant that people lined up for in Namwon within three days with the menu he perfected with the help of mentor Chef Lim Tae-hoon. As a result, the final victory was claimed by 16 Joo Hyun-wook, who recorded total sales of 11,616,000 won and a net profit of 6,030,066 won over the three days. The final winner, 16 Joo Hyun-wook, was given a start-up fund of 50 million won and the life-changing opportunity to have his own shop.
16 Joo Hyun-wook expressed, "I simply followed Chef Lim Tae-hoon and worked hard, and I am grateful that I was able to achieve this result. I also want to thank Baek Jong-won for creating this opportunity. I will work hard to show better results in the future," he remarked. He added, "I wanted to learn to cook so much, but it felt vague. I thought of Chef Lim Tae-hoon as the only model through which I could succeed. I feel like I've gained hope."
After determining the final winner, Baek Jong-won shared his heartfelt sentiments in an interview with the production team, saying, "Despite having been part of numerous broadcasts, I worry about how to manage the aftermath if it's not first place. This was trained very close to actual combat, and it's regretful. We should teach more and provide experiences to increase the likelihood of success. I want to show that the 'Les Misérables' contestants succeed and establish themselves. That way, more people will rise to the challenge."
Subsequently, on screen appeared the eliminated contestants from 'Baek Jong-won's Les Misérables,' including 02 Choi Yoon-seong, 03 Jeon Dong-jin, 04 Yang Kyung-min, 06 Kim Kuk-heon, 08 Choi Jung-hyun, 10 Yoo Ho-deok, 14 Son Woo-sung, and 18 Lim Young-jun. After four months, they were seen starting a new training to become merchants at the Budget Parlor Market. Their challenges continued beyond 100 days and into half a year. Along with this, the preparations of the final winner 16 Joo Hyun-wook for his own shop were also revealed.
'Baek Jong-won's Les Misérables' is a survival show initiated to show how crucial 'opportunity' is for those who have experienced failure. To this end, Baek Jong-won and the four chef mentors have done their utmost to stand by the contestants as teachers, mentors, and life seniors.
In response, the formerly reckless contestants wielded their 'desperation' as a weapon, facing challenges with all their might to grasp the miraculous opportunities that arose. Gradually, they began to change and grow, transforming into true merchants. By showcasing the importance of 'opportunity' and the 'miracles created by desperation' to the viewers at home, ENA 'Baek Jong-won's Les Misérables' is expected to leave a lasting impression.
[Photo] ENA 'Baek Jong-won's Les Misérables'
[OSEN=Reporter Kim Chae-yeon]