The chef's chef, Jeong Kwan, shared the story of how he chose to become a monk.
In the episode that aired on the 26th, Jeong Kwan from Baegyangsa Cheonjinam, who has researched temple food for 50 years, appeared on tvN's entertainment show 'You Quiz on the Block.'
Jeong Kwan said, "When I was 7 or 8 years old, there was a vegetable garden behind the kitchen of my house. I picked eggplants there and made three dishes, including frying eggplant pancakes. My father saw that and said, 'Among my daughters, she is the best.'"
Jeong Kwan surprised everyone by saying he was a former handball player before becoming a monk. He noted, "My nickname was tadpole. I scored many points from the center with my swift moves. I was also called '100 laps around Yeongju.' I used to check events while running 100 laps around Yeongju every day," which made everyone burst into laughter.
Jeong Kwan said he has continued his practice for 52 years with temple food. He named shiitake mushrooms as his favorite ingredient, stating, "They can be used in soups, stews, and when cooking rice. Just one ingredient can make all kinds of dishes."
Jeong Kwan shared, "My mother passed away suddenly when I was in my second year of high school. I felt a deep sorrow and sadness. I thought, if I were to get married, would I inflict the same pain on my children? I felt I needed to break the cycle of fate. Twenty days after my mother passed, I became a monk," drawing attention.
Jeong Kwan said, "I left home in the dead of night. I didn't even tell my family." He added, "At that time, I loved collecting stamps and had about 7 or 8 books. My turntable was my first asset. I packed my stamp book and turntable and left."
Jeong Kwan stated, "Every day was so enjoyable. I didn't think about my parents or friends. Seven years later, my family came to visit me together. I returned at night after running away."
Jeong Kwan mentioned, "My father stayed at the temple for about a week and caused a scene. He spat in the yard and said, 'How can you live in a place like this? Let's go home.' I took the shiitake mushrooms and pot I was called for and went with my father to the valley."
Jeong Kwan shared, "I gathered firewood and talked with my father about various things. I boiled the shiitake mushrooms for about 3 hours and served them to my father. After finishing them, he said he would say goodbye. In front of all the monks, he rudely apologized, called my secular name, and took three bows before leaving."
Jeong Kwan said, "I received news of my father's passing just a week after he returned home." He added, "When I went home, my siblings informed me. Even though he was my younger brother, he left a will to respect the monk."
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