In the special round of ENA 'Earth Monopoly World Travel 3,' 'Kwok Bawon' completed a dazzling gourmet festival with each of their travel partners at the 'Food Fiesta' set in Hong Kong and Macau. From Michelin-starred fine dining to local food loved by the residents, and the successful bungee jump from the highest point in the world, the stunning foods and thrilling attractions triggered a proper explosion of dopamine. As a result, the viewership skyrocketed, achieving a vertical increase to a maximum of 3.1%, breaking its own viewing record. (Nielsen Korea, based on households in the metropolitan area)
In the 8th episode of ENA 'Earth Monopoly World Travel 3' (hereinafter 'Earth Monopoly 3') aired on the 10th, three teams gathered in Hong Kong, a city of gourmet food, after completing their 3-round journey. Through the signature dice-throwing of 'Earth Monopoly,' Wonji and Cha Juyoung headed to the gastronomic connection of Hong Kong's Kowloon Peninsula, where the past and future coexist, while Kwok Tube and Lee Jangwoo went to the modern gastronomic center, Hong Kong Island, and the exotic seafood haven, Lantau Island. Pani Bottle and Jeong Jae-hyung headed to Macau, known as the small Europe of the East. Under the direction of Producer Kim Tae-ho, the doors of the 'Food Fiesta' were wide open for them to eat to their heart's content. As a result, the viewership surged to a peak of 3.1%, surpassing the season 3's highest viewership record. (Nielsen Korea, based on households in the metropolitan area) The scene where Pani Bottle attempts his first-ever bungee jump from the world's highest Macau Tower captured the peak one-minute rating.
First, Wonji and Cha Juyoung visited a Michelin 3-star restaurant in a 5-star hotel. This restaurant is one of only four Michelin 3-star Cantonese restaurants in the world, and the two savored a nine-course meal that included a golden plate of visual delights, Peking duck, abalone and sea cucumber stew, and Wagyu steak over three hours. They then moved to a market selling the traditional Hong Kong dessert, turtle jelly. This dessert, made from turtle shells and herbal medicine, is well known as a restorative food. However, upon hearing the explanation that it is made from 'real turtles,' Cha Juyoung was so shocked that he couldn't speak, while Wonji casually enjoyed the jelly, saying it seems to be good for health, creating a humorous contrast between their vastly different reactions.
In a place called Sam Sui Po, often referred to as the 'Seongsu-dong of Hong Kong,' the two found a local eatery famous for its meat noodles and kaya toast. Wonji stated, 'This is the best toast I've ever had in my life,' and continued to order more, while Cha Juyoung also remarked, 'This is exactly what I was looking for. I feel great to have found this restaurant by chance,' as they enjoyed the sweet taste of Hong Kong. After clearing their plates, they wrapped up a pleasant day.
However, there was a team that burst into laughter at Wonji's comment that 'If it's about the number of dishes, our team might be first,' and that team was Kwok Tube and Lee Jangwoo. Announcing a 24-hour eating broadcast, they exhibited an extraordinary 'eating tension' from the start amid everyone's expectations. They ordered an astonishing seven dishes at the famous Hong Kong soul food spot, Cha Chaan Teng, which even startled the restaurant staff for the first time. They then moved to Tai O, an old fishing village on Lantau Island, and, almost as if to ask if they just finished a great breakfast, filled their stomachs again with various seafood street food.
Against the backdrop of a beautiful sunset, Kwok Tube and Lee Jangwoo enjoyed a romantic stroll by the beach before returning to Hong Kong Island to visit a restaurant specializing in goose dishes, selected as a 'Bib Gourmand' (restaurants with good food at a reasonable price). From Hong Kong-style oyster omelette 'Ho Bang' to goose liver dish 'Oga,' the prowess of Lee Jangwoo, who can deduce the cooking process just by tasting unfamiliar local dishes, was remarkable. And the day didn't end there. At a retro-inspired Hong Kong indoor pub, their storm of eating various menus resulted in an incredible total of 24 dishes consumed, creating an overwhelming gourmet tour that no one could follow.
Finally, Pani Bottle and Jeong Jae-hyung headed to Macau, starting their Food Fiesta with noodle dishes from a local restaurant in the landmark Senado Square. They enjoyed the exotic flavors that felt like they had taken a bite of the Macau sea. Their true gourmet experience that evening took place at a restaurant that has maintained Michelin 2-star status for 15 consecutive years. Arriving in matching outfits, they were first captivated by the extravagant dragon lights worth hundreds of millions of won, and the scenery that looked like Macau's sunset was framed. As the 15-course meal began, they couldn't stop exclaiming in awe. Even Pani Bottle, who had previously shown no interest in gourmet food, was influenced by the gourmet fairy, Jeong Jae-hyung, creating a surprising scene where the tastes seemed to burst in their mouths.
The highlight of the day's broadcast was undoubtedly the bungee jump challenge from the Macau Tower, which was the goal of Pani Bottle's trip to Macau. This place, with a height comparable to about 83 floors of an APT., is regarded as the highest bungee jump in the world based on permanent bungee standards and is considered a holy land for extreme lovers worldwide. Although Pani Bottle, an activity enthusiast, was extremely tense at the breathtaking view beneath the jump platform, he jumped without hesitation at the countdown. The free fall, reaching a maximum speed of 200 km, triggered top-level dopamine. 'Isn't this crazy? I'm feeling stressed for him,' the studio couldn't contain their applause for his incredible courage.
The partners, who traveled from Mauritius and Egypt to Hong Kong and Macau with 'Kwok Bawon,' left heartfelt impressions. Jeong Jae-hyung noted, 'It was special to have Pani Bottle with us. The experiences that the travel creator has are incredible and inspiring,' while Lee Jangwoo expressed, 'It was such a satisfying trip that I want to go again with Junbin.' Cha Juyoung added, 'I was happy to visit countries and cities I wanted to go.' Just as their sentiments left a lasting impression, keywords for the new travel partners who will join in the fourth round were revealed, raising expectations. The 'Natural Person,' who packs only shorts, one swimsuit, and two t-shirts; the 'Package King,' who has hardly ever traveled independently, and the 'Domestic,' who has visited every inch of South Korea, all share a different style to pique curiosity about 'Kwok Bawon's' next journey. ENA's Saturday entertainment show 'Earth Monopoly World Travel 3' airs every Saturday at 7:50 p.m.
[Photo] Captured from the video of 'Earth Monopoly World Travel 3'
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