The joint investment in a meat restaurant by Ha Ha and Kim Jong-kook has come to a close.
On the 20th, the KBS2 program 'Boss's ears are donkey's ears' featured chef Jeong Ji-sun visiting the restaurant of his first disciple, Jin-mo.
That day, chef Jin-mo revealed that the basement of his restaurant is 'Ha Ha hyung's studio,' drawing attention. Chef Jeong Ji-sun remarked, 'Ha Ha hyung is a regular customer at our place. He is also close to Go Eun (Star). The kids really love it,' and chef Jin-mo confidently stated, 'There's a menu that's a bit better than yours, chef.' This prompted a competitive response from chef Jeong Ji-sun, who suggested, 'Are we under Ha Ha hyung? Should we go see him after a long time?'
Later, Ha Ha mentioned, 'Jin-mo knows what we prepare. He has observed the work closely. He provides the daily meal and takes care of the dishes,' sharing his close relationship with chef Jin-mo. He also introduced Yang Se-chan, Shin Dong-yeob, and Tei to chef Jin-mo's restaurant.
Chef Jeong Ji-sun noted, 'I heard they spend around 300,000 to 500,000 won on company dinners at Jin-mo's place. Last time, Shin Dong-yeob came and expressed his desire for some whiskey, which they don't serve, so they offered him something else, and he ended up paying 1 million won before leaving,' surprising everyone.
Then chef Jeong Ji-sun asked, 'I heard Go Eun has been shedding more tears,' and Ha Ha responded, 'I don't know. Watching the public service ads made me realize there's a problem when I cry.' He mentioned experiencing menopause, saying, 'I feel hot and my emotional swings are intense. Honestly, what surprised me was a flyer in the rain that got soaked and stuck to the ground. I looked at it and thought it looked like me. This flyer looks so weak. I was touched seeing it trampled and torn like my own situation. That's when I realized this is menopause.'
Chef Jeong Ji-sun expressed concern, asking, 'Are you having a hard time?' to which Ha Ha replied, 'It's more of a feeling of being overwhelmed. Watching the kids grow makes me emotional. Are they too good? I feel overwhelmed and sad at the same time. It's over-immersion. There are complex emotions. Firstly, I feel sad. I was sad just now.'
He asked, 'Does Ji-sun have nothing sad going on? Is she always proactive and brave?' Chef Jeong Ji-sun replied, 'I don't have the leisure to be sad. I'm really living hard. Every month is packed.'
Ha Ha inquired, 'Don't you come to the store?' and Chef Jeong Ji-sun explained, 'I occasionally go to the store, and I've been invited abroad for events and various activities.' When asked if he was overwhelmed, he casually responded, 'As long as I get one IV drip, I'm fine. It's just my style,' which surprised everyone.
Especially during the conversation, Ha Ha stated, 'This really is the restaurant business. If I finish this well, I won't do it again. I wouldn't do it even if I died. I closed down the two places I was managing directly.'
Chef Jeong Ji-sun empathized, saying, 'These days, all self-employed people are struggling,' and Ha Ha lamented, 'There seems to be no answer. There was one in Myeongdong, but there wasn't even an ant there. I survived two years with no income. Think about the rent. I cried every day. Many of my friends and siblings around me have closed their businesses. It's been so tough,' reflecting on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also expressed his regrets to Kim Jong-kook, who co-invested. Ha Ha said, 'When I say, 'Hyung, I'm sorry,' he responds, 'What are you sorry for?' It's touching. When I thanked him, saying, 'Thank you for understanding me, hyung,' he replied, 'I had already thought this money was gone seven years ago.' This elicited laughter.
He continued, 'I get calls asking, 'Is your restaurant available for reservations?' with a hint of sarcasm, saying, 'Your restaurant?' He then described, 'It feels like I'm just hanging in there,' and turning to Jeong Ji-sun, he suggested, 'How about a collaboration with dongpa-yuk since I run a pork belly restaurant? I should invite Jong-kook hyung sometimes for pop-up events. Wouldn't that be fun? Think about it for a sec,' and chef Jeong Ji-sun agreed, saying, 'I think it would be fun,' raising expectations for their collaboration.
Meanwhile, Ha Ha has been running a meat restaurant business with friends since 2014, and he started a partnership with Kim Jong-kook's investment in 2017. However, due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the business faced difficulties and eventually began the process of closing down.
[Photo] OSEN DB, KBS2
[OSEN]