The climate and environment project "Chef of Antarctica" (production: STUDIO X+U, MBC) saw Paik Jong-won, Im Soo-hyang, Suho and Chae Jong Hyeop share a special final dinner with the wintering crew as they wrapped up life in Antarctica.
In the episode aired on the 22nd of the "Chef of Antarctica," Im Soo-hyang and Chae Jong Hyeop took on special duties and a night watch. Because problems can occur anytime and anywhere, the crew members stood watch from 6 p.m., when everyone finished work once a week, until 8 a.m. the next day. Im Soo-hyang took the watch in the communications room with crew member Min Jun-hong, and Chae Jong Hyeop took the watch in the maintenance unit with crew member Lee Chang-jae.
Antarctica, dry and called a white desert, spreads fire very quickly because of the fierce winds if a fire breaks out. If buildings that protect against the cold are lost to fire, the crew would be exposed to extreme cold. Therefore, fire prevention, which is directly linked to survival, must be thoroughly prepared for. Im Soo-hyang made rounds to check the condition of heating devices throughout the base and checked whether the proper temperature was maintained to prevent freezing. At King Sejong Station, water is taken from a lake where snow has melted and purified for use, and Chae Jong Hyeop checked the water tank levels to see if there were any problems with water supply. Chae Jong Hyeop said, "Standing watch together even for a short time made me feel it isn't easy. I think the sense of responsibility hit me," and felt proud. Im Soo-hyang also said, "It was a fresh experience. I really felt like I became a member of the wintering crew."
At the same time, Paik Jong-won and Suho prepared a late-night meal for the wintering crew. Late-night meals at King Sejong Station usually meant eating leftovers or preparing instant noodles on one's own. With that in mind, the "Chef of Antarctica" team prepared anchovy noodle soup as a late-night menu that everyone could eat together and that would warm them with hot broth. Expectations rose among the wintering crew for their first communal late-night meal in Antarctica. The crew praised it, saying, "It's refreshing," and "It feels like a street food stall." Suho said, "I was happy because the crew said they liked eating food that stirred their nostalgia."
The four of the "Chef of Antarctica" decided to prepare bibimbap for their last dinner the day before they left Antarctica. Suho suggested, "I proposed it because many countries come together in Antarctica, and the wintering crew, who met here for the first time and live together like a family, are like bibimbap made of many mixed ingredients," and it resonated with everyone. They prepared toppings from a variety of greens and vegetables including sweet potato stems, radish greens, pumpkin, eggplant, carrot, rape blossom greens and young leaf mustard. They finished the bibimbap ingredients by adding beef for flavor. To complete the table, they even included makgeolli made with the purified water from King Sejong Station, which is made by purifying Antarctic snow as soon as it arrives.
With the wintering crew's expectations high, Suho explained the menu choice, saying, "I personally felt the unity in Antarctica. I prepared it with the idea that everyone becomes one, like bibimbap where a variety of ingredients are mixed." Bibimbap was a difficult dish for the station's regular chef to prepare alone because it requires a lot of work. The crew, who tasted the bibimbap the four prepared with combined efforts, said, "I didn't expect to eat like this in Antarctica," and enjoyed the final dinner. They also told the four, who had to leave the next day, "Don't go tomorrow because the weather will be bad," and "Don't go home," expressing regret at the parting.
Im Soo-hyang, tearing up, said, "It felt like a final farewell. I felt very moved. I feel I received a lot of love." Suho came out with an acoustic guitar and comforted the last night with an original song. After arriving in Antarctica and finishing hard kitchen work, Suho composed an original song weaving together the stories of the wintering crew called "A letter from Antarctica (I'll be here)." At Suho's first live performance of his original song, everyone — including Paik Jong-won, Im Soo-hyang and Chae Jong Hyeop as well as the wintering crew — was completely captivated.
To the four leaving Antarctica, Commander Lee Hyung-geun presented a Taegeukgi that contained messages from the wintering crew. On behalf of the 37th wintering team, Commander Lee Hyung-geun expressed gratitude, saying, "All the wintering crew had a great time and it remained a good memory for us." Thus, the chilly but warm journey of "Chef of Antarctica" came to an end. <
[Photo] "Chef of Antarctica"
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