tvN real gangsta "Chagane" took over Shizuoka, the wasabi holy land, with the spicy chemistry of its crew.
In episode 5 of "Chagane," which aired Thursday the 5th, the Chagane crew traveled to Shizuoka, Japan, known as the "holy land of wasabi," to lay the groundwork for expanding their spicy-flavor business. Amid ongoing research and cooking focused on top-grade wasabi, Cha Seung-won, Choo Sung Hoon, Tomi, DinDin and Danigu added to the crew's spicy chemistry, capturing viewers' attention. That episode ranked first among all channels in its time slot, including terrestrial broadcasters, in the tvN target demographic of adults 20-49 in both the Seoul metropolitan area and nationwide household ratings (Nielsen Korea, paid platforms).
The Chagane crew headed to Shizuoka with big dreams of business expansion, but they were greeted by a secluded forest path. The identity of a mysterious couple waiting at the destination was also revealed. Not only were there fields filled with top-grade wasabi, but they were even operating a campsite where visitors could experience harvesting wasabi. The Chagane crew launched a full-scale infiltration operation to uncover the secrets of the nose-tingling "green spice" wasabi.
DinDin was in charge of the first dinner in Shizuoka. The crew went grocery shopping together, and under the elder members' coaxing(?), DinDin, attempting his first dish, said it was "the most nerve-wracking moment of my cooking life" and showed more caution than ever. The final checkout came to a whopping 450,000 won. Boss Cha Seung-won delivered a practical scolding toward Choo Sung Hoon and the Tomi brothers, who were piling up eggs, saying, "We're going to go bankrupt at this rate," prompting laughter.
DinDin used top-grade fresh wasabi to attempt wasabi cucumber salad and wasabi shiitake mushroom jang. He struggled alone grating fresh wasabi, and the surprisingly indifferent reactions provoked laughter. Adding to the mix were Cha Seung-won and Choo Sung Hoon, who prepared their own signature dishes, creating an unexpected three-way cooking showdown. Cha Seung-won dropped dried Thai chilies into a broth pack to present a spicy fish cake soup that was "half chili, half fish cake," while Choo Sung Hoon mixed his secret chili oil ra-yu with soy sauce to make appetizing pan-fried dumplings. Having burned dumplings while in Thailand, Cha Seung-won continued an unseen mind game with Choo Sung Hoon's provocation, adding to the hilarity.
When all the dishes were ready, the crew launched a standing mukbang. The fish cake soup Cha Seung-won personally boiled was so popular that refill requests poured in, and Choo Sung Hoon's pan-fried dumplings received strong approval. DinDin's wasabi shiitake mushroom jang drew praise that "it goes well with rice," and DinDin sighed in relief, saying, "I'm just glad I didn't get scolded." After a satisfying dinner, the Chagane crew all agreed, "Indeed, wasabi is difficult."
The next day's schedule was a mission to infiltrate a wasabi field. Starting with Danigu, who woke up without an alarm, the Chagane crew headed to the wasabi field to harvest directly. They harvested wasabi that grows in flowing water at 14 degrees Celsius, aiming to uncover deeper secrets. The crew learned about wasabi in depth by performing every step of harvesting as well as trimming and washing by hand. Danigu transformed into a "wasabi fanatic," performing a harvest performance that added to the laughter.
For breakfast, DinDin's wasabi soy sauce egg rice and Cha Seung-won's kimchi stew were served. In particular, DinDin leveled a "fact bomb" at Cha Seung-won, who was unfamiliar with using a camping burner, saying, "You haven't gotten used to doing it, so that's why," and rose to the rank of "the youngest who bossed the boss." Cha Seung-won was thrown off by Chief of Staff DinDin's unexpected boldness and, in a scene that prompted laughter, complained to second-in-command Choo Sung Hoon, "I almost got stepped on (?)/I was almost walked over."
After a short and intense business trip to Shizuoka, a journey to Tokyo awaited. The Chagane crew moved to Tokyo to pursue deeper spicy-flavor exploration and looked for a hot, trendy soup curry restaurant there. It was a restaurant where you could adjust the spice level, and the crew tasted and analyzed each level. After trying the medium spiciness, Cha Seung-won said, "I oppose flavors this spicy," and gave up, while again mentioning the satisfactory chubasco sauce. Choo Sung Hoon, who developed the chubasco sauce himself in Thailand, and boss Cha Seung-won once more engaged in a nerve game over the sauce's equity, adding excitement.
As the Chagane crew prepared to part with DinDin, who had to leave early due to scheduling, they set out to make special memories. They tried sticker-photo booths popular in Japan. While Choo Sung Hoon and the younger members showed unreal visuals with "heavy facial retouching," Cha Seung-won had the audience in stitches when his photo failed facial recognition. With the spicy back-and-forth between the elders and juniors continuing nonstop, anticipation grew for what stories would unfold in Tokyo.
Meanwhile, tvN "Chagane" is a real spicy-flavor sitcom about the gangsta family "Chagane," who are aiming for a life-changing hit by developing a new spicy sauce, and it airs every Thursday at 8:40 p.m.
[Photo] "Chagane"
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