'The country's only cheonggukjang master' Seo Bun-rye reveals her glamorous past as a Gangnam building owner and the long-hidden untold story of her expansion into North Korea.
On EBS's Seo Jang-hoon's Neighbor Millionaire, which airs today (18th) at 9:55 p.m., the dramatic life story of food master No. 62, known as the 'cheonggukjang grandmother' Seo Bun-rye, who created the 10 billion won annual sales legend, unfolds. Seo Bun-rye, who faithfully preserved the traditional methods passed down through generations, rose to the only position of 'cheonggukjang master' in Korea with a single deep, weighty handmade flavor. This episode will reveal Seo Bun-rye's farm, boasting an area of as much as 30,000 pyeong, and the special know-how behind the master's jang flavor that immediately captivated Seo Jang-hoon, raising expectations even higher. In particular, after meeting Seo Jang-hoon, Seo Bun-rye affectionately declared that they are "of the same Dalseong Seo clan," adding to the entertainment.
Meanwhile, the dazzling heyday hidden behind her current modest and warm appearance grabs attention. Boasting a natural business sense, she took over her husband's failing travel agency and transformed it in the 1990s into a 'cash cow company' that earned as much as 10 billion won. She even built an 11-story building in the heart of Gangnam and proudly rose to the ranks of building owners; about that time she delivers a self-deprecating confession that surprised many: "To be honest, I lived arrogantly."
But the brilliant glory did not last long. A momentary crisis left her sitting atop tens of billions of won in debt, and she ultimately had to dispose of the building that had symbolized her success. Seo Bun-rye recalls the harrowing moment when she "even sold the children's first birthday rings," tracing the depths to which she had fallen. Seo Bun-rye's story, which plunged from the pinnacle of success to the brink of despair in an instant, can be seen on the broadcast.
Meanwhile, the episode also reveals another astonishing episode surrounding Seo Bun-rye: the hidden story tied to her advance into North Korea. Known far and wide as 'Dr. Jang' for her mastery to the point that people came from afar to learn her secret techniques, Seo Bun-rye received an unexpected request in 2006 to "build a doenjang factory in North Korea" and set foot on North Korean soil herself. Seo Bun-rye recalled, "When I first sat down with North Korean officials, I was so nervous I didn't know what to say." But a single remark from a North Korean official that followed moved her heart, and she ultimately decided to help them. She then successfully led the construction of a doenjang factory in North Korea and was featured prominently in North Korean newspapers under the name "doenjang omoni," leaving behind another legend.
From Gangnam building owner to penniless, and from Korea's only cheonggukjang master to a legendary artisan who won over even North Korea, Seo Bun-rye's tumultuous life will be fully revealed on EBS's Seo Jang-hoon's Neighbor Millionaire on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 9:55 p.m.
[Photo] 'Seo Jang-hoon's Neighbor Millionaire'
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