Paco, known as a landmark of the Eiffel Tower, expressed deep affection for Korea.
On the 26th broadcast of MBC every1's entertainment program 'Welcome, First Time in Korea', Frenchman Paco and his friends Jamil and Max were on their second day of traveling in Korea. They chose meat for their first meal on the first day. Using the Korean they learned from Paco, they said "I'm hungry" and went to a meat restaurant. Apart from the coffee they drank at the airport, they had eaten nothing.
Max was so hungry that he wanted three servings right away, but Jamil stopped him, saying, "If you order meat, they will give side dishes to accompany it. If you eat like that and order more, they will give more. Just eat like that." Jamil said confidently, "I worked at a Korean restaurant. 'Chi-i-iik' is the sound of meat grilling, and 'chak-chak-chak' is the sound of cutting meat. When you hear 'chi-i-iik' one more time, that's when you flip it."
Paco ordered fluently in Korean. But the owner said, "It's difficult to order just one serving of meat. Orders start at two servings." As German Danielle feared, aside from being good at Korean, the culture actually used locally was quite different.
But Paco immediately explained in French to his friends, "You can't order only one portion of meat. It's available from two portions," and then explained in Korean, "Owner, two portions of meat each, and later one seafood pancake and one earthenware pot bulgogi, please." Jamil grilled the meat himself, and the restaurant owner gave them Jeju candied tangerine slices as a service for grilling the meat they were supposed to grill. Max said, "The meat had juices and was mild, so it was good," and Jamil said, "Even high-end restaurants in France don't taste like this," expressing admiration for the taste.
Next, Paco decided to visit the National Museum of Korea the following day's itinerary. Paco even dutifully signed up for an English guide. His friends also had many things they wanted to learn, and especially Max, when looking at the Bangasayusang, recalled Rodin's The Thinker. Fabian said, "I think of him as Korea's Rodin," conveying the profound feeling of the Bangasayusang.
Fabian said, "I work as a docent at several museums. After 'Kedeheon' came out, there's even more craze. You have to visit once to know Korea. Especially the National Museum of Korea has truly amazing relics from prehistoric times," saying that the National Museum of Korea is really a place you must visit. As of 2025, the National Museum of Korea, visited by 6.5 million people, remains a hot place and is one of the must-visit Korean tourist sites for foreigners.
Paco said, "Korea is different from the past. Now it is a country that lives well as an upper-class nation. I want to learn Korea's history. I want to learn directly how Korea lived. I heard there are places like the Louvre Museum," explaining why he came here. Paco asked the guide, "Hasn't this location been moved several times? Wasn't the move to Yongsan the last one? Why was it moved?" Guide Jeong Jin-seon said, "I would rather ask more. Even Koreans don't know well. This museum has moved many times," expressing surprise.
They could not hide their amazement as they learned about Korea's ancient history and the principles of Hangul creation. When they encountered the Bangasayusang, they were left speechless. Max said, "I told my friends I liked Rodin's 'The Thinker' more than the Bangasayusang," and added, "It's not a matter of better or worse; they seem completely different. Looking into the inner self is really a difficult thing," speaking of the depth and tranquility of the contemplative statue.
The guide said, "The contemplative statue has a religious character, so that's likely why. In the past, people used to pray while looking at Buddhist statues. It's actually interesting. It's surprising that people associate Rodin with the contemplative statue," offering her view.
Paco said, "I don't think I will have regrets in life. Everything was learning," expressing his love for Korea, saying he will "definitely visit museums in all regions of Korea."
[Photo credit] MBC every1 entertainment 'Welcome, First Time in Korea'
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