Early that afternoon.
After finishing the opening and meal scenes at a spacious snack bar, the Our Table team split up. The filming teams moved separately as Ahn Jonghak, Yeon Baekgwang, Ha Gangsu, Hwarin, Kang Woojin, and Hong Hyeyeon were divided into different groups.
That was because each mentor had a different filming location.
Out of those three teams, PD Yoon Byeongseon joined the kitchen team, meaning Kang Woojin and Hong Hyeyeon's side. Since the whole concept of Our Table revolved around cooking, it was only natural, visually and practically, for the chief PD himself to be there.
Even so—
"Alright, let's start getting ready now!!"
It was natural that Kang Woojin's team would head to the set, but the place they arrived at was no ordinary location. It was a kitchen studio. Since they were filming cooking scenes, it was the most obvious choice. Inside the wide studio kitchen, fully dressed like a real cooking space, there was a dining table, various dishes, kitchen tools, and even a refrigerator.
Other than the lighting and the unmistakable filming atmosphere, it looked exactly like a real kitchen.
One by one, the Our Table staff began settling into the prepared studio. Since the space had already been rented in advance, most of the preparations were finished, and once the lighting and small cameras were set up, everything was essentially complete.
Around then—
"Woojin-ssi, Hyeyeon-ssi, we're done!!"
The two members of the kitchen team stepped into the studio after finishing their makeup. Hong Hyeyeon, her long hair tied back, and Kang Woojin were handed transparent masks. As Woojin slowly put his on, he quietly looked around the kitchen studio.
'Ah, so this is what food-related shoots look like.'
It was obvious enough, but to him, it still felt like a completely new world. Even so, he showed no outward interest. Microphones and aprons made specifically for Our Table were then handed to the two of them. The beige aprons had the Our Table logo printed on them. Soon after, PD Yoon Byeongseon, seated at the table, grinned and began to explain.
"You both have cooking experience, right? Hmm, if we do this too blandly, it won't really feel like practice. So how about running it like a real restaurant? We'll act as customers, and the two of you will take orders and cook. Hyeyeon-ssi, you're good at making food that goes well with wine, right?"
Still clutching the apron tightly, Hong Hyeyeon gave a slightly awkward answer to the question thrown at her.
"No? I'm not exactly good at cooking, but I can make things people can eat."
"Hmm. That should be enough."
"Enough?"
"You can learn too, right? Then let's start with Hyeyeon-ssi's cooking test. Woojin-ssi, you'll take orders and assist with the cooking."
Woojin, who had been quietly captivated by the sight of Hong Hyeyeon in an apron, barely reacted.
"So I just take orders and assist?"
"Yes. Shall we begin right away? Everyone, please take your seats!"
Dozens of staff members, including the writers, crowded around the prepared tables. As soon as Chef Hong Hyeyeon stepped into the kitchen, she looked visibly lost.
"T-this suddenly??"
She was clearly flustered. There was no trace of the top actress's poise in moments like this. Of course, she was already filming, and Woojin found himself admiring her inwardly.
'Shouldn't being this pretty in a situation like this be illegal?'
Anyway, as dozens of seated staff members settled in, PD Yoon Byeongseon suddenly raised a hand toward Woojin.
"We'd like to order over here—"
Kang Woojin walked over with an indifferent face, playing the role naturally.
"Yes. What would you like to order?"
"One kimchi pancake, please."
From the back of the kitchen, Hong Hyeyeon's voice immediately rang out.
"Kimchi pancake?? I've never made that before!"
PD Yoon Byeongseon, still acting as the customer, replied without hesitation.
"You can take your time, and it's fine if you search it up and make it that way. Whatever method works is fine!"
Hong Hyeyeon hurriedly pulled out her phone. But kimchi pancake was not the only order.
"Over here! We'll have tteok ramyeon!"
"Can we get pasta too? Aglio e olio pasta!"
"I thought the concept was Korean food?!"
"Then bibimbap, please—"
The orders poured in all at once. Hong Hyeyeon lightly bit her lower lip, looking bewildered, while Woojin, still perfectly calm as he took the orders, handed the list over to the chef.
"Kimchi pancake, tteok ramyeon, aglio e olio. If the pasta doesn't work, then bibimbap."
The moment she saw the list, the chef looked even more panicked.
"I—I don't really know. I've never made those before."
Woojin's tone stayed level.
"Take it slow. It's fine even if it comes out late."
"What?"
"It's okay even if there are some complaints."
"Woojin-ssi?"
When Kang Woojin pointed at one of the dishes with his index finger, Hong Hyeyeon forced a smile.
"Tteok ramyeon. I think I can start with ramen first."
"Right. Ramyeon."
"Boil the noodles first, then add the rest of the ingredients afterward."
"Okay!"
Now that she had made up her mind, Hong Hyeyeon rummaged through the kitchen and pulled out a pot that seemed right, though it was a little too large. Woojin pointed that out in a low voice.
"That one's too big."
"Ah, really? Then—"
"Use the one down there."
Like an avatar being directed in real time, she quickly switched to a different pot. Still, everything about her movements was clumsy. From opening the ramyeon package to pouring in the water to taking the rice cakes out of the fridge, she looked like a complete beginner. PD Yoon Byeongseon and the staff seemed satisfied by that.
"This is good, right?"
"Right? The feeling's nice."
She was full of mistakes, but that was exactly the kind of scene they loved most.
"But Woojin-ssi, you're really not helping at all, are you? I did say that, but I didn't think you'd just stand there and watch."
"Maybe he doesn't want both of them fumbling around and causing an even bigger disaster?"
"I don't know. That might actually make it more entertaining."
About fifteen minutes later—
Hong Hyeyeon, wearing a solemn expression, placed the finished ramyeon in front of Woojin.
"Tteok ramyeon, complete."
Woojin, who had been blankly looking at her face, slowly lowered his gaze to the bowl of ramyeon. Then he said nothing.
"..."
Inside, however, he had already made a quiet judgment.
'You could probably swim in that.'
Not knowing what he was thinking, Hong Hyeyeon grumbled for no reason.
"What? Why?"
"Nothing. I was just thinking about how to deal with this."
The tteok ramyeon she had made was so full of broth it looked ready to overflow. The bowl was simply too small to contain all of Hong Hyeyeon's ambition. Still, one way or another, it was delivered to PD Yoon Byeongseon. Soon, he and the writers began eating.
Their expressions turned ambiguous, and Yoon Byeongseon's was especially so. Then he held out a pair of wooden chopsticks toward Woojin.
"Woojin-ssi, would you like to try some?"
"Ah, yes."
As Kang Woojin picked up the noodles, Hong Hyeyeon also moved to stand beside him. A moment later, eyes widened, she asked as he slurped the ramyeon without much reaction at all,
"How is it?"
After swallowing the noodles, Woojin answered briefly.
"It tastes like ramyeon."
The staff had to fight not to laugh. Hong Hyeyeon, on the other hand, frowned.
"…Of course it tastes like ramyeon. It's ramyeon. I'm asking if it tastes good."
"If we're judging it as ramyeon, it's about average."
"Ha. What does that even mean? Fine. Then this time, Woojin-ssi, you go into the kitchen. I'll head out to the hall."
As if he had been waiting for exactly that, PD Yoon Byeongseon immediately allowed it.
"Player switch!"
Woojin stepped into the kitchen as calmly as ever, but in truth, he felt a little nervous. It was his first time cooking in front of this many people.
'Ugh, am I actually nervous? My stomach feels weird.'
The writers saw his attitude and laughed softly.
"Look at Woojin-ssi. Why does he look so solemn?"
"Am I the only one who thinks he might also end up making broth-filled ramyeon?"
"Even when he cooks, he somehow still looks a little cynical. It's weirdly cute."
"At least today we'll finally get to see Woojin-ssi flustered."
As soon as Kang Woojin entered the kitchen, Hong Hyeyeon took the orders again. They were exactly the same as before.
"Kimchi pancake and tteok ramyeon! Aglio e olio pasta, and if pasta doesn't work, bibimbap. Woojin-ssi, you're starting with the ramyeon, right?"
But the first thing the kitchen's new chef said was not an answer. It was an instruction.
"No. Hyeyeon-ssi, come in and take out the ingredients."
"Huh? Ingredients?"
"Yes. I'm making everything on the order list at once. First, kimchi, green onion, sausage, Cheongyang chili peppers, red chili peppers…"
As he spoke, Woojin rapidly set out several pots. One for the pancake, one for the ramyeon, and one for the pasta. Something in Kang Woojin's eyes had changed.
"There's pasta too. It's down there."
"Ah… yes. Here."
"Slice the garlic thinly. Take your time."
Soon, as Hong Hyeyeon obediently started slicing garlic, she found herself constantly glancing at Woojin without meaning to.
'W-what?? How does he know how to make all this??'
From the ingredient prep alone, Kang Woojin's professional aura was so clear that even the VJs, PD Yoon Byeongseon, and the writers had started murmuring among themselves.
"Woojin-ssi isn't just boiling ramyeon, is he?"
"Wait, pasta too? He's really making pasta?!"
"Wow, Woojin-ssi picked up the knife."
And that was when it happened.
-Tak-tak-tak-tak-tak-tak-tak!
The sharp, dazzling sound of Woojin's knife work filled the entire studio.
"Whoa?"
Everyone's eyes widened.
A little while later.
Before long, the entire studio was filled with the aroma of different dishes. And then—
"Last is the tteok ramyeon."
A bowl of tteok ramyeon, garnished with rice cakes and green onion, was set down in front of Hong Hyeyeon. More accurately—
'He really made everything at once?!'
All of the ordered dishes had come out. From kimchi pancake to pasta, bibimbap, and now the tteok ramyeon in front of them. It had not even taken as long as expected. Hong Hyeyeon had helped a little, but it practically felt as if Kang Woojin had done everything alone. And the man now washing his hands really had done it almost single-handedly.
"..."
He still looked cold and detached.
By contrast, PD Yoon Byeongseon and the writers, who had come over after checking the tteok ramyeon, blinked in stunned silence. In truth, so did all the dozens of staff members in the studio.
"It smells amazing."
"Right? Why does it smell this good?"
"And the way Woojin-ssi was cooking just now… it didn't look like amateur home cooking at all."
"His knife work was seriously sexy, wasn't it? Even the way he handled the ingredients was so smooth."
"PD-nim, why is Woojin-ssi so good at cooking?"
How would I know? PD Yoon Byeongseon looked just as bewildered.
At that moment, Hong Hyeyeon, her face faintly flushed, hurried over with her chopsticks in hand.
"Ah, what are you all doing? It'll get cold soon. Can I eat first?"
Woojin casually dried his hands while forcefully calming the wild pounding of his heart.
'It'll taste good, right? Yeah, it will. Damn… having this many people eat my food is making me nervous.'
At the same time, Hong Hyeyeon brushed her long hair back and took a bite of the pasta.
And then—
"!!!"
It was as if lightning had struck her eyes.
"...What?"
"W-what??"
Startled, PD Yoon Byeongseon quickly tore off a piece of kimchi pancake and put it into his mouth. What was interesting was—
"Whoa!"
His reaction was exactly the same.
From there, everything changed.
"Ah, forget it. I'm trying the ramyeon first!"
"Pass me the pasta!"
"Can I get a spoon? I'm mixing the bibimbap!"
The writers and the rest of the staff all rushed toward the food, and after slurping up the pasta, the main writer covered her mouth with both hands and shouted,
"Ah! What is this?? It's so good!!"
Like an infectious wave, gasps of amazement spilled out from every direction. Watching quietly, Woojin felt a deep sense of satisfaction inside.
'Nice.'
Just then, the main writer leaned toward PD Yoon Byeongseon and whispered,
"PD-nim… at this rate, we might not even need a cooking expert."
"Exactly. Why is everything this good?"
Right then, a message came crackling over the radio.
"Chef Lee Yangwoo has arrived!!"
It was the signal announcing that the mentor had come.
Behind them, Chef Lee Yangwoo, his belly slightly protruding, entered the studio.
"Hello, everyone! Oh? It smells great in here. Did you already start cooking?"
He was smiling brightly, and PD Yoon Byeongseon and the staff quickly stood to greet him first. A short round of introductions followed, and of course Kang Woojin and Hong Hyeyeon joined in as well.
Then—
"Wow, kimchi pancake and pasta too?? You made quite a lot."
Chef Lee Yangwoo, a little plump and still having his mic attached, noticed the food spread out on the table. PD Yoon Byeongseon and the writers looked faintly awkward, but in any case—
"Huh? But the plating on this… this doesn't feel like practice."
He walked toward the table to get a closer look at the dishes. Then, for some reason, his brows drew together slightly.
"Excuse me, PD-nim. This…"
He reached for something, then abruptly picked up a pair of chopsticks and lifted the bowl of pasta. He smelled it first. His brows furrowed even more. Without saying anything, he took a bite and began chewing.
Just a few seconds later, a disbelieving scoff escaped him.
"Ha— PD-nim."
Looking at PD Yoon Byeongseon and the writers, he muttered,
"This wasn't practice. It was a demonstration, wasn't it? Did you invite another chef besides me?"
"What?"
"No, we never discussed anything like that. Is there some kind of competition between chefs over who becomes the mentor? That could become a problem."
At that exact moment—
"..."
"..."
"..."
Everyone, from PD Yoon Byeongseon to Hong Hyeyeon to the writers, turned to look at Kang Woojin in his apron. Among them, Yoon Byeongseon scratched his head and muttered,
"This is a little awkward. Kang Woojin made it."
At that, Chef Lee Yangwoo, who had been staring blankly, looked back at the expressionless Woojin and stammered,
"Kang Woojin made this? Not some other chef?"
It sounded as though he had already answered his own question.
Around noon the next day.
A Korean restaurant located deep in a forest in Gangwon Province. The entire place gave off the atmosphere of a traditional Korean house. What stood out today, however, was the fact that the area around the restaurant was crowded with filming equipment and busy staff.
There were also plenty of onlookers.
Today, filming for Our Table's one-day restaurant operation was taking place there, which was why the sign out front had been changed from the usual one.
Inside, the Korean restaurant was spacious. It was divided into a main hall and a smaller side hall, there were at least ten tables, and small cameras and VJ equipment had been placed throughout the space.
And—
"This place is beautiful."
"It looks perfect for Instagram."
The hall was already full of invited guests.
"Hwarin… her visuals are insane."
"I almost screamed when she passed by earlier. She's so pretty."
"Yeon Baekgwang's face is so small."
"Ha Gangsu is over there! Wow, actors really are different. It's honestly amazing."
Then the lively Yeon Baekgwang came out of the kitchen carrying food. It was kimchi pancake. He set it down at the table where two women were seated.
"Enjoy your meal!"
"...Thank you."
The women, clearly dazed by Yeon Baekgwang's presence, finally managed to take a bite of the kimchi pancake. A moment later, their eyes widened.
"Wow, this is really good."
"Right? It's crispy, and the seasoning is perfect. It's so good."
"Who's in the kitchen? Do they have a separate chef cooking just for us?"
As Yeon Baekgwang set a small dish of soy sauce on the table, he flashed a grin and answered,
"The main chef in our kitchen is Woojin hyung. No—Kang Woojin-nim!"
──────────
Meanwhile, in Da Nang, Vietnam.
The filming location for Island of the Missing was a chaotic forest. But after the morning shoot ended, around a hundred staff members and actors were resting in their respective tents.
Naturally—
Director Kwon Gitaek, who had been drinking coffee while reviewing the shooting script, was no exception. He suddenly turned his head and called over the assistant director.
"Tomorrow, right? The day Woojin comes back?"
The assistant director answered the calm question immediately.
"Yes, Director-nim. He'll be taking an early morning flight tomorrow and should arrive around noon."
"Hmm."
"Filming is scheduled for early afternoon."
"Cut a few scenes. Let him rest, and only shoot one scene at night."
"Understood."
At that exact moment—
♬♪
Director Kwon Gitaek's phone rang. He answered as casually as ever, but then paused.
'Director Ahn again?'
The caller was Director Ahn Gabok, who had contacted him recently as well. Slightly puzzled, Kwon Gitaek stepped out of the tent and answered politely.
"Yes, Director."
From the other end came Ahn Gabok's seasoned voice without delay.
"Director Kwon, Vietnam is still hot over there, isn't it?"