[Itaewon Class]
The Korean drama boom came around the time of the Corona disaster and Stay Home, and even now, more than four years later, "Itaewon Class" is the most engrossing drama that I have ever watched in one sitting.
It is a drama that has been made into a Japanese remake, and if you only know the name "Itaewon Class," you may think it is a school drama or a romance drama. "Itaewon Class" is a drama that is also called a revenge drama. The word that best fits what I get when I finish this drama, is "exhilaration." I feel really refreshed. I think it is similar to "a sense of accomplishment," but since I myself did not do anything just by watching the drama, this work gives me a pseudo sense of accomplishment, or a kind of energy to do something, or to do my best.
Itaewon Class is a Netflix original Korean drama based on a webcomic, with a total of 16 episodes, each lasting a little over an hour. The main character, Park Saeroyi, is an ex-convict who, after being released from prison, opens a tavern, DanBam, in Itaewon, a downtown area of Seoul, gathers his friends, and takes on the seemingly reckless goal of taking on a major restaurant company in business. The story is a mixture of romance and coming-of-age stories, touching on themes such as social inequality and diversity, and is easy to follow, thanks in part to the unique and appealing characters.
Having rarely watched Korean dramas until then, I was surprised when I watched the first episode of Itaewon Class, as it was hard to believe that it was only one episode, with so many things happening that it was like a roller coaster ride of emotions. I would suggest that you watch just one episode first and decide whether you want to finish it or not. Park Saeroyi is the opposite of a modern person who feels like something is missing even though he should be blessed, who is cold and unable to be passionate about anything. That is why many people were attracted to him because his life has been so bitter that he dreamed of happiness and named his restaurant "DanBam (sweet night)," and his way of life, which is to create his own life even though he must never be blessed with the right environment or luck, stuck with him and attracted them.
The sundubu jjigae (Korean spicy soft tofu stew) is DanBam's signature dish and also appears in the climax of the story. Nakamura Douki's Yosenabe is made of aluminum and has a beautiful matte texture with a soft shine that blends very well with Korean cuisine. Aluminum has high thermal conductivity, which allows food to cook quickly, and is easy to clean and lightweight without color or odor transfer. The shallow, wide bottom and the widened mouth make it easy to take out the ingredients, yet it is hard to spill, making it perfect for pots and pans. As the weather gradually cools down and it's time to enjoy a warm meal at home, why not make Sundubu Jjigae and relax while watching Itaewon Class on Netflix?
Nakamura Douki's Yosenabe S
https://www.shokunin.com/en/nakamuradouki/yosenabe.html
Itaewon Class
https://www.netflix.com/title/81193309
References
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%A2%A8%E6%B3%B0%E9%99%A2%E3%82%AF%E3%83%A9%E3%82%B9
https://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/355535?display=b
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfKNNKRSFxM (recipe)
https://www.10000recipe.com/recipe/6928172 (recipe)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ-TkT0gqXY (recipe)
