Jeon Hyun-moo expressed his envy to the point of feeling a pang in his heart over the love story of the newlywed Kim Jong-min.
In the 24th episode of the food documentary 'The Jeon Hyun-moo Plan 2' (co-produced by MBN and Channel S) aired on the 4th, Jeon Hyun-moo and Kwak Tube (Kwak Jun-bin) embarked on their first all-location shoot in Japan, discovering local delicacies in the small city of Tokushima with the 'newlywed' Kim Jong-min, who is getting married on the 20th, and Matsuda, a 'Japan expert with 1.2 million YouTube subscribers'.
They explored local specialties such as 'salted seaweed udon', a sushi restaurant with a 62-year tradition, and a sake brewery with a 220-year history, providing viewers with a diverse Tokushima food trip map.
On the first night in Tokushima, Jeon Hyun-moo, Kwak Tube, and Kim Jong-min engaged in a 'late-night snack battle', each going out to bring back Japanese street snacks. However, while Jeon Hyun-moo was rejected at every restaurant he visited, Kim Jong-min successfully managed to get takeout of Japanese gyoza and takoyaki.
At the same time, self-proclaimed 'Japanese convenience store expert' Kwak Tube stopped by a convenience store and gathered various 'hot items'. Shortly after, the three entered a cost-effective accommodation chosen by Kwak Tube and enjoyed late-night snacks including grilled fish, sea bream bread, spicy cup noodles, and even the alcohol highly recommended by Matsuda.
At this gathering, Kim Jong-min presented his wedding invitation. The invitation featured a poem titled 'If I Were' by Hermann Hesse, which caught attention. Jeon Hyun-moo asked, "How did you first meet (your fiancée)?" and Kim Jong-min shared, "A friend suddenly asked me to come out for a bit. That day, I went out and saw (my fiancée) for the first time," recounting the story of their first meeting. Jeon Hyun-moo responded, "You must have known her; waiting means you have feelings," and Kim Jong-min excitedly said, "She said I was cute. So, I asked for her contact information."
Additionally, Kim Jong-min expressed affection for his fiancée, saying, "She doesn't do what I dislike and is wise." He particularly boasted, "I have a hesitant side, but she said, 'I love you nonetheless,'" to which Jeon Hyun-moo replied, "That's cool. It's not 'so I love you' but 'nevertheless'... I really like that phrase," expressing his envy.
The production team then asked, "Have you never heard that before?" Jeon Hyun-moo replied, "I've never heard it. I'm looking for 'nevertheless'," answering earnestly and making everyone laugh. He then candidly confessed, "Recently, I've been hit hard. My fellow bachelor friends Jo Se-ho and Kim Jong-min are getting married, so I congratulate them, but my heart sinks."
The next morning, the group chose 'udon', a representative Japanese dish, as their first meal on the second day of their food trip in the cozy neighborhood of Naruto City. The three received a menu that was only in Japanese at a restaurant with a '90-year tradition', and when asked to show off his 'brainy guy appeal', Kim Jong-min completed the order with just one word, "Sugoi (great)," causing a stir.
A little later, the three received a table full of Kim Jong-min's 'sugoi menu', which included Naruto udon, wakame (salted seaweed) udon, bukkake (cold) udon, and squid tempura, showcasing a storm of noodle slurping. After filling up on udon, Jeon Hyun-moo exclaimed, "Next, let's go to the sushi restaurant recommended by the udon shop owner, run by an elderly couple in their 80s." At the sushi restaurant, the three ordered "Omakase for three," and the 'sushi master' who has maintained the restaurant for 62 years prepared sushi on the spot, serving them fresh and chewy sushi including sea bream, shrimp, seasonal amberjack, and mackerel, to which the three repeatedly exclaimed, "Oishi (delicious)."
After finishing the sushi, Jeon Hyun-moo parted ways with Kim Jong-min and met 'the man from Osaka', Matsuda. Matsuda, upon appearing, confidently stated, "The next place we're going is a 220-year-old sake brewery. I've already received filming cooperation. They have fresh sake that can only be tasted here," exuding a strong 'food expert' vibe. The three then headed to the brewery, which has been brewing sake since 1804, and sampled various types of sake. Jeon Hyun-moo and Kwak Tube, who are not well-versed in alcohol, made everyone laugh after tasting the fresh sake Matsuda mentioned and coughing.
After the tasting, while waiting for the side dishes, Matsuda expressed, "While watching 'The Jeon Hyun-moo Plan', I wondered how one could eat that food without a drink," revealing his disappointment. Jeon Hyun-moo retorted, "My food mentor, Shin Dong-yeop, always says that. But for me, zero cola is the best pairing," causing a stir in the scene.
Nevertheless, Matsuda suggested, "Let's have a drink before the food comes," and Jeon Hyun-moo replied, "You just sounded like a real boss." Kwak Tube chimed in, "He's an actual office worker," and Jeon Hyun-moo was surprised, saying, "I thought he was a character. I thought he was either a YouTuber or a comedian." Shortly after, a carpaccio made from Naruto sea bream was served as a side dish, and the three slowly enjoyed the luxurious side dish and alcohol.
