Three Meals a Day in Deukryang-do Ep 11

Three Meals a Day in Deukryang Island; Fishing Village Edition 3:

Wriggling octopuses and the sound of horses galloping, oyster and Lee SeoJin – combinations that you wouldn’t really put together, but just make sense on Three Meals a Day. It’s already the last episode of them at Deukryang Island. Let’s get down to it.

The guys finish their lunch and SeoJin packs up while giant KyunSang zips himself up in a tiny little life jacket, ha. Fisherman Eric has already casted his line and is now laughing because of the foolish octopus that took the bait. Seems like this is octopus season!

KyunSang and SeoJin give fishing a try too, with then expecting KyunSang to reel in some big prize. Too bad that all his line catches are rocks. And then Eric reels in another octopus. Pfft, they don’t get anything for a very long time and SeoJin resorts to just dumping bait into the sea by the scoop.

Oh! KyunSang sees some black curve playing hide and seek through the water surface and it’s a couple of dolphins here to say hi! That’s magical.

 

But SeoJin doesn’t care much and calls for the end of their fishing trip, HA. The sun’s just high enough to pour sunlight through some fluffy clouds but it also disappears fast enough for the moon to appear in the dark like a spotlight. Eric asks KyunSang if the sparkle under the moon is a star (could have been a satellite) and then changes topics to confess that he’s never seen fireflies.

They head home in SeoJinnie-ho, ready to prepare dinner.

Back at home, Mong toddles out of the bedside table and finds his elder brother missing. That’s because Na PD the evil mat monster has got him in his arms and is giggling with a devious, “hehehehehe”. Pwahahaha.

Poor Koong won’t be saved for a little while because his dad is at the jetty scrapping mussels for dinner. With that added, the three guys head home, where Na PD asks, “The last output for Fishing Village is…” and Eric completes with, “Sweet and Sour Pork (Tangsuyuk)”. HAHAHAH.

SeoJin insists that they have a lot to eat and lists down all the dishes that can be done with the heaps of meat that they’d bought before they came. KyunSang lists them in order, from Tangsuyuk to Samgyeopsal (pork belly) to beef sirloin. It’s a meat party!

 

They really decide to make Tangsuyuk for dinner and SeoJin calls for Mapo Tofu and Mussel soup.

Eric stutters, “KyunSang should be able to make the mussel soup… right?” for some reason and we cut to the guy cooing over his kitties. Haha. He cleans their eye boogers and wriggles Mong, looking like the happiest guy on earth. But the moment he steps out, he has the frowniest face ever, hee. He’s greeted with their lump of mussels that he has to clean.

The staff ask Eric what time he’s estimates he can get dinner out by and Eric checks his watch. Eric: “It’ll take quite a while though. It’s now 7… I’ll finish by 10.”

SeoJin exclaims in disbelief, hee, then mutters that dinner will actually be done at 11 then.

While the other two clean and debeard the mussels, Eric cuts all the vegetables and the tofu. He then prepares the broth for soup while KyunSang stretches and asks if they’re through at least 1/3 of it. SeoJin doesn’t respond, focused on the mussels… to the extent that one slips out of his hands, hahaha. Soon, he declares that they stop.

 

Once he’s done, he complains about how small the fire is and rushes off towards the log pile… but it’s KyunSang who comes with the log and fixes the problem while he sits in his Chairman-seat. Heh.

Eric suggests boiling the octopus for appetiser and proceeds to drown the octopuses in flour before washing it off with water. The water he’d put on the furnace boils and he dumps the tofu in. Meanwhile, SeoJin wonders if the production is too bored because they’re filming him peel garlic, up close and personal.

Eric takes the Tofu out once it comes to a rolling boil and adds the octopuses, who release ink and turn the broth black immediately. Eric complains that it’ll make his tofu black, because he was going to use that water as broth.

In just the time it took SeoJin to mince the garlic, the octopuses are done and Eric puts them standing in the centre of each plate. SeoJin comes for appetiser and points to the octopus decoration on his slipper. The three dig into the chewy octopus and clean their plates, with SeoJin giving some of his to KyunSang just because the maknae eats so much.

Eric mutters that his goal is to finish by 9 though (oh you mean you took spill over time into consideration already?) and SeoJin comments that it’s only 45 minutes away. Eric’s relaxed and SeoJin asks if he’s done preparing the ingredients, to which Eric nods. I’m not quite sure how much I can trust you on that. You always leave something not chopped or unwashed!

Eric divides out their dinner duties and he claims Mapo Tofu for himself and puts KyunSang in charge of Mussel Soup. That leaves SeoJin with the Tangsuyuk and in case we don’t know his reputation with deep frying stuff, Na PD shows us Every. Single. Time. SeoJin tried to fry something on Three Meals a Day. Even with a very specific and scientific food thermometer, heh, the meat is always burnt outside but raw inside.

 

Whatever it is, SeoJin is only allowed to laugh in disbelief but not allowed to weasel his way out of this. Eric starts making his Mapo Tofu by making scallion oil first and KyunSang stands in the kitchen, asking where the Dashima is. Eric explains by making KyunSang move very specific steps like he’s controlling an avatar, hee.

Once his Mapo Tofu base looks okay, Eric starts to make the batter for the Sweet and Sour Pork. Instead of just making it with water, like all other batters, he’s made it with oil, because it’s tastier that way. He learnt that from watching TV. Then he sends KyunSang to go pluck a scallion and asks SeoJin to peel an onion. See! I knew you’d leave something undone!

Na PD asks Eric why he’s stirring the batter so hard and Eric replies that it’s because otherwise it’ll become lumpy. That’s a tip he learnt from TV celebrity chef Lee YeongBok. HAHA. Na PD asks if Eric’s prowess at cooking is over if he doesn’t have his TV and Eric counters that he still has his comic books. Only in Korea, ha.

And SeoJin interrupts to asks if they have Chunjang, a kind of sauce to dip their onions in (because he wants to eat everything) and then he grumpily throws some of the cut onions into the soup broth, splashing soup all over the place. But SeoJin gets his Chunjang, so he’s still okay.

Eric checks on KyunSang’s soup and gives his a few instructions. At the same time, SeoJin looks like death is just round the corner as he sullenly mixes the slices of pork in the batter and Eric lines trays with tissue. The oil is heated and when it crackles beautifully when splashed with some water, Eric declares that it’s done. Lee SeoJin, time to do your work.

Pfft, he puts those goggles that he gave KyungSang on and then mutters that he can’t see the colour of the pork pieces when Eric says that it’s done when it’s golden brown.

Eric trusts SeoJin to do it well and goes off to work on his Mapo Tofu. He checks back once to tell SeoJin that it’s okay to take the pork out now and this time, SeoJin munches happily on a piece of fried food that he’d made himself.

 

The Mapo Tofu sauce that Eric’s been working on is doing well too, and KyunSang has been upgraded to become Eric’s Sous Chef, helping him on the side with the sauce for the Tangsuyuk. SeoJin doesn’t hear anything and focuses 100% on frying his pork.

But once he’s done, he goes to get the plates and then wonders why they’re using that super small tray-table that they’ve been using when they should have a bigger wooden table (called “sang”). So KyunSang takes it to use for the first time.

The dishes are now cooked and done but there’s one little question that Eric has for SeoJin – should they pour the sauce over the Tangsuyuk or should they separate the sauce and dip the pork pieces in there instead. SeoJin’s too busy sneaking another bite of his fried pork to answer, pwahaha.

Dinner, is served!

Tangsuyuk, Mussel Soup and Mapo Tofu cover the wooden table and SeoJin comments that this is the first time he’s made food that tastes this good. Hehehe, the men eat the delicious food and Eric adds that if you do things one at a time, there’s no failing! And even KyunSang is in amazement that this is how Mapo Tofu is supposed to taste after all. According to him, he’s only eaten it for lunch at school or in the army and so thought that it was a nasty tasting thing. Huh?? SeoJin sighs that Mapo Tofu is really delicious though.

Na PD sneaks a bites of SeoJin’s Tangsuyuk from the pots and exclaims that it’s delicious, hahaha, while Eric notes that they wouldn’t have had such an abundant dinner if they’d caught any fish.

SeoJin: “Not catching any fish was the act(/grace) of god.

SeoJin even notes that KyunSang’s already ¾ through his dinner and shares his with the giant baby. KyunSang laughs that he really wasn’t hungry. It’s all because the Mapo Tofu was delicious!

After dinner, Na PD orders a modern wood-and-light-only Christmas Tree from SeoJin. SeoJin replies that it’s simple to make and so he makes KyunSang saw the branches while he simply stands on them, heh. And afterwards, he stands around with his hands in his pockets, leaving the rest of the work to the younger ones.

 

And he suddenly asks if Pufferfish are good. What? If not, Jellyfishes. Are you…

SeoJin: “If we light them up, it’ll be the best.”

Eric: “Isn’t Deukryang Island’s trademark the crabs?”

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Na PD joins in the festivities and collects branches for decoration. Eric comes along to fashion a star out of the branches and totally fails. Pwahahaha. He ends up drawing a star in the sand for guidance and then later, SeoJin tries his hand at making a star too. SeoJin just gives up when he can’t make it, ha.

KyunSang’s done with the Christmas tree and takes all the decorations out. Eric heads to the garden to pluck some produce for decoration  and then adds SeoJin’s boat’s keys and his Ericar’s keys to the Christmas Tree. KyunSang brings his entire bucket because he hasn’t got any keys with his name and then adds SeoJin’s sunglasses at the top, hehe.

 

They light up the Christmas Tree and then bask in the warm light that glows from it. KyunSang takes a picture of the “pretty” tree but to SeoJin, having Koong and Mong would make it cuter.

KyunSang agrees and goes into his room to wreak havoc with his cats, laughing as he does so. Outside, SeoJin decorates the handle of their cauldron’s lid.

Pffft, out comes Santa-Koong and Lion-Mong and Eric can’t stop laughing when he sees Lion-Mong. They’re super adorable!!!!!!!! SeoJin cuddles with Santa-Koong while Eric’s all over Lion-Mong. KyunSang just goes, “Hee hee hee.” Pwahaha.

The three men coo over the cats, then Cinderella-SeoJin sighs that it’s midnight again and coldly calls for the end of Christmas. HAHAHAAHHAHA, this Grinch.

SeoJin takes Koong’s hat off, saying that it’s time to take the clothes off and KyunSang adds that when their pay (as mascot) comes in, he’ll but it for them. “You know that I (Koong) get 20% right?”, SeoJin says, pfft, as he wraps Santa Koong in his arms.

 

They on the lights and Christmas is officially over (for them). They sit outside talking before Eric goes off to prepare for tomorrow’s feast again. It’s Dweji-gukbap (Pork and Rice Soup), a soup dish that needs to be boiled overnight for it to be absolutely delicious.

KyunSang washes the pork bones and when the water in the cauldron boils, they throw the bones in. They take a break then, with Mong taking the chance to walk all over KyunSang’s back. Then KyunSang goes back to cooking duty.

The three men sits together again to talk and Mong works his way into a plastic bag, wearing it like a cape. While Eric checks on the broth, KyunSang calls him to show him Panda-Koong. So cute. And then it’s time to head to lala-land.

SeoJin’s the first to wake up the next day and works to keep the fire going. He hesitates when he finds an advertisement with him on the newspaper but decides to “sacrifice his body” for their food, lol.

 

The kitties wake up then, along with KyunSang and Eric.

Chef’s first question of the day is how the broth turned out and SeoJin says that it turned out beautifully. Eric’s not quite sure though, because it doesn’t seem like the broth has boiled down much.

But the goes to prepare their rice while the other two men fan the flames in the two furnaces.

Eric wears the goggles and checks the fire he’s using to boils his kettle of water. It doesn’t light, so he throws some branches at the side and then dumps the rest of the contents of KyunSang’s bucket at it and everything falls to the side, ha. I think fire-making is not your thing.

Fireman KyunSang comes to help, giving him tips, then asks if the stone on the pot that’s boiling their rice isn’t a bit too heavy. No. Heavy lids are good when making rice!

 

The three are a little puzzled when they don’t see oil in the pork broth at all. It’s just white. That’s… kind of amazing, but scary at the same time.

Eric scoops the broth into their earthenware bowls and boils the soup like that. Finally, the broth bubbles.

Breakfast, accompanied with all kinds of side dishes, is done.

They lift their lids and are greeted with piping hot, white Pork Soup. They take a taste and are puzzled even more when it tastes like Seolleongtang (beef broth) instead. Huh? (Earlier, they’d wanted to by beef, but it got too expensive, so they settled for pork.)

That’s kind of amazing, to get the taste of beef out of pork bones.

Mong and Kong peek through the translucent paper of their doors and SeoJin and Eric share coffee after breakfast. It’s hilarious to me how the chicken are just walking all over the place, freely, and SeoJin comments that they’re ready to hop into his rom any time.

Pwahahahaa, KyunSang and SeoJin kick back and discuss about eating chicken feet, a conversation that ends with SeoJin claiming that he likes Bossam and then instructing Eric to make Suyuk (boiled pork).

Suddenly, they’re preparing to go out, with SeoJin telling Eric to wear sunglasses and KyunSang searching for gloves.

Rewind to September, back during their very first filming. Na PD had told them that since their produce in their garden are limited, they can go get what they need from the resident’s lands as long as they’re given permission and we see how the guys did exactly that and planted cabbages in return.

Back in the present, KyunSang gasps as he spies huge green lettuces in the fields and gigantic radishes where they’d first planted seedlings.

The three men then proceed to harvest all those produce, with SeoJin asking if rasdishes are allowed to be that big. Haha, Eric and SeoJin simply pull the radishes out while KyunSang pushes the cart. And once they’re done, KyunSang’s responsible for pulling that back to the truck. He has some problems doing that, since it’s so heavy and the dirt road doesn’t make cart-pulling easy. SeoJin tries pulling the cart too and gasps when he realises just how heavy it is. But pull he does and KyunSang pushes from the back.

 

They empty  their cart and head back to the fields for another round of harvesting.

Haha, Eric gets onto the cart to hitch a ride and then says that this is when the devil-hyung should come out now and KyunSang mock-gasps that it’s too hard, to which devil-Eric screams, “Push!” Hee.

Eric asks SeoJin, who’s walking way, way, way in front, if he wants a ride and SeoJin just laughs and goes on his merry way. Eric says that he shouldn’t work so hard from early morning and SeoJin replies that it’s fine since it’s the last day. Pfft.

They load up the cart with more radishes, more than earlier and this time, Eric’s the one pulling it. Heh, he guys doesn’t know how to get into position, standing before it and then squatting before the handle too before realising that he should be stepping over the handle, hee.

KyunSang pushes form the back while Eric pants all the way back to the truck and KyunSang is now the one riding the cart while Eric pushes. Haha, Eric calls KyunSang his big baby and giant baby points out all the crown daisies to “Appa”.

 

Now that the radishes are harvested, it’s time to harvest the humongous lettuce. It’s Eric and Seojin harvesting the vegetables again while KyunSang cleans them and stores them for transportation. Pretty soon, the two of them are so comfortable throwing cabbages that SeoJin even does an overhead throw with one.

HAHAHAHAHA, Eric stuffs one cabbage into the hood of his jacket and then gets into position to pull the cart again, with KyunSang and SeoJin pushing from behind. Eric’s really panting heavily by the time they reach their truck and KyunSang laughs that they’re looking like university students earning some extra allowance.

They wonder how they’re going to go back and it’s decided that KyunSang will drive the cabbages and radishes in the truck back to the town centre while Eric and SeoJin walk.

The ajummas at the town centre are delighted to see the produce and pack it all up, giving our three guys two huge cabbages to share. Ha, the three appear back at home with a huge branch in each of SeoJin’s hands.

It’s time for the last meal of Three Meals a Day in Deukryang Island and Chef has decided that it’s going to be “Mille-feuille Nabe (Japanese Hotpot) and Dan-dan Noodles and…”

SeoJin: “There’s going to be something more?”

Eric: “No.” HAHAHAHA.

Na PD clarifies that Mille-Feuille Nabe is just Shabu-shabu with pork and cabbages and then the three men get right down to work making lunch. Haha, Eric finds that they don’t have enough cabbages (because they need the sweet yellow centre and not the rough green leaves outside) and so heads to the town centre to get more. The cabbages are all given out though and they head to a shop where they know the owners well. Hee, she’s willing to give them the cabbages they need but the staff chases them out when they eye the side dishes that the owner sells.

Time to make lunch and Chef announces his instructions for the day with shrugs of the shoulders.

Eric prepares to grill scallions and radishes, something that apparently Brazillian people do and according to him, Japanese people do that too. Na PD laughs that he’s a “global” guy and Eric says that he learnt that from some documentary. SeoJin jokes that when Eric’s 60, he’s going to be be selected for this 6 o’clock Korean show/ documentary called, “My Hometown”. Lol.

After that, Eric proceeds to grill more scallion and even onions while SeoJin munches on the heart of cabbages, commenting that they’re really sweet.

Once he’s done grilling the vegetables, Eric puts them all into water to boil and make stock and instructs SeoJin to wash the Perilla Leaves, cabbage leaves and Beansprouts. A few minutes later, Lee SeoJin is like, “can’t we just eat little beansprouts? (Instead of a lot.)” HAHAHA, he got tired of washing the beansprouts.

 

Eric has all the cabbage leaves laid out in front of him and Na PD asks the million-dollar-question of the day: “JeongHyeok ah, have you done (this) before?”

Eric: “No.” Wow.

He says that he’s just gonna do it without making it look pretty and proceeds to layer the cabbages with perilla leaves and thin beef slices. He puts them all into a pot and finishes it with Enokitake Mushrooms.

SeoJin mutters that it’s about time that they make the Dan-dan Noodles and Na PD argues that they should be eating the “Shabu” first. But chef Eric needs the Noodles done first and Na PD lets him do it his way, though he doesn’t refrain from saying, “but the sun will go down”.

Eric therefore speeds up and quickly fries the sauce for the Dan-dan Noodles while the instant noodles are cooked. The other guys stare in awe as Eric scoops the pork broth over for the Dan-dan Noodles sauce and Na PD asks if this is a restaurant, haha.

 

KyunSang: “SeoJin hyung’s going to open you a shop (I’m jealous)”.

Na PD: “Who are you to accept SeoJin hyung’s help?!”

And later, when KyunSang almost topples the instant noodles, Na PD warns him to be careful because it contains the “dreams of Lee SeoJin.” Pfft.

Eric adds some kind of peanut-butter-like substance into the Dan-dan Noodles and the tops it up with more pork bone broth.

SeoJin almost cries when he sees that there’s not enough broth for the Mille-Feuille and  Eric has to assure him that he can just add water. SeoJin rushes them to eat the Dan-dan Noodles NOW and so they dig in while the Mille-Feuille is left on the furnace to boil.

It’s delicious and opens a whole new world for KyunSang. SeoJin brags that he did say that KyunSang’s gonna like it.

Eric runs off to go make the sauce for the Mille-Feuille and it’s a speed game for them as they rush to eat their last meal at Deukryang Island because the sun’s already beginning to set. Pfft.

They inhale the whole thing, not stopping at all and then Na PD commands them to stop eating because they (the staff) wanna eat too. HAHAHHAHAH! They stop eating and he sends them off to go pack. SeoJin can’t drive SeoJinne-ho in the dark!

They rush through everything, but they don’t forget to take several last pictures together.

Then, for the very last time, the three of them get onto SeoJinnie-ho and ride into the wide open seas.

 

 

Next Week!

It’s dinner at KyunSang’s house, where the Three-Men-Labour-Train appears again as they cook the very last meal of Three Meals a Day at Deukryang Island (Fishing Village Edition 3).

Merry Christmas!

 

 

---

For a very Koong-Mong Christmas, head over here to see the cutie-pies!

1. Santa Koong and Lion Mong
2. Santa Koong
3. Lion Mong

---