Son Ye-Jin’s homemade beef stew sparks viral debate among South Koreans
It's not every day that we see our favorite Hallyu stars cook mouthwatering dishes and when they do, the unexpected arises.
Take your cue from Son Ye-jin's recent Instagram post, which sent the South Korean online community into a heated debate about the name of the dish she cooked.
On July 11, the newlywed Hallyu star shared an Instagram post showing the kimbap, stir-fried anchovies, hamburgers, and other dishes that she just cooked.
"These days, I’ve often been cooking dishes I haven’t done before... I feel so proud when my food comes out looking good despite cooking it for the first time. To all those who cook well, you guys are awesome," the actress captioned her post.
The dishes all looked delicious, but what got her followers talking is the beef stew that they've been trying to decipher whether it's Yukgaejang, a spicy beef soup originating in Daegu where Ye-jin's from, or Gyeongsang-do style beef ad radish stew, a more distinctive dish that originated in South Korean's province of Gyeongsang-do.
According to K-ent portal Kbizoom, the discussion began on the Korean online community Theqoo on July 12, the day after Ye-jin uploaded her post.
“It looks too much like Yukgaejang,” said one netizen. "There are too many ingredients for beef and reddish soup. Tha's Yukgaejang," another one added.
One user explained, "There's bracken so it's Yukgaejang. Daegu people put bracken in their beef soup."
According to My Korean Kitchen, Yukgaejang contains ingredients such as shredded beef brisket, bean sprouts, green onions, sesame oil, and Korean chili powder, in addition to bracken, an edible fern commonly used on bibimbap that Gyeongsang-do style beef stew lacks.
Meanwhile, Gyeongsang-do natives believe the Ye-jin's soup is the Gyeongsang-do style beef stew.
"I thought it was Yukgaejang at first but the meat is not shredded, so it's beef and reddish soup," one user said.
“That is the beef stew. It looks just like the way we eat at home,” argued one user from Daegu in a Koreaboo report.
“Yukgaejang shreds the beef, but that is the beef stew,” defends another user.
Whatever the dish may be called, we can't wait to see how Son Ye-Jin and Hyun Bin's relationship develops. The couple tied the knot on March 31 after dating for two years and announced their pregnancy in June.