Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Feedback (2)
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Beep beep beep. Beep beep.
Today, as usual, I woke up and started preparing breakfast. While I was at it, Sister did the laundry that had piled up. It was a peaceful morning like any other.
"What's for breakfast today?"
"Toast, simple and easy."
"Oh, sounds tasty."
I sprinkled sugar over the bread coated in egg wash and perfectly grilled. Once I combined all the beautifully cooked ingredients and drizzled my homemade yuzu sauce on top, it was done.
I plated the golden-brown toast beautifully, along with some sugar toast for dessert, and brought it over.
"Looks great visually. Hold on a sec."
Click.
Sister snapped a photo. Ever since we started our cooking YouTube channel, we've been posting pictures of our nicely plated dishes.
"Thanks for the meal."
"How is it?"
Sister's eyes widened as she chewed diligently. She took a sip of milk, as if her throat had gotten a bit clogged.
"It's good. The bulgogi sauce gives it a hint of burger flavor, and the yuzu makes it fresh overall."
We devoured breakfast heartily. Sister, who doesn't eat much compared to me, finished hers and took care of the dishes. With breakfast out of the way, we sat in the living room and opened the laptop.
"Did you check how many emails came in?"
"Around 300 by the deadline."
"Whoa, 300? That's a ton."
We checked the emails from subscribers after the submission period ended. A total of 300 subscribers had applied for the event content.
After filtering out prank emails and ones from non-subscribers, about 100 remained.
"Let's set some criteria first."
We had to pick just one out of 100 applications. We needed standards everyone could agree on.
"We can't try every single dish. It'd be great if we could narrow it down to about 10. What do you think?"
"How about excluding the ones with high ratings first? Good places don't need feedback."
We checked each shop's ratings on the delivery app. We eliminated anything 4 stars or above.
The whole point of the content was to give feedback to shops struggling due to recipe issues and help improve their cooking. Places with already good ratings wouldn't see much benefit from it.
"Yeah, looks like a lot of people applied just for the promo."
"Exactly."
By delivery app ratings, only 47 places were 3 stars or below.
I know delivery ratings fluctuate with service or review events. Even so, 3-star range means real flavor problems.
Of course, 47 was still too many. We couldn't eat from all of them.
"What else can we filter by?"
"Hmm."
"Oh, what about this? This is content we're making with our subscribers. Prioritize by subscriber ID and subscription date."
"That's a great idea."
Sister came up with a brilliant suggestion.
We searched the IDs right away. From the channel's side, we could see subscribers' join dates.
In the end, only three had subscribed right when the first video went up.
"This should be fair enough; even the ones who don't get picked will understand."
"Alright, let's get going. Closest one's a jokbal place."
Unfortunately, they were all a bit far from home, so we had to drive. We parked in a nearby public lot and headed to the shop.
Originally, we planned to eat there in person. But if we did, the subscriber might recognize us, and the food could taste different.
Either better or worse.
Our goal was to try their regular menu via delivery, evaluate the taste, and find improvement points.
"Jokbal set at midnight. Their most popular?"
"Add the spicy grilled one too. Reviews say regular jokbal's okay, but grilled is off."
54,000 won for the set. Considering portions, it was reasonable.
Wonder what it'd taste like.
"Delivery."
"Thanks."
It arrived in under 30 minutes. Comments mentioned long prep and delivery times, but maybe it was a bad day or backed up then.
"Smell's weak. Barely any jokbal scent."
Jokbal usually simmers with spices, giving it a distinct aroma. But even sniffing close up, nothing.
My sensitive nose even picked up a faint off-smell.
Chew.
I tried a piece where meat met skin. Closed my eyes and savored it fully: aroma, flavor, texture, aftertaste all hit my tongue.
"Well?"
"I get why it's 3 stars... Strong off-flavor from the jokbal."
Controlling off-flavors is key in meat dishes. Jokbal especially, since it's not covered in heavy sauce—you need the meat itself clean.
"And it's tough. Wrong simmering method? Or reheating yesterday's batch? No chewiness."
"That bad? Let me try."
Sister tilted her head and chewed a piece. Her curious expression faded, brows furrowing.
Even she, who usually wraps things positively, couldn't sugarcoat it.
Sip. "This ain't it."
"If regular's like this, grilled must be worse."
It was. No spice or char, just musty pepper trying too hard to be hot.
Definitely deserved sub-3 stars.
I mentally noted feedback points and jotted them down.
"Don't force it. You'll ruin your appetite."
"What about the leftovers?"
"We'll take 'em. I'll salvage somehow."
Pity to waste. Strong off-flavor? Mask with sauce. Plenty of ways to fix.
We headed straight to the next spot.
"Next closest is a tteokbokki joint."
"What to order? Tteokbokki, odeng, mandu?"
"Go with recommended combos."
We ordered the most popular sets.
Delivery took forever this time. App showed not even handed to rider yet—still cooking.
Tteokbokki places usually prep ahead and reheat or quick-cook on order.
Even from-scratch shouldn't take this long for these.
"This late, it better be amazing. Tough for street food."
Longer wait means more dissatisfaction, even if tasty. Ratings drop accordingly.
Sure enough, half the reviews complained about delays.
"Delivery."
"Thanks."
It arrived.
Portions perfect for one each. Food warm, but glass noodles in tteokbokki bloated from wait. Chopsticks snapped 'em easy.
"Made tteokbokki first, then others?"
Tteokbokki was average. Sweet-spicy like schoolgate stalls. Odeng was the standout.
Broth screamed homemade: kelp, veggie stock, simmered long with fish cakes. But not deep enough for the wait.
"Better than jokbal, but delivery too slow. Tteok's soggy."
Sister tested the chew while asking.
"Tteokbokki, odeng, mandu take long?"
"Nah, none do."
"Then why the long cook time?"
I had a hunch.
Homemade fish cake broth, handmade mandu vibes strong.
"All from scratch, looks like. But doesn't taste premium enough."
Street food spots use ready-mades. Big corp stocks for broth save time and taste great.
Unless high-end like pasta.
Fish cakes ain't pricey. Overdo effort, margins tank.
"How to feedback this?"
I noted advice mentally.
Luckily, second spot decent—ate enjoyably.
Now, final one: pizza place.
"Pizza means big portions, right?"
"Yep."
"Signature only?"
"Yeah."
While I cleared plastic, Sister ordered. Nearby shop, so we chilled in a park—short date.
The plush from Japan dangled happily from her bag.
Delivery arrived quick, like jokbal place.
Pizza's hard to mess up. How bad to tank ratings?
Opened the lid.
Golden cheese, topped with yellow squares.
I rubbed my eyes, thinking I saw wrong.
Oh, my god.
After 10 years in Italy, this unforgivable thing sat on my pizza.
"Sis, you ordered right? This their signature?"
"Yeah. Only one recommended."
"Show me."
Sure enough, app listed 'Hawaiian Pizza' as signature. Pineapple-topped abomination.
Unthinkable in Italy; even in Korea, niche taste.
Most places sell it, but calling it top menu? Risky.
"Should've ordered different?"
"Nah. Eat first. Must have reason."
I eyed the pineapple chunks dreadfully, picked a slice. Cheese stretched, sweet aroma wafted.
Chew chew.
Braved a bite.
Tilted my head.
Not bad. Decent for Hawaiian, even.
Sister's eyes rounded in surprise.
"It's okay? Pineapple not overpowering. Edible. Why low ratings?"
"That's the problem."
"Huh? Why?"
"Isn't it well-balanced?"
I rinsed with cola before answering.
Some spots sell polarizing food. Common mistake: dilute strengths to kill hates.
This Hawaiian toned down pineapple, boosted other toppings.
Lost what makes Hawaiian appealing.
Tried erasing hates, killed loves too—neither fish nor fowl.
"If selling, target fans properly. Sis, next time here, order Hawaiian?"
"Me? No. Sweetness bugs me now; I'd pick else."
Haters like us skip it; fans disappointed too.
"What to do."
I pondered on the drive home.
Which shop?
'Jokbal out. Zero effort.'
Tteokbokki showed handmade zeal. Pizza too.
Jokbal? None. Some dry bits screamed microwaved leftovers.
Diligence, effort? Jokbal disqualified.
Down to tteokbokki or pizza.
I picked pizza.
Tteokbokki advice maxed at ready-made broth/skins. Pizza needed signature overhaul.
I emailed the tteokbokki subscriber apologetically. Detailed issues, fixes. No vid promo, but early supporter—hoped they improved.
"Now contact pizza place. Tactful. Polite."
Tastes vary. Pineapple on pizza? Sacrilege to some.
Kept that in mind, drafted super polite email.