How Can a Wolf Cub Crawl Under a Dog?
Having heard from a friend that Seong Chan-ho was showing up, Lee Ha-seong started cleaning the kitchen and fridge with his mother and Yoo Hee-yeon. The Health Restaurant Korea filming schedule hadn't been set yet, but these kinds of surprise shoots happened often.
'They'll find dirt no matter how hard we scrub anyway...'
Lee Haru, who knew that in a few years Seong Chan-ho and Shin Do-young would crash and burn, just shrugged it off.
From the current data, Seong Chan-ho is like a god to restaurant owners, so he's acting the part.
They always kept things tidy where they could, and Haru, worn out from nonstop stir-frying jeyuk, was resting in a corner of the dining area.
On the TV in the hall, tuned to a public broadcast channel, Seong Chan-ho was appearing alongside Min Yong-uk, the up-and-coming chef he'd mentored.
"...And today, we have the incredible Min Yong-uk Chef, the first Korean restaurant to earn Michelin 2 stars, and his mentor, the one and only Saint Chan, Seong Chan-ho Chef!!"
"...Seong Chan-ho emerged from culinary backwater Korea, studied abroad in the US in 2000... saved the near-bankrupt Chinese restaurant Metro Wok after his parents died in an accident."
"Aww, come on, today I'm not the star—it's Yong-uk here. Why talk about me...?"
His forced humility mixed with English and that expat vibe was laughable.
'He didn't save it with skill. He bought off one faction of the divided staff with money, chased out the ones loyal to the original owner. The study abroad was forced by his family too.'
He'd used his construction magnate family's wealth to buy Metro Wok and the chefs, then swallowed their recipes whole. Many chefs back then were illegal immigrants, so he solved their green card issues with cash, then blackmailed them. It wasn't much different from any shady businessman, but Seong Chan-ho had insane luck on his side.
"Not just saved it—he even developed the Korean Red Chicken menu."
Seong Chan-ho's Korean Red Chicken, a fried dish with intense crimson sauce contrasting the bright orange of T.F. Chang's top menu, Orange Chicken, the king of American Chinese spots.
"I didn't have the experience of my Chinese friends there, and they mocked me as a tiny nation's citizen. So I researched sauce until my tongue shriveled."
'He accidentally mixed one spoon gochujang with one spoon strawberry jam instead of two gochujang, was gonna toss it, but tasted it and it worked surprisingly well.'
His originally thick, gochujang-heavy dishes accidentally shone through that mistake. The sous chef, dying of cancer, revealed the true story of Korean Red Chicken's birth right before Seong Chan-ho's downfall—that's how it came out.
The idea came from a fluke, and the staff, especially the sous chef, refined it to sellable perfection.
'Seongga Food sued claiming it was false, but it just exposed how he abused his staff as owner-chef.'
No wonder Metro Wok's main branch and outposts earned Michelin 1 star less than a year after he sold and left.
"After saving Metro Wok on the brink, you suddenly sold it and joined CIA??"
"CIA?? Was Seong Chan-ho Chef a spy?? Awakener??"
A comedian panelist dropped a dumb joke, cueing laughter track.
"No, no—I haven't awakened even days ago. Not that CIA. Culinary Institute of America."
"Whoa, killer pronunciation. One of the world's top three culinary schools. But you dropped out after a year?"
'Money gets you in easy, but with that asshole personality, no way he fit in.'
"Yeah. Then exactly a year after I left, Metro Wok got Michelin 1 star. Pissed me right off."
"Racial discrimination was rampant in the US back then."
"Still, we Koreans were in full party mode—a chef from food-desert Korea nabbing Michelin!!"
They slyly hid that he'd sold it, spinning national pride off a Korean running a Chinese restaurant in America getting stars.
"But hey, that hairstyle back then... so unique!"
"Too old for that hair now."
His broom-like long red hair had fueled his fake genius image big time. In the early 2000s economic crash and depression era, his Michelin news gave people hope... but the truth of his money-and-luck hero myth was years away.
"Actually, getting Michelin after I quit was a blessing."
"Huh??"
"Gave me a new goal: earn Michelin in Korea with Korean food."
"Ah, right. After dropping CIA, you came back, fused American burgers with Korean flavors for the Saint Burger franchise smash hit!"
"I ate that burger as a kid—mind blown. That's why Saint Chan Chef judged Cooking Master Korea."
Min Yong-uk, who'd just been nodding along, jumped in.
"Heh, maybe I'd have gone easier then."
"You were a contestant then; now your Korean spot's the first with 2 Michelin stars."
"True, but Korea's image has risen since. Thanks to folks like skier Park Ji-min and Chef Seong Chan-ho elevating national prestige."
In her past life, Haru knew that Min Yong-uk guy would hit 3 stars in 2-3 years.
'He must know what a prick Seong Chan-ho is... must suck bootlicking.'
Folks in the industry let braggarts slide. That's why Metro Wok never aired his dirty laundry.
"How long to eat at Min Yong-uk Chef's place?"
"About 3 months wait!"
"Too long. Waiting months for food you crave..."
"Speaking of, what's Chef Seong Chan-ho up to lately?"
"New business maybe..."
The comedian's quip made Seong Chan-ho put on a stern face.
"My wife's handling business. I'm a chef first."
Then he teased the Korean food franchise venture soon hitting shelves, shifting the buzz.
The one that buried Haru's family in debt in her past life.
'Ugh, gonna hurl.'
Feeling queasy, Haru twisted away just as the door opened—Seong Chan-ho and the Shin Do-young YouTube crew piled in.
The first shot caught the girl reverently nodding at the TV with Seong Chan-ho on it.
"Hi~ Here alone? Know who this uncle is??"
Seeing Seong Chan-ho in the flesh triggered Haru's PTSD—she instinctively backpedaled. Memories flooded back: finger-pointing, collar-grabs, yelling, thrown objects from her past life.
Deep breath. She started normal convo.
"Yeah, I know. Seong Chan-ho Chef. Boss told me."
"Boss???"
"Me kitchen part-timer here. Boss praised my jeyuk stir-fry."
A nearby staffer pointed at the TV with Seong Chan-ho.
"Oh, the Min Chef shoot. Part-timer a fan of mine?"
'Shit...'
Hard controlling emotions and lisp in the moment.
"Or Min Yong-uk Chef fan??"
"Both! Just watched 'cause first ep reruns were cute."
"Where's the owner??"
Right on cue, Park Sun-ja, Ha-seong, and Hee-yeon emerged from the kitchen.
"Some new faces."
"Lee Ha-seong's wife, Yoo Hee-yeon."
"Lee Haru."
After intros, as scripted days ago, they asked Seong Chan-ho to compare Park Sun-ja and Haru's jeyuk.
"Heard customers rave... Not just jeyuk—serve cheonggukjang, sides too."
Haru farmed Interest Points; Seong Chan-ho eyed indirect promo for his franchise sauce. The mismatched broadcast kicked off.
"What's that??"
Camera zoomed on Haru's Slime Shoes in the kitchen.
"Ah. 'Cause I'm short!!"
In the kitchen, Hee-yeon fetched ingredients as Haru cooked—filmed perfectly.
Not fully intentional, but Haru's current broth and jeyuk were downgraded recipes/materials—not perfect, safe for camera.
'Even if they figure it, can't replicate anyway.'
Seong Chan-ho plopped on a chair eyeing the kitchen, too focused on cooking to notice.
'Think he'd spot it solo??'
No way. Done cooking, Ha-seong served Seong Chan-ho.
"Mom's jeyuk... still meh. Cheonggukjang improved a ton."
"And this... impact's different. Blood-red—what's it scream?"
One bite, face serious.
"Miss Lee Haru, come here a sec??"
Pat-pat-pat! Haru slipped on Slime Shoes, toddled over.
"Which is tastier?"
"Hm. Haru girl's is boss-praise worthy. Both have pros/cons, so no comment now."
Surprising—he skipped dunking to shill Seongga Food sauce.
'Thought he'd trash it...'
Your cooking's too perfect—no ammo to pick a fight right now.
"But Haru girl, you are my fan."
"Huh?"
"This jeyuk's crimson hue—inspired by my Korean Red Chicken, right?"
Squish!
'What bullshit.'
Haru flinched; Slime Shoes wobbled.
"N-no...?"
"So shy."
Chan-ho signaled staff to cut camera.
"I... don't say this lightly."
"?"
"Wasting away here? Join Seongga?"
The expected line, but hearing it live boiled Haru's blood.
"Dog bas—"
'Ahaha... I still feel way too green.'
'Oops!!'
Inner and outer swapped.
"What'd you say??"
"D-dog bas— How can a wolf cub crawl under a dog?!"