Cheojeongri Black Garlic Water
It had been a few days since the Cheojeongri Black Garlic Water.
With the February specialist exam looming, the fourth-year residents—whether officially or not—were nowhere to be seen. Once the second round ended on February 10th, Lunar New Year break would follow right away, so we wouldn't cross paths again until after the holidays. And then we'd part ways for good. That meant more on-call shifts for us, and every day felt far busier than usual.
I'd just finished dinner and was taking a short stroll along the hospital's walking path when a Gatong message arrived.
I ate the Black Garlic Fried Chicken. It lacked flavor. Sweet, but bland.
Of course it did.
"Then why didn't Do-yoon use black garlic in the garlic fried chicken recipe?"
That single line from King Munjong in the last Gatong exchange had scared the hell out of me, in the most unrefined terms. I'd been too flustered to explain properly.
I'd given him the garlic fried chicken recipe to ensure he got allicin, garlic's key compound. Medically, it has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects; on the palate, it delivers that sharp, pungent kick. The more you mince garlic, the more allicin forms—so garlic fried chicken has to have that intense bite.
Black garlic is different. During fermentation, allicin breaks down, replaced by compounds like S-allyl cysteine. The health benefits amplify—stronger antibacterial and anti-inflammatory action—but the pungency vanishes, swapped for a caramel-like sweetness. Black garlic fried chicken might be sweet, but it can't replicate that garlic rush. In short, no more dopamine hit from garlic chicken.
Your Highness, black garlic transforms garlic's essence during fermentation. Better for the body, but the aroma fades.
And then... an inexplicable unease.
"Then why didn't Do-yoon tell me from the start?"
I prostrated myself flat again in the next Gatong.
My apologies.
Is high-concentration black garlic juice beneficial?
Black garlic juice has low risk of side effects even in excess. No harm in drinking it.
Yes, Your Highness. Avoid empty stomach; a cupful with alcohol suffices.
Understood. Ensure no repeats like the black garlic fried chicken.
It wasn't anger—something else. Lingering resentment... Munjong was human, after all.
Yes, Your Highness.
Thinking of the royal kitchen staff's toil to make black garlic fried chicken made me feel deeply sorry. They'd tasted it themselves, found it flavorless, probably failed multiple times before submitting it in resignation.
"My apologies to the royal kitchen..."
Another week passed. I'd been on call yesterday. That morning, I dragged home after my shift.
Munjong's Gatong messages had noticeably dwindled lately. The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty for December 1451 and January 1452 were missing, so I had no clue what he was up to. Probably recovered enough to handle state affairs.
I opened the backup Annals.
Deokyangjeong Yi Woo-ryang passed away.
Court sessions and markets halted for two days. Coffin, burial mound, and 40 seok of rice and beans provided, along with 100 rolls of paper.
Prince Anpyeong's second son, Deokyangjeong Yi Woo-ryang, had been taking black garlic juice for over ten days. Had his tonsillitis improved?
I opened my browser and logged into the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty site.
Frost formed on the trees.
Yi Woo-ryang's obituary was gone. Only frost on the trees remained.
Not yet time for a dramatic recovery. But rest, black garlic juice, and toothpaste synergy had carried him through eleven months without dying in the intercalary year—that much was locked in, altering the Annals.
As long as the disease didn't progress beyond Joseon's means, top physicians like Jeon Sun-ui would handle it.
Whether the Gyeoyu Coup or Gapsul Coup was averted remained unclear. Instead of dying that intercalary year, Yi Woo-ryang might soon face poison alongside his father Prince Anpyeong and brother Uichun-gun Yi Woo-jik.
I couldn't know how much life he had left. But he'd live far healthier till the end—that was certain. I was satisfied with that.
Clinical success: preventing his intercalary-year death. Prevention: healthy remainder of life.
I messaged Munjong first in a while.
Your Highness, how fares your nephew's health?
Well. He takes black garlic juice without fail.
Fortunate. Continue so.
I set down my phone and stared at the laptop screen. It felt like I could see frost over Joseon in December 1452.
With a day off, I arrived early next day, but the ward's mood was off.
Second-year resident Kang Min approached with a chart.
"Sunbae, Room 6 grandma's been getting more short of breath since dawn. High-flow oxygen now, but sats keep dropping."
I threw on my gown, scanning the chart as I walked.
70s female. Day 3 hospitalized for severe pneumonia.
The patient sat half-upright in bed, labored breathing. Accessory muscles straining. Cyanotic nasal tip. Stethoscope: vesicular rales bilaterally, worse on right. SpO2 84%. High-flow 15L, no improvement.
While Min drew ABGA, I watched her face. Conscious, but heaving with every breath.
pH 7.28. PaCO₂ 58. PaO₂ 52.
Clear type 2 respiratory failure. Hypercapnia turning blood acidic—respiratory acidosis. Lungs failing to vent CO₂. Self-breathing at limit; needed intubation.
Issue: No prior DNR. Had to wait for family. Called them morning; en route, 20 minutes out.
20 minutes might miss the window. But intubating now without consent...
"BiPAP first. Set it up. Min, explain over phone to family. I'll supplement on arrival, get consent fast."
15 minutes later, family burst in. Pre-explained, so consent signed quick. Intubated.
ETT in, ventilator connected. Monitor: SpO2 87%, 91%, 94%, 96%—climbing.
Tube secured. Vent humming. Shoulders relaxed. No more whole-body gasps; machine breathed for her.
Restoring breath. Same as always.
Finished Room 6, but morning stayed hectic. ER calls, intern fixes, teaching what went wrong. Skipped lunch. Late afternoon breather.
Min at corridor vending machine.
"Hyung, thanks for this morning."
"No biggie."
"Drink on me?"
"Anything."
"Cheojeongri Black Garlic Water okay?"
Min pressed without waiting. Handed me a white can.
Cheojeongri Black Garlic Water. Tiny ondol room and jar illustration below brand.
Fingers trembled; brain clamped down. Trembling here looks weird. Act natural. Super natural.
Cracked it open, sipped casually—ultra casually. Felt like inching toward Daesang Best Actor.
Tasted fine. Sweeter than black garlic juice, carbonated.
"Kya~. Cheojeongri's caffeine-free refreshment hits different."
Liked this kid usually, but today? Wanted to smash his head with that garlic jar.
Half-finished can: Cheonan Food Co., Ltd.
Mom?
"Sigh, wanna clock out early today."
Heard Min, but no response. Couldn't.
Cheonan Food was Mom's company. Main product: black soybean walnut milk. Black carton, logo-stamped. Always one in my schoolbag.
Not huge. Annual sales ~1 billion won, from memory. No big marts; local rest stops, marts, school lunches near Cheonan.
Never dreamed of seeing Mom's product in a Seoul mega-hospital.
Forgot Daesang dreams, Min's existence. Phoned searched.
Category: Beverage | Carbonated | One of World's Top 3 Black Drinks
Korea's Cheonan Food launched this black garlic carbonated drink in 1992. Made with mineral-rich Cheojeongri spring water from Naesu-eup, Cheongwon-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, infused with black garlic juice. Low exports but cult overseas following; dubbed one of world's top 3 black drinks alongside coffee and cola. Caffeine-free unlike those, symbolizes K-Food health with kimchi. Mineral-carbonation zing meets black garlic's caramelized sweetness. Soy milk maker Cheonan Food rode its sales to top Korean beverage firm, 500 billion won revenue today.
Cheojeongri Black Garlic Water: born 1992. Me: 1996.
No way I'd never heard of Mom's pre-birth launch. 1 billion to 500 billion sales...
Butterfly effect.
"Heading back first."
Min returned to work. I gazed skyward from vending window. Crisp, clear February blue.
I hadn't come to med school to save lives. At first, anyway. Money.
Then what now...?