Original subtitles

Hello, there.

How come it's so hard to come in here? An inspection after inspection...

What brings you all the way the Presidential residence?

I came to ask you for a favor.

Me? What favor?

Can you be the judge for our cafeteria's cooking contest?

A cooking contest?

How could you let a young kid do kitchen work, of all the things to do in the world?

She has her whole life ahead of her How can do you that to her?

Why don't you just act your age?

The more I get to know you, the more I feel sorry for you.

All legitimate trades are equally honorable.

Like people say, it's not what you do, it's how you do it.

You two are nothing but smooth talkers!

What?

I mean...

She needs a job fast.

She lost all her money.

She needs to do something to put food on the table.

Come on, for my sake, please?

For who's sake?

Your sake?

Well, too bad I don't think that's enough to recommend her.

Forget it! Forget I said that!

How can you be so stingy?

Do you think you're the only person I can ask?

I can just ask the nutritionist myself.

Go ahead and try. Let's see if she can get hired when I say no.

That's why I'm here, asking...

I'll light it for you.

Forget it.

This is the first time I saw you laugh.

How do you guys know each other? I heard you're not even relatives.

- Excuse me. - Oh, okay.

Hey.

My lens. My lens case...

Oh, okay.

What the...

- What are you doing? - What do you mean, what am I doing?

I rinsed your case for you. Here you go!

- My lens! - What's wrong?

- Did I lose something? - My lens! My left lens!

How can you wash someone else's lens case without checking it!

What lens? It was empty.

How can you lie with a straight face like that?

See? As you can see, this is my right lens.

The left one was still in that case.

Then...

Oh, no!

Now I have to wear glasses the whole day!

This is driving me crazy!

How much is it? I'll compensate you

That's not the issue here! I'm about to make a fool out of myself.

How can you make a fool out of yourself over something like this?

I can't believe this!

Whoa! This can't be happening!

It's like the frog prince!

How can someone look so different?

I'm really sorry.

I made a huge mistake.

Soup, seasoned greens, flat cakes, and noodles. You'll be tested on these foods.

You're free to choose whichever ingredients you want.

You'll be judged by our cooks, me, and the chef from the Presidential residence.

You don't need to make a big deal out of it.

Just be sincere, as if you were feeding your husband and kids at home.

That's the point.

What else is there to make delicious food?

Ms. Ku!

She's here.

Miss Jin-Kyung. She's the girl I told you about.

- Come over here. - Oh, I see.

Miss Bong-Soon, this is our nutritionist.

Hi.

Huh?

Your glasses!

Do you guys know each other?

I guess we do.

I heard you really, really want to work in this cafeteria.

Yes.

What should I do?

Why did that four eyes have to be the nutritionist here?

(From: Kim Man-Bok)

Come in.

- I heard you called for me. - Yes.

Do you know who Nam Bong-Gi is?

Yes, I know him. But why...

Tell him to come to the Presidential residence tomorrow for lunch.

Huh?

The Presidential residence?

Why?

Because of this.

- I need to eat this with him. - Huh?

Why do I need to waste a lovely Saturday afternoon going to the market with her?

I'm not going! You go with her then.

If I can go with her, why would I ask you instead?

I'm only begging my son who's not listening to me only because I can't go!

That's begging?

What did you say?

Your father's speaking to you! How dare you mutter in front of me!

You want a piece of me?

Do you want me to beat you up before you go?

Father!

Do you owe her big time or something?

Why are you treating Bong-Soon as if she was your master?

Is it because of the bellflower?

Stop complaining, and show her around the market.

Don't take her to a grocery store.

Take her to an old-fashioned market instead.

It's a cooking contest, remember?

This is your father's order.

Soup, seasoned greens, flat cakes, and noodles...

I have the noodles down.

But what should I do about the rest?

Hey!

- Hey, Bong-Soon! - Huh?

Hurry up! Let's go.

Let's go to that market or whatever.

No, I don't think we should go to a market.

- Let's go to a mountain. - What? A mountain?

Do you think doing this to me is funny?

Why are you doing this to yourself when you can go to the market nearby?

I can't beat those people with the same ingredients from the market!

I'm going to fight with fresh ingredients!

The ingredients in the market are fresh too!

We're not in your neighborhood anymore, where the market opens every five days!

This is Seoul!

You primitive hillbilly!

How can you compare natural ingredients like this to the ones touched by people?

I can't focus, so stop fussing and please be quiet!

What? You ungrateful....

Fine. I'm not going.

I'm not taking one step further, so you can dig vegetables or dig up a tree by yourself.

Do whatever you want! You can get lost or find your way.

This place was off-limits until recently, so it'll be pretty hard to find your way around.

Have fun! Good luck!

Just what I expected from Nam Bong-Gi!

I'm surprised you followed me this far.

Fine.

I don't need your help either!

I can't believe this.

You know, I'm speechless right now.

A cooking contest? Yeah right.

If you win that, I'm gonna scorch my hands.

No, if you win, I'm changing my name from Nam Bong-Gi to Yeo Bong-Gi.

Excuse me, mister.

- Who? Me? - Yes

Light this cigarette for me.

- Come on, light it! - What are you doing?

How would you feel if I burned your flesh with this cigarette light?

What?

He's not that different from you either.

It's not even a dead tree.

Look how he's alive and stretched to the top like this.

How can you scorch it with a cigarette light like that?

Even though he can't speak, he breathes just like us.

It hurts when you hit him, and he gets burned if you scorch him with a light.

How can you come hiking without having the least bit of decency?

Whoa!

A celandine!

That's not a celandine.

You can't find celandines here. Maybe in Kangwon Province, but not here.

But it looks like it, huh?

But you should never eat this.

It's dangerous.

You're right.

Now that I look at it carefully, it's different.

It smells different, too.

What do you have?

Nothing much.

jus enough wormwood and lettuce for tomorrow.

What did you get?

You even have gooseberries and butterburs.

They smell so nice.

Wow, you dug them so carefully and nicely.

You seem like a really nice person.

I can tell just by looking at how you dug those vegetables.

What if that Bong-Soon chick really did get lost?

I should've just left when I had the chance!

This is driving me crazy!

Bong-Soon!

Bong-Soon!

Bong-Soon!

Yeo Bong-Soon!

Bong-Soon!

You...

Bong-Gi.

What's wrong?

I lost a shoe while climbing a rock.

I can't find it.

Oh, the things you do... Miss Bong-Soon the Spectacular!

Oh, my foot.

I wonder if I got glass stuck in here.

Get up! I have a date.

Hurry! Hurry up!

I can't walk because my foot hurts too much.

Let's stay here a little longer, okay?

- What? - Get on

What?

I don't have much time. Get on, before I leave you here.

One, two, three Forget it, bye.

You're heavy as a rice sack.

How much do you weigh?

I don't know.

It's been so long since I last measured it.

Am I that heavy?

You're a wild boar, not a woman!

Get your hands off!

Do you want to choke me to death?

What are you doing?

- Dear Auraji boatman. - Shut up!

- Ferry me over, will you? - I said, be quiet!

The gingers of Sarigol are about to fall.

Get up! Ow, my foot!

- My foot! - You wild boar!

Be quiet!

Put your hats and aprons on before you get ready.

(Judge)

Get your ingredients ready.

We'll inspect the ingredients as soon as the head judge gets here.

Welcome.

Hi.

Everyone, say hi.

This is the head chef of the Presidential residence, who will make the final judgment.

Hello, everyone! I'm Gang Sa-Nim.

Welcome.

We've met before, right?

It's okay, Ji-Soo.

Ma'am, you look so pretty today.

Let's go out.

Come on.

Round I: Ingredients

Before the actual contest, the head chef will judge your ingredients.

Of course, this will also count towards the final decision.

- Are you making wormwood soup? - Yes

That's what I'm making, too.

Isn't this from Jeju?

Yes! I got it delivered this morning with the help of a restaurant I know.

That's hard-core.

Jeju belt fish is expensive!

That's overkill!

That's because this is a cooking contest!

Just looking at them gives me butterflies in my stomach.

Why does that kid want to work in the kitchen for?

I think we should talk her out of it.

- Have some tea. - Okay.

This belongs to you, right?

How did you get this?

I heard you gave him a bath and took him to the hospital, too.

He sent his home-grown pumpkin.

I called you because I wanted to eat it with you.

I think half of this belongs to you.

That was close.

Did he get transferred to the escort squad?

You want me to sit here?

You remembered that's my seat, right?

You want me to sit here because you remember, right?

Then where's your seat?

Hello.

Hi.

Why are you in this room?

She was with a guest.

The First Lady will be here soon with that guest.

What?

- She's coming with him? - She'll be dining with him.

Mr. Hwang, can you watch my wife for a while?

Until lunch is over.

Please take her to our room and stay with her.

I need to go see someone right now.

- Sure. - Thanks.

Why are you going to the kitchen?

I think that's the shortcut.

Ji-Soo?

Long time no see.

I'm with a guest, so please take her to the room.

Yes, Ma'am.

Have a seat.

Okay.

I think it's because you're in her husband's seat.

Follow me to the room.

She's a little sick.

Oh.

What should I do? I can't tell him who I am.

Do you see the glass bottle on the table?

Today's winner is the person with the most marbles in it.

Since food critique can be subjective, these 5 judges will drop a marble into...

... the bottle of the contestant whom he or she thinks made the most delicious food.

Why are you crying?

Stop! Don't cry!

Please, stop crying!

Look, I'm not... I'm not a bad person!

I was only trying to pick up the pin. The pin that you dropped!

Here you go.

What happened?

What's wrong, Ji-Soo?

Well, she dropped her pin So I picked it up for her, and...

Oh, I see.

- You must've been startled. - Yes, a little.

It's her daughter's hairpin.

They're living apart right now.

Oh, I see.

Ma'am, you have a call from Mr. President.

I only made things get behind because I volunteered to cook it myself.

It's almost ready, so please wait a little longer, okay?

Sure.

I'm so sorry.

I'm okay! It's only a minor burn.

It's my son's clothes.

Good thing it fits you.

Yes.

She's my daughter-in-law.

- That was so good! - Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you!

I noticed that you brought your own water. Why?

It's the spring water I got from the mountain this morning.

Thank you! Thank you so much, mister!

Who got first place with the first dish?

The belt fish soup got three Those two got none.

She has two.

The Jeju belt fish won.

More money, better food.

Hyang-Sook, why did you pick the wormwood soup?

What do you mean, why? Because it was good.

The belt fish soup was good, too...

... but I don't know why her soup reminded me of my mother who passed away

We used to be so poor, and she cooked the soup every spring until I got sick of it

I forgot all about her, until she reminded me.

As much as the wormwood scent?

Yes! As touching as the wormwood scent.

We will now critique your flat cakes.

You may start now.

He's Presidential guard Nam Bong-Gi of the 2nd division.

The First Lady has invited him for lunch.

Oh, him.

- What's wrong with your hand? - Oh, I got hurt.

You should be more careful.

No need to come inside. You can go home now.

- I'm sorry I called you on your day off. - No problem. Have a nice day.

Bye.

Did you see that?

The President gave me a pat on the back!

So?

What do you mean, so? It's an honor!

Why are you dressed like that when you're meeting the First Lady?

Oh, there's a good reason.

This is the President's son's clothes! Did you know that?

What? Who's clothes?

Director Lee.

Did you know that the President's son's wife has dementia?

That's not true.

Presidential guard Nam Bong-Gi of the 2nd division!

Yes.

If your director says that's not true, then it's not true for you, too.

Understand?

Yes, I understand.

(Final Round: noodles)

(Fish belly dish)

(Buckwheat noodles)

I think we know who the winner is.

No, you'll never know until you sample it.

But she has fish belly.

I've never even heard of buckwheat noodles before!

Can't you tell just by looking at it?

Fish belly!

Where did you get the fish? It melts in my mouth!

It smells a little like cheese, too!

It must've been expensive.

Are you sure you're not overdoing it?

Our paycheck's pretty sorry.

You wouldn't believe how sorry it is.

Your menu's pretty shabby for a person who begged for a chance to work here.

Can't you see what other people made?

What's this? It's different.

Tastes like soybean paste.

Is this a Kangwon food?

Yes.

Well, at least it tastes better than it looks.

Buckwheat noodle soup?

Do you know what this is?

- -How did you make this? - Huh?

What do you mean, how?

I just made anchovy broth with soybean paste.

Then I added cabbage leaves, potatoes, and pumpkins.

Then I seasoned it.

That's it.

I'm talking about the broth.

Are you sure you didn't add anything else?

Nope.

I know other people add mushrooms and green onions...

... but my grandma only cooked with anchovy and soybean paste.

Who made this soybean paste?

It's my grandma's.

I brought them to Seoul with me because I didn't want to throw it away.

I never knew I'd be using them today.

Did she come with you to Seoul?

No, she passed away.

Hey, man.

Today's a Sunday. Do you want to go somewhere?

Come on, don't be stingy.

Come on, man.

Hey Bro!

What? Bro?

- You workin' today? - You workin' today?

I'm not your buddy!

No, I'm not working today.

I came because I had an appointment.

I'm teaching Miss Jin-Kyung how to...

Clubbing?

Of course I'm up for it!

Thank you!

Thank you very much, much, much!

Oki doki.

Should I take that Jin-Kyung chick too?

She's not my type, but she ain't that bad, either.

She seems too good to turn down, but I don't want to go out with her either.

She's a bit iffy.

Since I'm going clubbing, might as well see what I can do with her.

Depending on how far I get, I might move her from 2nd class to 1st class.

Got it! Bye.

Today's the day. I'll be examining Noh Jin-Kyung!

Hey!

Hey Bro!

Nice to see you again!

Why are you coming to work on a Sunday?

An unofficial meeting?

Come on, Bro.

When someone asks you a question, you should answer it.

You're embarrassing me.

What's wrong?

Did I do something wrong?

It is because you don't like looking up to me?

We will now select today's final winner.

one... two... three... four... five... six... seven... eight...

Eight.

Ms. Cho Yang-Ja has eight marbles.

Now it's Miss Bong-Soon's turn.

one... two... three...

Huh?

She has eight, too.

What?

It's a tie?

What should we do now? Are you doing to do it over?

No.

We of course need to count the ingredient inspection we did in the beginning.

This means today's final winner will be the person...

... who got a higher score on the ingredient evaluation.

Mr. Gang, please announce our final winner.

Today's final winner is...

Miss Yeo Bong-Soon.

Huh?

No way!

What are you talking about?

I only used top-notch products.

All my vegetables are organic, too!

How can she have better ingredients than me?

Anyone can buy ingredients with money.

My standard for grading ingredients isn't about money.

It's about whether you have the eyes and the heart to distinguish good ingredients.

Besides, you can't beat Miss Bong-Soon's zeal.

She went all the way up to the mountain twice.

You don't cook with money. You do it from the heart.

We won't be cooking with those expensive ingredients in this cafeteria anyways.

What the heck? Does that mean she's our new co-worker?

I guess so.

Congratulations.

You did well today, and yesterday too.

Congratulations! Good job.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

I'll do my best.

I really will

I look forward to working with you.

Are you headed for the Mugunghwa cafeteria?

I was on my way there too.

Let's go together.

This is your application for security clearance

Fill it out.

When you submit it, attach ten ID pictures.

When you pass the security clearance, you can go get a physical at a designated place.

Look.

I'm not telling you to fill it out right now Go home and do it.

But I'm in a hurry.

Besides, I don't have much to fill out anyways.

Here you go! I'm done.

That's it?

Your highest education is middle school.

No family?

Are you an orphan?

For now, yes.

But I'll find my family soon.

Hi.

Bong-Soon!

What are you doing here?

Oh, the cooking contest!

I guess it's over.

Is it over?

Yes.

Do you guys know each other?

Unfortunately, yes.

Hey hillbilly, you got cut, huh?

Yes, I got cut, thanks to your curse.

Just admit that you got cut because you suck!

This isn't a place anyone can just come in like that?

You should know better.

Miss Noh, can you give me my application for security clearance again?

I forgot to sign it.

What? Application for security clearance?

What?

You mean...

If you win that, I'm gonna scorch my hands.

No, if you win, I'm changing my name from Nam Bong-Gi to Yeo Bong-Gi.

Look here, Mr. Yeo Bong-Gi!

Oh, my stomach!

Mr. Yeo Bong-Gi!

Where are you going? You should scorch your hands first!

Are you running away, by any chance, Mr. Yeo Bong-Gi?

Let's go scorch those hands.

Which one should we scorch first? The right, or the left?

Should we just scorch them together?

Let me go!

Come on, let me go!

Did you hurt your hands?

They were fine this morning.

What happened?

Get off me! It just happened.

You should've been more careful.

She's on a roll today.

She never does that at home.

Well, not always.

She sings and plays better at home.

I think this is her worst performance yet.

I got a call from your in-laws.

They want you guys to get a divorce.

Subtitles provided by MBC America Minor Edits/Timing by pc