Crazy Recipe Adventure is a reality cooking show where contestants have to cook a dish based on the episode’s Korean food theme. Their dishes go through a blind taste test by the show’s main four judges, Kim Jongkook, Haha, Seo Janghoon and Sung Sikyung, as well as a special guest judge. If a dish satisfies all five of them, the contestant who prepared it meets the judges face to face and receives a miniature golden axe as their prize.
Each judge has a turn to taste the dish. If they like how it tastes and how it fits the theme, they raise a golden axe sign and pass the dish to the next judge for their critique. However, if they disapprove of the dish, they raise a toad sign, immediately eliminating the contestant and stopping the dish from being tasted by the next judge. To win the miniature golden axe made of real gold, the contestant must be shown five golden axe signs, one from each judge.
With the theme “Health & Fitness” and canned tuna as the main ingredient, fromis_9’s Jisun appeared on episodes 10 and 11 of the show! The episode’s special guest judge was Lee Sanghwa, a two-time Olympic speed skating champion, and the kitchen was filled with buff contestants, from fitness YouTubers to a celebrity fitness trainer.
First, Jisun chose the order in which the judges would taste her dish: Sung Sikyung, Haha, Seo Janghoon, Kim Jongkook and Lee Sanghwa. Right after, unable to see Jisun’s face, the judges were given a chance to guess who the next contestant was. Jisun was introduced with the nickname ‘Puppy’ and they couldn’t guess who she was based on the photo that was shown to them. This was advantageous to her because she didn’t want to be guessed as an idol, as the show became notorious for eliminating idols early thanks to one specific judge.
As she entered the kitchen, the show introduced Jisun as fromis_9’s center and vocalist, and also as Roh Janggeum (named after Dae Janggeum, a young cook from the historical K-drama Jewel In The Palace), whose cooking skills were acknowledged by Baek Jongwon during their appearance in Delicious Rendezvous.
Jisun prepared a dish called Quick Thai Noodles. With the theme “Health & Fitness” in mind, she explained that she believes that it’s impossible to have a delicious meal while on a diet. Knowing that Jisun loves food, she prepared this delicious noodle dish that has a good balance of carbs, fats and protein which anyone can enjoy without worrying about their weight.
When the dish was finally ready, it was served to the judges and the host informed them that one plate consists of 750 kcal. They commented that it looked delicious, but Seo Janghoon remarked that 750 kcal is a bit too much for the “Health & Fitness” theme. Kim Jongkook had a different opinion, saying that it’s good to energize a person, and they should focus more on nutrition rather than losing weight.
Sung Sikyung was first to taste Jisun’s Quick Thai Noodle dish and he raised a golden axe sign without any hesitation. He explained that it reminded him of dishes he used to make when he was on a diet, and the sauce was really good. The next judge was Haha, and he liked the dish so much to the point where he said he felt like the soft tofu was hugging him. He raised a golden axe sign and further described how he liked the chewy texture of the tuna along with the noodles. Watching the judges from another room, Jisun commented that she added the tuna last to keep that texture.
The third judge was Seo Janghoon, also known as ‘Seoverest’ for his strict critique. Jisun seemed nervous as Janghoon smiled while tasting her dish, but she was confident that it deserved a golden axe! When asked why he was smiling, Janghoon admitted that the high calories were stopping him from quickly giving his verdict, but the food was so delicious that he eventually raised a golden axe sign. He even said that it was the best dish of the theme, prompting the surprised host to ask, “He can give compliments like that?” showing how tough Janghoon is as a judge, and how delicious Jisun’s dish was.
Next was Kim Jongkook, who gladly raised a golden axe sign right after tasting the dish. He commented how he could taste every ingredient used and it was delicious. Last was guest judge Lee Sanghwa, who also raised a golden axe sign and praised the delicious dish. With five golden axes from the judges, Jisun earned her own well-deserved Crazy Recipe Adventure Golden Axe!
It was finally time to meet the judges. When Jisun entered the room and introduced herself as a girl group member from fromis_9, Haha and Kim Jongkook turned to Seo Janghoon, who had never given a golden axe to an idol singer; not until Roh Jisun!
The first question Jisun was asked was if she was good at cooking. Jisun shared that she likes cooking, and when she was still in school, she watched Sung Sikyung’s cooking show What Shall We Eat Today?, which made her want to be more like him. She was amazed by his cooking skills and how he easily cooked dishes with whatever was available inside the refrigerator. Seo Janghoon then asked her if she made the Quick Thai Noodle recipe from scratch, and after explaining how she went about it, Sung Sikyung praised her saying, “If you can come up with a recipe, it means you know how to cook.”
Jisun admitted that she was originally aiming to only get two golden axes and not get mentioned as an idol singer. The judges were quick to pick up Seo Janghoon’s negative reputation to idol contestants joining the show. When asked what idols think of Seo Janghoon, Jisun simply said that he was their ‘killer’, earning a good laugh from the judges and an embarrassed smile from the strict judge.
Kim Jongkook, the health and fitness icon in South Korea, asked Jisun if she likes working out. As an idol singer, she shared that she used to starve but it wasn’t healthy for her so she started working out. Even though it has only been a year since she started, she feels healthier and she looks forward to her coming years.
The judges couldn’t seem to get over how delicious Jisun’s Quick Thai Noodle dish was, for they kept taking more servings, even while they were talking to Jisun. ‘Seoverest’ further praised the dish, saying that if it appeared on another episode with a different theme, it would still receive five golden axes because it was beyond amazing. This surprised Jisun and the other judges, drawing Haha to invite her to come again next time. Marking the first idol singer to win a golden axe, the prize was presented to Jisun by ‘Idol Killer’ Seo Janghoon.
After Jisun left the room, the judges continued to praise her. Seo Janghoon asked, “How could she be such a good cook?” and the other judges agreed that she was great while eating what’s left of the dish. Just when they thought Janghoon had said all the praises he can say, he further surprised them by saying that Jisun is probably in the top three best cooks they ever invited on the show. The staff was surprised to hear such a comment from him, then Sikyung explained that maybe Janghoon wasn’t over giving a golden axe to an idol singer.
To be the first idol singer to receive a golden axe and high praises from the judges, Jisun’s Crazy Recipe Adventure appearance made us proud. Our self-taught Roh Janggeum continues to amaze people in the cooking industry and she has definitely made her mark as a cooking idol singer. We’re looking forward to her next cooking adventure!
Watch Jisun’s Appearance on Crazy Recipe Adventure (with English Subtitles)
Writer: Mitch
Designer: Adam
Editor: Bruno
Proofreader: Brad
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