Friends: Episode 4 Kim Hyun Woo's Daily Life

A night of deep concern for Kim Hyun Woo who is preparing for a new challenge, the opening of a new restaurant is announced on Friends Episode 4...

MCs: Lee Sang Min, Heechul, Seunghee (Oh My Girl), Shindong

Kim Hyun Woo's New Challenge

Previously on Episode 3... The man with a devilish charm, Hyunwoo, returned to give a glimpse into his daily life. Back at his house... What is he doing in the evening? 

Hyunwoo is concentrating on a cookbook. "I thought I should start again," he says. Preparing for a new start as he flips through the pages to study various recipes. "First of all, it's not Japanese cuisine. It'll be Western-style brunch and... In the evening, natural wine..."

Q. A new space, a new challenge?

"Right... It's a challenge," he says. "It's a challenge, so success is not guaranteed. Still, it should be meaningful to take on the challenge."

Hyunwoo's Unique Menu Development

Focusing on only one page, Hyunwoo carefully studies the recipe... Captivated by it, he gets up and suddenly heads to the kitchen. First, he pops a gummy candy into his mouth. A jelly mania~ Shindong cackles about how he is always eating jelly. After scanning the fridge, Hyunwoo picks the ingredients without hesitation. Then spins the spice rack to find what he needs. All prepared to start cooking now...

Q. What kind of food are you making?

"Just some sauce," he says. "I try to make it myself, but oftentimes it doesn't work out."

After chopping up a cucumber, he adds it into a bowl of Greek yogurt. Then seasons it with salt and handful of peperoncino. Sangmin is surprised, "He's adding all the stuff we think won't taste good together, but it could be good." A salad made even more special with the peperoncino and mint. He stirs all of the ingredients together, and then adds in slices of Shine Muscat grapes too. Still a bit lacking after a quick taste, so he seasons with more salt. Yogurt salad, done!

His Special Dinner

Hyunwoo prepares another menu right away, filling up a pasta pot with water and bringing it to a boil. The menu this time is warm buckwheat noodles. "I'm just eating alone, so I don't usually do much," he says. A simple 3-minute recipe!

Hyunwoo's 3-minute Buckwheat Soba Noodles Recipe:

• Pour soy sauce for buckwheat noodles into a bowl
• Heat soy sauce in the microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds
• Boil the noodles until moderately soft
• Rinse the well-cooked noodles in cold water right away and drain
• Add enough noodles to the bowl of heated soy sauce
• Lightly sauté sliced green onions on a frying pan to add as garnish
• Don't forget to top with a raw egg yolk

For his golden recipe, the secret ingredient for buckwheat noodles is... Natto!

"I eat natto almost every day. Almost every day? Unless I had to travel somewhere, and I forget so I can't eat it. But in most cases, I always eat it. I can eat it directly, eat it with rice or eat it with noodles," he says.

In goes the natto to the bowl of buckwheat noodles, done! Seunghee says, "It looks good!"

He brings the food into his office, and sits in front of the monitor. One bite of buckwheat noodles first. Slurp~ slurp~ "What I've been feeling lately is that Japanese food fits me well," he says. He quickly finishes up the bowl of soba noodles in one shot, mukbang is over!

Unbiased Taste Evaluation Time

Half worry, half anticipation... Time to taste the new yogurt sauce menu as Hyunwoo takes a first bite. After carefully evaluating, he meticulously records down the tasting notes on his laptop.

Q. (Book inspiration + Hyunwoo's secret method) How did the impromptu dish you made taste?

"Not so good," he says with a chuckle. "It wasn't bad, but not good enough to sell to others."

The sauce did not taste as good as he thought, full or worries... He suddenly picks up the phone and gives someone a call to discuss the dish. "I have a headache," he says on the phone. "That encourages me."

Hyunwoo's Troubled Night

A long night for Hyunwoo who cannot go to bed yet. This time, he gets on the phone to check on the price quotation with an interior designer. While preparing to open a new restaurant, even the slightest detail cannot be overlooked. Despite a feeling of tiredness, he meticulously looks at the interior drawings once more. Worrying a lot... After a big sigh, he closes his eyes and leans back against the headrest. A rush of fatigue...

Catch more of Hyunwoo's daily life and "Friend-some Day" on the next episode of Friends...