Ulleungdo Mulhoe that Lee Man-gi admired, seasoned with sugar and gochujang

Lee Man-gi marveled while tasting wild mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) that captured the freshness of the Ulleungdo sea. In the episode of KBS 1TV's 'The Neighborhood Walk' airing on the 18th, Lee Man-gi continues his second journey in Ulleungdo. Riding a bike along a coastal road where flocks of black-tailed gulls fly, Lee Man-gi faces the breathtaking scenery of Samseonam, a rock formation steeped in the legend that three fairies turned into rocks.

Ulleungdo-style Mulhoe perfected with sugar and gochujang

In this episode, a meal prepared with Ulleungdo ingredients is presented. Lee Man-gi visits a raw fish restaurant operated by a father and son who personally source their ingredients. Managed by the mother, this place specializes in fresh sashimi and mulhoe. The Ulleungdo-style mulhoe has a unique preparation method. It enhances the flavor of the fish by adding only three ingredients: pear, cucumber, and lettuce. The owner explained that they add sugar to the mulhoe and mix it with gochujang. No other seasonings, such as vinegar, are used at all. After tasting the mulhoe containing filefish and red seabream, Lee Man-gi remarked, "The pure taste is exquisite," and asked, "Why is the fish so chewy?" Spicy fish stew served alongside the mulhoe filled the table.

The mountain vegetable set meal featuring 16 types of island herbs tasted in Nari Basin is also a major scene of this journey. Kim Du-sun, who started with a small grocery store and built up a restaurant, serves a neat meal by combining the culinary skills passed down from her mother-in-law with the nature of Ulleungdo.

Ascending the Bujigaengi fields by monorail and the daily lives of islanders

The rugged terrain of Ulleungdo is closely tied to the lives of its residents. The monorail that travels up and down steep mountain slopes is an essential means of transportation for local farmers. Here lives an elderly couple who has continued farming Bujigaengi (mountain herb) for over 60 years, even in their eighties. The sweat shed by the couple is contained in the Bujigaengi that grows in the sea breeze until it reaches the dining table.

The stories of those who left the city to settle in Ulleungdo also continue. Jang Won-seop, who grew up in Seoul and even studied in Germany, was captivated by the clear sea and lives here as a kayaker. He chose a life of living according to the laws of nature. The time spent kayaking through the clear currents is a new adventure and a period of rest for him every day.

At the seaside of Jukam Village, there is a local couple who has spent their entire lives on the island. Having grown up gathering limpets from the rocks since childhood, they still catch limpets together and prepare meals with seasonal food in their remote house. The episode portrays them living like neighbors and family, harmonized with the nature of the island.