The reason why Lee Jung Hyun's eyes welled up while eating Yeolmu Bibimbap

Singer and actress Lee Jung Hyun presents a meal filled with longing for her late mother. In the upcoming episode of KBS2 ‘Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant’, which airs this Thursday, the 23rd at 8:30 PM, Lee Jung Hyun's special recipe using summer seasonal ingredient young radish (yeolmu) will be revealed.

In this broadcast, Lee Jung Hyun carefully prepared the dish while reminiscing about her mother in heaven. In particular, she began with the process of making barley soybean paste (bori-doenjang) infused with her mother's handmade touch. This barley soybean paste, which reduces saltiness while enhancing umami, is a menu item containing the special secret recipe her mother used to make every summer. After tasting the finished young radish bibimbap, Lee Jung Hyun appeared deeply moved, saying, “It tastes just like what my mom used to make.” Having lost her mother to an illness in 2021, she became tearful as she recalled memories of her mother embedded in the food.

The 'Gimbap Goddess's' ultra-simple 2-ingredient recipe that recorded 2 million views

Following the young radish bibimbap that soothed her longing for her mother, Lee Jung Hyun presented a new menu worthy of her nickname, the ‘Gimbap Goddess’. Having already garnered significant attention with cumulative views of 2 million through her past ‘Sesame Cucumber Gimbap’ and ‘Dried Radish Gimbap’ videos, she now presents an even more unconventional composition: ‘Young Radish Gimbap’ using only two ingredients.

Lee Jung Hyun showed confidence toward the studio cast members who expressed doubt at her explanation that there were only two ingredients. She specifically described the taste of this gimbap as “nutty, savory, refreshing, crunchy, and cool.” While the cast members were skeptical of the unexpectedly simple combination of ingredients, they showed a reaction beyond expectations after tasting the finished gimbap. Attention is focused on whether this recipe, which maximizes the fresh texture of summer young radish to stimulate the appetite, will reach the kitchens of viewers.

The footsteps of Lee Jung Hyun, who has traversed the music and film industries since her 1996 debut

Meanwhile, Lee Jung Hyun took her first steps as an actress by debuting in the 1996 film ‘A Petal’. Later, in 1999, she began her full-scale career as a singer with the release of her 1st album ‘Let’s Go to My Star’. Having established a unique position in the music industry with numerous hits such as ‘Wa’, ‘Crazy’, ‘Aria Aria’, and ‘Dala Dala’, she has been active in various fields beyond the stage.

She is also maintaining a stable path in her personal life as much as in her career as a singer. In 2019, she tied the knot with an orthopedic surgeon three years younger than her, and she became a mother to two daughters, welcoming them in 2022 and 2024 respectively. Building a family with her two daughters, Lee Jung Hyun expressed her affection for her family and her longing for her mother through the medium of cooking in this broadcast.