Park Tae-hwan finds 'gold medal' taste in Haenam heifer Hanwoo... even mentioning his connection with Kim Hye-yoon

Swimming hero Park Tae-hwan was captured visiting Haenam, Jeollanam-do, to enjoy the flavor of heifer Hanwoo. According to the TV CHOSUN 'Home-Style Meal Travels' video, Park Tae-hwan visited a restaurant in Haenam and tasted various Hanwoo cuts, including fresh meat slaughtered on the same day.

The pride of Haenam heifers, a feast of special cuts from fresh meat to grilled meat

The owner of the Haenam restaurant presented fresh meat slaughtered on the morning of that day. In the video, the owner introduced the rump cut (udun-sal) and mungtigi (fresh beef slices), emphasizing a texture so chewy that it does not fall off the knife. In particular, the method of serving brisket (chadolbagi) sliced into strips rather than thin slices was explained as a reflection of the owner's personal preference for texture. Along with the rump, Park Tae-hwan tasted skirt meat (chimasal), with the fat removed from the brisket area, as fresh meat, confirming the different flavors of each cut.

In the subsequent grilling round, top blade (buchaesal), belly (upjinsal), chuck flap tail (salchisal), and skirt meat (chimasal) appeared in succession. The top blade, named for resembling a fan, is characterized by a central tendon that provides a chewy texture. The belly meat (upjinsal), which is the part of the cow that touches the ground when it lies down, added abundant juices. The restaurant owner stated that for meat quality, they undergo butchering, vacuum packaging, and a 3-day underwater aging process. The owner added that after butchering the meat, they perform underwater aging in a vacuum state for about 3 days and then go through a straging process. Park Tae-hwan experienced different textures for each cut while grilling the skirt meat over charcoal.

Park Tae-hwan's surprise confession, connection with actress Kim Hye-yoon and behind-the-scenes story of drama appearance

During the meal, Park Tae-hwan revealed an anecdote about appearing as a cameo in a drama in the past. Park Tae-hwan stated that he formed a connection with Kim Hye-yoon, who was the lead actress at the time of his drama appearance. He mentioned that he even visited an academy run by Kim Hye-yoon as an actor, and shared the situation where Kim Hye-yoon had suggested his appearance to him before the drama filming. Mentioning that connection, Park Tae-hwan reminisced about the days when foreigners used to ask for his number during past competitions.

The taste of Haenam concluded with ox foot and tail bone soup containing Hwangchil

The meal was concluded with ox foot and tail bone soup (ujok kkoritang), which is famous among regulars. The owner explained that they personally made this bone soup, which contains both ox feet and tails, and added Hwangchil to enhance the flavor. Park Tae-hwan noted the unique taste, which was different from existing seolleongtang, galbitang, or doganitang. Park Tae-hwan expressed his gratitude to the production team and the restaurant owner, saying, "As a swimmer, it is meaningful to come to senior Jo U-hyeon's hometown and experience it firsthand."