"I Stayed in Cheongyang Because of Affection" Stories from an Obstetrician and an Oriental Medical Doctor

On a rainy day, a special meal was prepared based on stories shared by residents of Cheongyang County, Chungcheongnam-do. In TV CHOSUN's 'Trot Kitchen: The Running Dinner Show', stories of local residents, including medical staff who continue to provide medical volunteer work and treatment in the Cheongyang area, were told.

"Because mothers were taking taxis to get here" An obstetrician who settled in Cheongyang

An obstetrician, one of the members of the 'Romantic Doctor' team appearing in the video, revealed the background of how he formed ties with local residents while working at the Cheongyang County Public Health Center. He said that after living abroad for about 10 years, he began practicing at Uriwon in the nearby Hongseong area, but witnessed the situation where mothers and elderly people in the Cheongyang area had to travel long distances to receive treatment.

The specialist said, "There are no obstetrics and gynecology clinics in Cheongyang and no one to look after them, so the elderly people have to charter taxis to come," adding, "When I asked about the taxi fare, I saw 70,000 won or 100,000 won being deposited, so I thought it would be better for me to go to Cheongyang and do this instead, so I came here." He is currently continuing his medical practice in Cheongyang.

"Chose Cheongyang instead of a private clinic in Mok-dong" An oriental medical doctor who has held his position for 8 years

An oriental medical doctor who appeared alongside him also shared a special story of why he stayed in Cheongyang. He explained that he worked as a public health doctor for 3 years and gained great trust from the local elderly through his sincere and kind attitude. He originally planned to open a private clinic in Mok-dong, Seoul, but was drawn by the affection of the Cheongyang residents and has been guarding the region for 8 years.

He expressed his sense of mission, saying, "The grandmothers are so affectionate that they even put my photo from the newspaper in a frame and bring it to me," and "If the purpose were to make money, I could never have stayed here." He expressed his intention to finish his medical activities in Cheongyang in the future.

The food prepared to match the residents' stories consisted of menus using Cheongyang's specialties. The chefs presented 'meat fritters' accompanied by chopped famous dried red peppers from Cheongyang, and served 'pork jjageuli' using goji berries, kelp, and shiitake mushrooms, as well as 'pork shoulder boiled meat' made using the top liquid of makgeolli. The jjageuli is a dish made with potatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, and pork, prepared with a small amount of broth by a chef from Jochiwon, Sejong City, to capture the taste of his hometown.

At the scene, the stories of a trio of young people continued, expressing their ambition to develop desserts using Cheongyang's specialties to help the startup and growth of local youth. Additionally, the atmosphere was heightened as a resident who has worked in the makgeolli industry for over 50 years shared experiences such as acquiring a brewery in 2007.

Source: TVCHOSUN JOY (YouTube)