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Actor Ryu Soo-young shares home-cooked comfort in his debut cookbook
Actor Ryu Soo-young shares home-cooked comfort in his debut cookbook

Korea Herald

time11-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Korea Herald

Actor Ryu Soo-young shares home-cooked comfort in his debut cookbook

Stir-fried spicy pork in just 9 minutes and a hearty braised chicken stew for under 10,000 won. Actor Ryu Soo-young has compiled 79 such no-fuss recipes in his debut cookbook, 'Ryu Soo-young's Recipes for Life,' aimed at helping anyone — from newlyweds to retired fathers — master the comforting flavors of Korean home cooking. At a press conference Tuesday, the actor spoke not as a celebrity, but as a passionate home cook and self-taught recipe developer. 'This book isn't for gourmet chefs. It's for people who are just starting to cook — people getting married, or living on their own for the first time. I wanted to create something they could open and follow without fear.' The book draws from more than 300 recipes Ryu has developed over the years, 79 of which he selected for this release. Known for showcasing his culinary chops on cooking programs like KBS' 'Fun-Staurant,' Ryu turns the spotlight on humble, home-style dishes, simple enough for beginners, but rich in flavor. Though Ryu remains best known as an actor, cooking has long been his refuge. 'Cooking has been a kind of healing meditation for me. When I was overwhelmed with work, I'd bake piles of bread or pickle vegetables. It cleared my mind and brought me back to myself.' Publishing a cookbook, he added, was not a decision he made lightly. 'It took me 3-4 years to get to this point,' he said. 'I've relied so much on cookbooks at home. Publishing my own felt almost presumptuous. But so many people asked me to compile my recipes in one, and I found the courage to do it.' The cookbook is divided into five sections: special dishes, rice, noodles, soups and stews, and snacks. For true beginners, Ryu recommends starting with snacks. 'Whether it's cooking or exercise, you need a small win to keep going. Start with something really easy. Then little by little, you'll gain confidence and start enjoying it.' Ryu's ambition goes beyond the domestic kitchen. His international travels for programs, filmed in countries like Spain, Peru and the US, have only deepened his belief in the global appeal of Korean cuisine. Last year, he led a Korean cooking class at Stanford University, introducing students to the basics of Korean food. He also recalled a memorable moment with a celebrity visiting Korea: 'When Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds came to Korea last year, I made them 'galbijjim' (braised short ribs). They loved it.' He is already planning his next cookbook, this time focused on banchan, or the essential Korean side dishes that accompany rice. 'So often, we end up throwing out rice because we don't have the right banchan to go with it,' he said. 'I'd like to put together seasonal, simple sides that help bring those leftovers to life.' While acting fuels his passion, Ryu says cooking offers a different kind of fulfillment, one in warmth and human connection. 'Acting makes my heart race. It's thrilling. But cooking makes me feel warm,' he said. 'Heat is exciting, but warmth draws people close. When I cook, people come toward me, and hearts open up.' Cooking, he says, has become more than just a hobby. 'It might be the most important work in life. Maybe even more useful to others than acting. This feels like the most meaningful moment I've had. And it's not something I take lightly.'

The secret ingredient in Ryu Soo-young's culinary success
The secret ingredient in Ryu Soo-young's culinary success

Korea Herald

time27-03-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Korea Herald

The secret ingredient in Ryu Soo-young's culinary success

A childhood passion led Ryu to redefine his career — balancing life on screen and in the kitchen Actor Ryu Soo-young wasn't always known for his cooking skills. He debuted in 1998, and for years he was best known for his strong, charismatic performances on the big screen and in Korean dramas. But between memorizing scripts and delivering lines, he has long harbored a love for the kitchen. And what he thought would remain as a personal passion has now fully launched into a second career, turning him into an unexpected cooking influencer. Though he describes acting as his "first love," Ryu has found a unique balance between his two passions and careers. "They complement each other," he said in an interview with The Korea Herald. His earliest memory of cooking dates back to childhood. As a boy, he was drawn to the cookbooks scattered around his home. "There was also a baking book. With ingredients like flour and baking powder, I, as a kid, made my first dough and put it in the microwave. It wasn't supposed to puff up, but luckily, it did,' he recalled. 'I remember my parents eating that plain white dough and telling me, 'It's delicious.'' That moment planted a seed, and by sixth grade, he had taught himself how to bake proper cookies. Ryu's passion for cooking took a professional turn in 2020 when he began showcasing his own recipes on KBS's 'Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant.' Since then, he has created over 300 recipes, which often feature clever shortcuts to make cooking more convenient. Some of them will be published in his first cookbook, set for release around May. He explained that among his many recipes, the ones people love most are timeless staples — dishes you never get tired of. 'My jeyuk bokkeum (spicy Korean pork bulgogi) recipe video has over 7.9 million views, and the gimbap one has more than 5 million. These are everyday staples that the whole family can enjoy, and they're very easy to make,' he said. He noted that his lack of formal culinary education and his experience learning through trial and error have helped him create more accessible recipes. 'If I had learned everything at once and taken shortcuts, I wouldn't understand the common mistakes people make. But because I've failed before, I can guide them — telling them what to avoid and what to focus on to get it right,' he said. Also, his tendency to cook with everyday ingredients is another reason that made his recipes popular. 'When I go grocery shopping, my biggest concern is always cost. That's why I use chicken a lot — per kilogram, it's usually the cheapest meat available. Cheap but tasty — that's the key.' K-food ambassador Ryu now looks beyond Korea, envisioning a role for himself in making Korean cuisine more recognized globally and enjoyed by people around the world. "I believe in the power of food," he said. "When you like the same food as someone else, you instantly feel a connection." He used Thai food as an example of how cuisine shapes cultural perception. 'For Koreans, Thai food feels familiar. We all love rice noodles, and that affects how we see the country. But when it comes to Laos or Cambodia, many Koreans don't know much about their cuisine.' Among his many efforts, he delivered a lecture at Stanford University on the value of Korean food. "Through my experiences abroad, I've realized that people's understanding of Korean food has deepened compared to the past. Now is the right time to promote it further," he said. "There's a perception that Korean food is just spicy and sweet, but it can also be incredibly healthy. It's rich in vegetables, and I want to highlight that." Ryu also wants to spotlight Korean sauces. "Using Korean sauce, I once cooked with guinea pig and alpaca in Peru for a TV show," he recounted. "The galbijjim (Spicy braised beef short ribs) sauce really blended with the ingredients, soaking into them and creating this perfect harmony. Everyone loved it." Ryu dismisses concerns that his rise as a cooking influencer might negatively impact his acting career. "In the past, there was this idea that actors had to remain mysterious and revered. But that's nonsense. Acting is just a job," he said. "Nowadays, not only in Korea but even in Hollywood, being a familiar face in another field doesn't hurt your acting career." In fact, his culinary image may have helped land him a role in the Netflix series 'Queenmaker.' "The director told me that my persona as a kind husband who cooks for his family was precisely why he cast me," he revealed. "He said, 'I was curious — what would it be like if that gentle man held a knife in his hand?'" ssh@

'Jungle Bob 2' celebs create more unique dishes in Peru, Caribbean
'Jungle Bob 2' celebs create more unique dishes in Peru, Caribbean

Korea Herald

time27-02-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Korea Herald

'Jungle Bob 2' celebs create more unique dishes in Peru, Caribbean

Netflix's 'Culinary Class Wars' chefs and actors come together for second edition of hit culinary travel show The hit culinary travel series, "Jungle Bob," where Korean celebrities tackle culinary challenges while traveling overseas, returns with a new season, featuring actors and chefs who navigate unfamiliar conditions to cook with locally sourced ingredients. Following the breakout success of its first season, which had celebrities travel to Vanuatu and the Philippines' Palawan province, "Jungle Bob 2" ups the ante with new challenges in Peru and the Caribbean. This season is headlined by actors Ryu Soo-young, Kim Ok-bin and Choi Daniel, alongside star chef Choi Hyun-seok. The Peru episodes will spotlight the quartet navigating the Andean highlands and Amazonian jungles in search of ingredients, while the Caribbean episodes will introduce new faces, including culinary star Yoon Nam-no, best known for his appearance on Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars," as well as Lee Joon of Mblaq and returning cast members Kim and chef Choi. Kim Ok-bin, who took on both challenges in Peru and the Caribbean, emphasized the contrast between the two culinary experiences. "The ingredients in Peru and the Caribbean are distinctly different," she said, during a press conference held in Mok-dong, Seoul, Thursday. "Interesting points when watching 'Jungle Bob 2' will include discovering the most highly regarded dish at each place we visit and experiencing the process of obtaining the food firsthand," she said. Season 2 brings a major shake-up to the program's format: MCs at the studio who will guide audiences through the action from a different vantage point. The newly added panel features former news anchor-turned-variety staple Jun Hyun-moo, rapper and TV personality DinDin and Heo Young-ji of K-pop group KARA. Explaining the change in format, producer Han Bi-in shared, "Since we went through a lot of hardship in Peru and the Caribbean, we thought it would be nice to have someone experiencing those struggles alongside us. Just like how movies are more fun when watched with friends over beer and snacks, we wanted viewers to feel that shared experience, so we decided to include studio recordings." "Jungle Bob 2" premieres at 9 p.m. Thursday on SBS.

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