A Culinary Journey with Author Jo Kyung-kyu

Author Jo Kyung-kyu's latest food comic, "Yum Yum Yum Today 4," offers readers a delectable journey through diverse culinary landscapes, from the nostalgic flavors of childhood to unique regional specialties. The book, a compilation of his five-year serialization in the Hankyoreh newspaper, showcases restaurants primarily in the Seoul metropolitan area, as well as in the Gangwon and Chungcheong provinces.

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If you're curious about the combination of tteokbokki and hotteok, there's no other way. You just have to come to Cheongju and experience it yourself.

Jo's discerning palate extends beyond well-known establishments like Seoul's Hadongkwan and Hanilkwan, or Daejeon's Sung Sim Dang, to embrace lesser-known, long-standing eateries. He highlights Chuncheon's Hamji Restaurant, whose "beef cutlet" is described as a taste of pure nostalgia, complete with cream soup, a dressed salad, generous morning rolls, and a flavorful fried beef dish. The author's vivid descriptions and accompanying photographs allow readers to vicariously savor these culinary experiences.

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Cheongju's signature Jjoljjol Hotteok is so firm you can play frisbee with it, and the outside is coated in plenty of sugar water.

The book also introduces readers to Cheongju's unique "Jjoljjol Hotteok," a sweet, crispy pancake noted for its firm texture and generous sugar glaze. Jo humorously describes it as a "new kind of hotteok never seen before." He playfully suggests that experiencing the delightful combination of this sweet hotteok with spicy, mild tteokbokki requires a visit to Cheongju itself, emphasizing the immersive nature of his culinary explorations.

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Hamji's beef cutlet is pure nostalgia.