'Matnam' Baek Jong-won, Fresh Combination of Samgyeopsal + Paprika "Capturing Both Taste and Health"

On the 25th, SBS's "Delicious Rendezvous" aired an episode featuring culinary expert Baek Jong-won and the Farm Avengers heading to Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, to support paprika farmers in the region. Photo by SBS "Delicious Rendezvous"

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kang Joo-hee] Baek Jong-won introduced a unique recipe to save paprika.

On the 25th broadcast of SBS's 'Delicious Rendezvous,' Baek Jong-won and the Nong Avengers headed to Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, to support paprika farmers.

On that day, Kim Hee-chul expressed surprise, saying, "I thought paprika was imported." He also confessed, "When I was young, I thought paprika and bell peppers were the same."

In response, Baek Jong-won explained, "Many people get confused because they look similar. The thickness is different. Bell peppers only come in two colors: green and red."

A paprika farmer said, "Paprika is green before it ripens. When ripe, it turns yellow or red."

Baek Jong-won asked, "How is the market price these days?" The farmer replied, "A 5kg box used to cost about 150,000 won, but now it's 4,000 to 5,000 won," surprising everyone.

Paprika was a key product with 30-40% of domestic production exported to Japan, but last year, Japan's trade retaliation and the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted exports.

With exports to Japan blocked, domestic production increased, causing price drops and concerns about disposal at production sites. In response, Baek Jong-won pledged to focus on developing various recipes using paprika.

In particular, the farmer lamented, "It was the same during the MERS outbreak. Back then, everything was discarded. One seed costs 500 won..." evoking sympathy.

Later, the farmer's wife prepared paprika juice and jam for tasting.

However, Baek Jong-won said, "You can make juice, but it doesn't taste good enough to drink. Besides health benefits, it has other charms," adding, "I think vitamins should be eaten raw, but for example, tomatoes are absorbed much better when stir-fried in oil," as he began grilling paprika with samgyeopsal (pork belly).

The farmer who tasted the grilled paprika with samgyeopsal was amazed, saying, "It tastes much better. It’s sweeter and more delicious. It’s much easier to eat." Baek Jong-won agreed, saying, "If it’s tasty and healthy, it has great impact."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.