▲ This photo, provided by the Italian media outlet 'FanPage,' shows the menu board of a Korean restaurant that opened in Naples. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) 

 

 

SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean variety show introducing Korean food has been spotted by local media outlets in Naples, a city in southern Italy.

Italian media “Fanpage” captured on Monday (local time) a Korean restaurant that spontaneously opened at the site where a historic Napoli restaurant used to stand; the newly opened restaurant was decorated with vintage lights and modern-style tables along with a sign that wrote “Korean Restaurant” in Italian under the sign that wrote “Baekbanjip” in Korean.

The article then stated that there were several extraordinary things about this restaurant – the article questioned how “Da Ettore,” an authentic Napoli restaurant that has been operating for more than 80 years along the Santa Lucia coast, could vanish overnight, and also how the first Korean restaurant in Naples could be opened without any promotions.

The Italian article also pointed out that restaurants that open in Naples, even those that open on the streets, actively promote themselves before and after their openings.

The media then explained that every question regarding this restaurant, which was opened out of the blue and piques one’s curiosity, can be answered by taking a close look at the restaurant itself – in the picture of the menu board captured by Fanpage, the names of the supposed cast members, such as “Baek Jong-won,” “Yuri from Girls’ Generation,” “Cold Noodles John Park,” “Udon House Lee Jang-woo,” were written. Alongside those names, there were also some greetings written in Korean, including “Come in ^^,” “Korean food,” and “Thank You ^^.”

The menu board also had some Italian words inscribed, such as “TRATORIA COREANA (a small Korean restaurant),” “APERTO PERUNA SETTIMANA (open only for a week), “CIBO COREANO AUTENTICO” (traditional Korean food), and “BENVENUTI” (Welcome).

“It has been reported that there may be a Korean food-related variety show being shoot in this restaurant,” the media outlet explained. “Naples – a city that touts a strong food culture identity – has been selected as the next stop to showcase the Korean food that is made by Koreans.”

FanPage added, “Customers can try bibimbap and pajeon here.”

Based on this article, a variety show in the format of setting up a small Korean restaurant overseas is presumed to be filming in Naples with South Korean chef Baek Jong-won, singers Yuri and John Park, and actor Lee Jang-woo appearing.

TvN’s “Youn’s Kitchen” was the pioneer for such variety shows under the format of opening a Korean restaurant abroad to garner viewers’ attention domestically and internationally.

The first season of “Youn’s Kitchen” was filmed on a nearby island in Bali, Indonesia, and the second season was produced in a small village on Tenerife Island, Spain, with Korean veteran actors Yoon Yuh-jung, Lee Seo-jin, Jung Yu-mi, and Park Seo-joon appearing; as a pioneer of this specific type of variety show that introduces Korean food to people abroad, the two seasons of “Youn’s Kitchen” recorded the highest viewing rate ever among tvN’s variety shows.

(This article is translated from Korean to English by Ha eun Lee)

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