The Backpacker Chef season two (tvN)
Oh Minji: Who ordered the Paik Jong-won? In The Backpacker Chef, now in its second season on tvN, people from all across the country have the opportunity to call on Paik Jong-won to treat them to a catered meal. The cast of Backpacker Chef caters their meals based on the people they meet, visiting folks of all ages and occupations—everyone from the clam fishing villages of Chungcheong Province to a small elementary school in Gangwon State, a fire station in Gyeonggi Province, the airport in the city of Incheon, the National Theater of Korea in Seoul, and Korea Aerospace Industries in Gyeongsang Province. At the National Theater, where a single performance requires an average of 200 staff members spread across at least 13 different departments, the visiting chefs work with dishes using just as great a variety of ingredients, including a bibimbap buffet with 22 different toppings. When the employees of the National Forensic Service ask for food that can help bring them some relief from their stressful jobs, Paik and his team serve up refreshingly spicy bibim naengmyeon.

Every episode brings new environments, new people, and new ingredients. At one point, they have to prepare food in an open field with little in the way of a proper kitchen. Making food on such a large scale, they have to use a shovel instead of a ladle—and when the shovel doesn’t fit the bill, they have to stand the heat not only of the kitchen but directly inside the pot. Sometimes the time crunch and lackluster facilities mean the food isn’t ready until right before it’s time to serve, or the dishes don’t turn out as expected. Other times, despite the cameras running for the viewer’s entertainment, the staff has to cook in silence as they struggle to deal with the onslaught of issues. Accordingly, cooks get ingredients ready without having to be asked, and they lend a hand to those who look swamped or to handle any missteps without being prompted to. And then, before you know it, the whole meal—from the main course right down to the dessert—is ready and served. There are times when the people who write into the show have to come eat late due to work, or need to take calls while chowing down, or have no choice but to eat in a hurry because of how busy their jobs are, but even so, the chefs keep their doors open to the very last minute and the food will be there waiting for the very last people who come in. In a country where, “Have you eaten?” and, “How do you find the time to eat?” are common greetings, a meal from The Backpacker Chef is more than just a simple meal: It’s a way to console and encourage those who work hard in their roles to eat a solid meal—even when they’re terribly busy.

“Blame” (Jung In, Mild Beats)
Kang Ilkwon (music critic): There can’t be too many people in the world who’ve never looked at a problem in their life and felt someone else was to blame—most likely because people tend to reserve the most tolerance for themselves. And then, everybody blames somebody else based on the rules of their own internal logic. Singer-songwriter Jung In sings about this very idea in the song “Blame” with producer Mild Beats: “If you stop and think about it, you’ll see we’re all the same, I’m only human too / I’m always more generous to myself than anyone else / I blame (you), probably ’cause I just want to survive.” With its warm hip hop percussion, poetic and jazzy phrasing, breezy vocals, and insightful lyrics about life, the song is a standout piece on a soulful and fresh collaborative album between the two artists. There might be a number of people out there who aren’t familiar with the name Mild Beats. He’s been on the map a long time, having built up a solid career in the Korean hip hop scene since the early 2000s with tracks influenced by American East Coast hip hop. He’s particularly well-known for adhering to the aesthetics of traditional sampling. Jung In, who rose to prominence thanks to her unique voice, decided to make an EP with Mild Beats despite the two working in completely different genres after hearing his 2021 album Fragment. Fragment, a fusion of experimental jazz and avant-garde instrumental hip hop, was a rarity in the world of Korean pop music and was so expertly crafted that it was album of the year material. Critical acclaim followed close behind. Although a ballad singer by trade, Jung In has always been a diehard R&B/soul singer and fan, and was so deeply moved by Mild Beats’ album that she proposed a collaboration between them. Mild Beats, for his part, had always wanted to collaborate with a singer and is a huge fan of Jung In. Now he’s once again crafted some outstanding new music by building on the style he toyed with on Fragment while also paying attention to the interplay between beats and vocals. The result is soulful, jazzy, and somewhat avant-garde without ever veering into overly experimental territory. And Jung In adds the cherry on top of their EP with a style of rhyming reminiscent of a rapper and lyrics full of clever ideas. And that’s to say nothing of the vocals themselves. It feels like Jung In’s vocals have finally found their place. A collaborative album between an R&B singer and a hip hop producer is rare even in other countries, making Jung In & Mild Beats all the more a welcome addition to your playlist.

Activated by Nova McBee
Kim Boksung (Writer) : Just because you pick up an action book doesn’t mean you shouldn’t expect some math in there. And just because it’s full of numbers doesn’t mean you shouldn’t expect some heart. Activated, the latest installment in the Calculated series by author Nova McBee, once again catches up with protagonist Jo Rivers, whose gift for math—one that has previously seen her forced to work against her will and one that was completely taken from her at one point—now sends her and a gang of allies across the frozen landscape of Finland to defuse a new threat: suspiciously malfunctioning satellites.

Jo’s sure something bigger and badder is going on, considering some of the closest people in her life aren’t around. Noble, a genius just like her, disappeared and left Jo with a tough code to crack. Kai, Jo’s love interest—it’s complicated—is hiding undercover. And her old friend Rafael is nowhere to be found. Jo’s search for answers speeds along with so many exciting developments that you’ll be halfway through the novel before you know it.

Despite being the third entry in the series, Activated builds the running story up to dizzying new heights. Long-time readers will feel particularly rewarded by the reappearance of familiar characters, while newcomers to the books will no doubt be drawn to go back to the previous two for some added depth. The timing couldn’t be better, either: The fourth book should be out soon, and a movie based on the first is in development.