0:00:03 > 0:00:05'We've packed our passports.'
0:00:05 > 0:00:07'And bought our phrase books.'
0:00:07 > 0:00:09HE SPEAKS JAPANESE
0:00:09 > 0:00:14'Because we're off on our biggest, craziest adventure yet.'
0:00:14 > 0:00:19ALL: Delicious. Delicious. Meow, meow, beep.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22HE ROARS LIKE TARZAN
0:00:22 > 0:00:26'We're travelling further than we've ever done before.'
0:00:26 > 0:00:29'To uncover the authentic roots
0:00:29 > 0:00:31'of Britain's favourite takeaway foods.'
0:00:31 > 0:00:35I've always wanted to know how to make proper sweet and sour sauce.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37'Going off the beaten track
0:00:37 > 0:00:41'and being welcomed into some of Asia's hidden worlds.'
0:00:41 > 0:00:42How marvellous is this?!
0:00:44 > 0:00:48'From the high rises and hot woks of Hong Kong...'
0:00:48 > 0:00:50The heat on this is really, really intense,
0:00:50 > 0:00:52but listen, it's like a jet engine.
0:00:52 > 0:00:53GAS ROARS
0:00:53 > 0:00:55I love it!
0:00:55 > 0:00:57'..to the sweltering tropics of Thailand.'
0:00:57 > 0:00:59We love a tuk-tuk!
0:00:59 > 0:01:02'..where they say it's impossible to eat badly.'
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Thai food's arrived in Britain,
0:01:04 > 0:01:08but, by crikey, it's only the tip of the iceberg.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12'And we fulfil a lifelong ambition to explore Japan.'
0:01:12 > 0:01:15- That is perfect. - Wow, look at that!
0:01:15 > 0:01:17I've just had a sushi-gasm.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20'We finish up in South Korea,
0:01:20 > 0:01:23'where the spicy cuisine is sensational.'
0:01:23 > 0:01:26This would go down a bomb down the local.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31'So leather up and take to the road.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33'For one extremely hairy...'
0:01:33 > 0:01:35BOTH: 'Asian adventure!'
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Look at that, Si.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00- Wow.- Seoul.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02The capital city of South Korea,
0:02:02 > 0:02:06home to more than 10.5 million inhabitants.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09The Korean Peninsula is bordered by China and Russia to the North
0:02:09 > 0:02:11and the Yellow Sea to the South.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15It's a tantalisingly unexplored slice of East Asia.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17But what do we know about Korean food?
0:02:17 > 0:02:20Well, in the UK, precious little. But it's coming.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23In the UK already there are more than 50 Korean restaurants.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28This exciting cuisine is gaining popularity fast,
0:02:28 > 0:02:30and with good reason.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34It's the spiciest in Asia, with chilli a key ingredient.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39And boy do they love a pickle - thanks to their long cold winters,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42they've learnt to preserve pretty much anything!
0:02:42 > 0:02:45They love their meat, too. They inherited a huge appetite for beef
0:02:45 > 0:02:48from the Mongols, who invaded in the 13th century.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51You're getting me all excited!
0:02:54 > 0:02:58We'd best get on our bikes and see what this country has to offer.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01You know, Kingy, Korea was all one country as recently
0:03:01 > 0:03:02as the 20th century.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07Oh, look, the Royal Palace. Ah, it's beautiful, isn't it?
0:03:07 > 0:03:10It was divided up after World War II - with the United States
0:03:10 > 0:03:13backing the South, and the Soviet Union the North.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19In 1950 the North invaded and for three years the South Koreans,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22plus nearly 2 million American troops, fought back.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25Ah, mate, this is the old part here, isn't it?
0:03:25 > 0:03:28And this is the only part that survived the war.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30The war brought intense poverty. But in the 1970s,
0:03:30 > 0:03:34government schemes kick-started massive industrial growth and
0:03:34 > 0:03:39an export economy - and the South Koreans haven't looked back since.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43In just 40 years they've gone from being one of the poorest
0:03:43 > 0:03:45to one of the world's richest countries.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49You know, Si, these folk have experienced such rapid change,
0:03:49 > 0:03:53I'm keen to find out what it's meant for their cuisine.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57Ah, now we're in the area where all the young, hip folk hang out.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59But nobody's over 30!
0:03:59 > 0:04:03Yeah, and before we find out about their traditional dishes,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06I want to know what's popular in Korean food now.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09So we're heading for the hip district of Hongdae,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12an area packed with bars and restaurants.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15We're meeting two locals who've offered to give us
0:04:15 > 0:04:18a tour of some of their favourite eateries.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21Teacher Keith and his actress friend Song-a-Min,
0:04:21 > 0:04:25they run a blog about life in Seoul in their spare time.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28What a great vibe here, so what is this area?
0:04:28 > 0:04:30- It's lovely, isn't it? Gentle. - Yeah, it is.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35This area's called Hongdae and Hongdae is basically a college town.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38But it's... Hongdae is the name of a university here,
0:04:38 > 0:04:39and it's an art university, it's hers.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42- See that white building. - That's the university?
0:04:42 > 0:04:45- Yeah, that's my university there. - Hooray! You haven't to move far.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49Lots of clubs, lots of bars, lots of restaurants, 24 hours,
0:04:49 > 0:04:51lots of sub-culture, as well.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53I see a lot of parallels between this area
0:04:53 > 0:04:55and Barrow-in-Furness where I live.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57It's that kind of chic, artistic,
0:04:57 > 0:05:00community bar on every corner, kind of vibe.
0:05:00 > 0:05:01I'm really loving it.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07SHE LAUGHS
0:05:07 > 0:05:10And our first stop is a type of Korean food that's just
0:05:10 > 0:05:13starting to take off in the UK - Korean barbecue.
0:05:13 > 0:05:18Here in Seoul, you find places like this on almost every street corner.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21You see, I think this is fantastic.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24It's basically the most popular Korean food there is.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27The reason being is because people eat it for dinner,
0:05:27 > 0:05:32it's pretty much eaten from noon until like, 4.00 or 5.00am.
0:05:32 > 0:05:37No meal here is complete without an array of banchan, or side dishes.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41They're normally pickles, stir fries or broths.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45- Oh! - Now that's a nice piece of rib-eye.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46That's beautiful.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49You don't cut? You just put the whole thing on and then cut it up?
0:05:49 > 0:05:50Yeah, the whole thing on.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53- Put the whole thing on, let it grill and then....- Then after you cut it.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Koreans like their meat lean,
0:05:55 > 0:05:57marinated in soy sauce and sesame oil,
0:05:57 > 0:06:02and cooked by way of a table-top grill with a mini extractor fan.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04What's the Korean barbecue etiquette?
0:06:04 > 0:06:06You get these different kind of leaves.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10- Oh, right. So you stack your leaves. - In here.- Yeah.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14And you put all the vegetables on your table one by one.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16So you put it like that.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20- And here.- Fantastic.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22OK, you can try.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28How is it? It's OK?
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Ah, brilliant.
0:06:30 > 0:06:31That's beyond OK.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35The leaf it's wrapped in is an Asian herb called perilla,
0:06:35 > 0:06:37which has a hint of mint.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41- Whoa! This is seriously tasty.- Epic.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Keith is one of Seoul's growing army of private tutors
0:06:44 > 0:06:47who are popular with parents who want to give their children
0:06:47 > 0:06:50the opportunities that they didn't have.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52I teach at an after-school programme.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54It starts at five o'clock and ends at ten.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Wow.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58Yeah, students do that all the time.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01After they finish school, they go to an academy for English.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03- Yes.- Stay for a couple of hours,
0:07:03 > 0:07:05then they'll go to a math academy in the same day.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09They'll finish around 10 or 11, go home and do their homework,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12finish around like 2-3am, start all over again.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14- Yeah.- That's insane.
0:07:14 > 0:07:1874% of all pupils here have private after-school tutors.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Korean students consistently outperform those from
0:07:21 > 0:07:24other countries in maths.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28- So do you guys wish there were more Korean restaurants back at home? - Yeah. Definitely.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31When you want something hearty and lovely and tasty,
0:07:31 > 0:07:32share with your friends,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35it's fabulous and the meat quality is superb.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Oh, it is, absolutely.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41Korean food round one - a massive meat feast! Result.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47It must be so exciting to be young in South Korea today, Kingy.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49It seems like the land of opportunity.
0:07:56 > 0:08:01It's also the home of a massive music phenomenon, Korean pop,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03or K-Pop for short.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06You might even recognise the odd track.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08# Oppa Gangnam Style
0:08:11 > 0:08:12# Gangnam Style... #
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Got to put shapes together! What are you doing?
0:08:15 > 0:08:16# Oppa Gangnam Style
0:08:16 > 0:08:18# Eh... # MUSIC STOPS
0:08:18 > 0:08:20They've run out of batteries. Thank God for that.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24- What sort of dance is that? - That is Gangnam Style.- It's wrong.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26It's cool, funky and everybody's doing it.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30We've been invited to cook for K-Pop singer Jessica HO
0:08:30 > 0:08:33at the home of stylist Sarah and her husband, architect Jiwan.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37Jessica is a product of the hugely successful South Korean
0:08:37 > 0:08:38hit factory system.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40Now, what was that?!
0:08:40 > 0:08:42# Oh, up on the roof... #
0:08:42 > 0:08:45'And what do you do when you meet a pop star?
0:08:45 > 0:08:48'Challenge them to a rap off, of course.'
0:08:48 > 0:08:51- You won.- Ah, right.- You won.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54- So scissors cut paper, right. - Right. So I'll go first, eh?
0:08:54 > 0:08:56OK, you ready?
0:08:56 > 0:08:58# Me name is Dave and this Si
0:08:58 > 0:09:00# We come here to cook some curry and pie
0:09:00 > 0:09:02# The Koreans, they like their chilli
0:09:02 > 0:09:05# But wash your hands cos you get a red hot willy. #
0:09:07 > 0:09:08Nice. That was pretty good.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11- Korea!- That's pretty good. That was a freestyle?
0:09:11 > 0:09:14OK, well you've got to do, what do you want, 16ths?
0:09:14 > 0:09:16- OK, I'll just do like a five-second thing, ready?- Yeah!
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Ready?
0:09:19 > 0:09:21# This one goes out to the bimbos
0:09:21 > 0:09:24# Trying to copy my style Go to Kinko's
0:09:24 > 0:09:26# Is your boy sweating me? Bingo
0:09:26 > 0:09:29# I had your wally back little bow. #
0:09:29 > 0:09:33THEY CHEER
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Can musicians make money here? How does it work?
0:09:37 > 0:09:39Definitely musicians can make money here.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43I mean, the K-Pop right now is so big and viral right now so...
0:09:43 > 0:09:46It's definitely a good opportunity right now for me.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51She's not wrong! K-Pop is one of Korea's biggest exports
0:09:51 > 0:09:54and worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Oh, enough K-Pop already.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00It's time for us Hairy Bikers to make our K-cooking debut.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03We're going to do a spicy octopus stew,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06packed with the chilli kick Koreans love.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10This is just a tasty, fiery snack that a K-Popper would have
0:10:10 > 0:10:13when he's out on a night out to give you a bit of a lift.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15The old hips have gone, don't need replacing any more,
0:10:15 > 0:10:18- do you know what I mean? - HE HUMS
0:10:18 > 0:10:22Can you stop?! Will you get on with it?
0:10:22 > 0:10:26Yep, right. Octopus. Come on, Cedric.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29I'm preparing the baby octopus by removing the beak
0:10:29 > 0:10:32and separating the legs from the head.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Whilst Dave deals with Cedric,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36I'm whipping up a spicy sauce for the stew.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40I'm taking a piece of root ginger about the size of a £2 coin,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42and I'm grating it into a bowl.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47I will then crush three cloves of garlic,
0:10:47 > 0:10:51and add to the same bowl as the ginger.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Koreans love octopus and even eat it live,
0:10:54 > 0:10:57cos they think it increases male stamina!
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Now pop this in the boiling water for precisely 90 seconds,
0:11:01 > 0:11:05not a second more, not a second less, and go.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07Swim, Cedric, swim.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10Now it's not swimming, it's just bubbling in the boiling water.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Now my sauce gets its fire.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15First, two teaspoons of chilli powder,
0:11:15 > 0:11:21then a key Korean ingredient - gochujang - or red pepper paste.
0:11:21 > 0:11:26The fermentation process mellows the hot flavours of fiery chillies
0:11:26 > 0:11:28mixed with rice, soybeans and salt.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Koreans use it in everything.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Then add a teaspoon each of soy sauce and mirin
0:11:34 > 0:11:37before adding a dollop of golden syrup for sweetness
0:11:37 > 0:11:41and mix it all together. Sauce done.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Five seconds - four, three, two, one.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54There you go. And that is your meat.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56Dude, you're a star.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59Thank you. Now to stop them cooking, put them in cold water.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Now all I want you to do now is to chop the tentacles
0:12:02 > 0:12:06up into bite-sized pieces, take the skin off the head pieces
0:12:06 > 0:12:10and Bob's your uncle. Juicy, juicy squid, ready to be cooked.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14Now it's fry-up time. You want half an onion.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Good sized slices.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Pop in the onion and saute.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23After a minute, add five shiitake mushrooms.
0:12:23 > 0:12:24Mushys go in.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Come on, Jessica, come and have a look at your dinner.
0:12:27 > 0:12:28What are you cooking there?
0:12:28 > 0:12:32Right, we've got some onions, some shiitake and we showed people
0:12:32 > 0:12:34how to... We blanched the octopus, we prepped it so...
0:12:34 > 0:12:39- This goes in.- Nice and quick. - That's it, nice, hot pan.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Then my red hot sauce goes in.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43Looks really spicy.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46So, lastly, just pop in some more chillies...
0:12:48 > 0:12:53..some spring onions, quite big bits, a little splash of sesame oil.
0:12:53 > 0:12:54There.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56It's done. Shall I lift up the thing?
0:12:56 > 0:13:01- Yeah. And that should taste... - Smells really good.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05Kind of fiery red and appetising. Bit of sesame seeds.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07Right, guys.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11This looks like, you know, Korean mother's style.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15- Yeah, that's the sort of vibe. - Korean mum.- Well, yeah.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Is there a style thing with Korean mums?
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Is it worth something to aspire to? The beard would have to go, perhaps.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23- You'd have to dye your hair black. - Fine.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25THEY LAUGH
0:13:25 > 0:13:27I can live with that.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35Really nice.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Good.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40'Looks like our octopus stew isn't going to last for long.'
0:13:48 > 0:13:49Time to hit the road, mate.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52There are three million vehicles on the streets of Seoul
0:13:52 > 0:13:55and it feels like they're all out today.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57Woo-hoo. Here we go.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02I do have to say, Mr King, that the driving here has been
0:14:02 > 0:14:04somewhat more aggressive than the rest of Asia.
0:14:04 > 0:14:05Aye, you would.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08Well, apparently, they have the most aggressive drivers in Asia, dude.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Yeah. Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, it's a way of life.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15South Koreans are so crazy about rushing things that the term
0:14:15 > 0:14:17"ppalli ppalli" - which translates as "hurry, hurry" -
0:14:17 > 0:14:20is part of the national psyche here.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24Mirror, signal, manoeuvre...and hope.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Well, it stems from the '70s when the president started
0:14:27 > 0:14:31rewarding companies that built roads and bridges faster than scheduled.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38You know, Kingy, I feel like we've seen the modern face of Seoul
0:14:38 > 0:14:43but it's time to get to grips with more traditional South Korean food.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45CRICKETS CHIRRUP
0:14:45 > 0:14:48- By 'eck, the crickets are kicking off, aren't they?- Cicadarooney!- Aye.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Well, you know, Korean food is famous for its side dishes
0:14:51 > 0:14:54and there's one that's served with absolutely everything.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57That's kimchi. Well, fermented pickled cabbage to you and me.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01And still, 50% of all Koreans make their own.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05And we've been invited to a family home to learn a recipe that's
0:15:05 > 0:15:08been passed down from mother to daughter for generations.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Eat kimchi and live forever.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17We're visiting mother-of-two Erin,
0:15:17 > 0:15:19who lives in Seoul's Singpa district -
0:15:19 > 0:15:21an area popular with families.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Erin learnt how to make kimchi from her grandma,
0:15:26 > 0:15:31Mrs Cho, and they've agreed to let us in on the secret family recipe.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34It's her role to make kimchi for our whole family.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38It takes a whole two days to make the kimchi.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Do you make enough kimchi to last one year?
0:15:40 > 0:15:43- Yeah, almost.- Wow.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46Kimchi-making is still a major annual event for Korean families,
0:15:46 > 0:15:50who gather in the autumn to pickle and ferment their cabbage.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53I don't see my grandma as often as when I was young,
0:15:53 > 0:15:55but on the kimchi day we get together.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58SHE SPEAKS KOREAN
0:15:58 > 0:16:01Mrs Cho starting sitting down. As soon as we started to
0:16:01 > 0:16:04talk about the kimchi, she's like, "Ooh, hold on a minute."
0:16:04 > 0:16:06THEY LAUGH
0:16:06 > 0:16:11OK. So how do we start? All right, here's Grandma, here she is.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Kimchi is part and parcel of being Korean.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19People even say "kimchi" when they have their photograph taken.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21First, you soak it in salt water.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23The salt is what pickles the cabbage,
0:16:23 > 0:16:27the fermentation happens later.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31Erin soaked some earlier so the next stage is to pack rock salt
0:16:31 > 0:16:33into the thicker parts of the cabbage.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35- It takes all day, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38SHE SPEAKS KOREAN
0:16:38 > 0:16:41You wait for a few more hours and then rinse again.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43- It's like rubbing through your socks.- It is.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47Yeah, it's just kind of doing laundry.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49- OK?- OK.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51THEY CHEER
0:16:52 > 0:16:57Never has the humble cabbage had so much attention lavished to it.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01Now it's time to get down and dirty and make the sauce,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04starting with spring onions, garlic and ginger.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Oh, wow. It's going to be so fragrant, isn't it?
0:17:07 > 0:17:08Oh, fabulous.
0:17:08 > 0:17:13- You can see it's still a floor-based society, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Granny Cho's recipe includes this whopping white radish
0:17:16 > 0:17:18and some preserved shrimp.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20According to the Seoul Museum of Kimchi,
0:17:20 > 0:17:24and there is one, there are 187 different recipes,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27and some of those include live prawns and octopus!
0:17:27 > 0:17:30You don't need a mixer when you've got Mrs Cho.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33And this family recipe has fruit in, too.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36And these are like the oriental pears which look like a big apple.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39- Yeah, this one, we juice the pears. - Pear juice, yeah.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42So that adds a note of sweetness.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45This is the Korean chilli powder. Whoa.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49It's Korean chilli powder that gives kimchi its killer kick.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52There's a lot going on!
0:17:54 > 0:17:57The chilli is so powerful we need gloves for protection.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59So we're straight in.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04- The smells are fantastic. - Doesn't it?
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Taste it.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10Try another bit.
0:18:14 > 0:18:15It's a bit hotter.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19- THEY LAUGH - Splendid.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21I could give you a glass of water.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23No, it's all right. It's fine.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26I think my hair's started to grow again.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30Kimchi's powerful stuff
0:18:30 > 0:18:33and it gets stronger still after it's fermented.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38Now we need to stuff the cabbage with the sauce, leaf by leaf.
0:18:38 > 0:18:43- SHE SPEAKS KOREAN There's too much.- Too much, sorry!
0:18:44 > 0:18:48Kimchi is low in calories, high in fibre, iron and vitamins.
0:18:50 > 0:18:51Ah, I see, yeah.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Kimchi used to be stored in clay pots in the ground, you know.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58So, after one month, there's treasure in that box.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01But these days, most Koreans keep it in a specially-designed
0:19:01 > 0:19:04kimchi fridge which keeps the temperature between
0:19:04 > 0:19:06nought and two degrees Celsius.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10How am I going to buy a kimchi refrigerator in Barrow-in-Furness?
0:19:12 > 0:19:16This is our first family meal in South Korea.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19We're trying a fully fermented kimchi with the dishes
0:19:19 > 0:19:23Erin's family always eat on their annual kimchi-making day.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Ah, here's the boss.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28It looks such vibrant, appetising food, doesn't it?
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Got to try the kimchi. Bon appetit. Yeah, I think we have.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34It's a lot.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36- So is it quite powerful?- Yes.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45Oh, hey!
0:19:45 > 0:19:47ERIN LAUGHS
0:19:47 > 0:19:48That is a taste sensation.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50That is fantastic, isn't it?
0:19:50 > 0:19:53What's so great is to find something that tastes
0:19:53 > 0:19:56so good that actually does you good.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Yes, I can see kimchi catching on back home,
0:19:59 > 0:20:03perking up comfort food, like we use piccalilli or horseradish.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07- This is lovely.- Isn't it good? - Oh, God, yes.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11It's so fun to cook for people.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13THEY LAUGH
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Absolutely brilliant.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17- Thank you.- So, so good.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30Over half the visitors to South Korea get no further than Seoul.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34- Nice roads.- Beautiful, isn't it?
0:20:36 > 0:20:39And we don't want to join that number.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43So we're leaving the capital behind and heading 100 miles East
0:20:43 > 0:20:46to the coastal city of Sokcho.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Do you know, it's not a bad life - lovely motorbike,
0:20:49 > 0:20:53sun's going down, one of the most beautiful lakes in Korea
0:20:53 > 0:20:56and my belly's full of chillies.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Doesn't get much better, really.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01There's hardly anybody here.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06You know, we're not far from the border with North Korea here, mate.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09It's the world's most heavily guarded frontier.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13Our route passes just below the 160-mile-long,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17two-mile-wide strip of land running across the Korean peninsula
0:21:17 > 0:21:20which is known as the Demilitarized Zone.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27Oh, mate, fantastic!
0:21:27 > 0:21:29Look at that!
0:21:29 > 0:21:32I know. Doesn't it look a very dark, mysterious lake?
0:21:38 > 0:21:41Well, mate, I didn't know what to expect from the Korean seaside
0:21:41 > 0:21:44- and it is a surprise, isn't it? - Well, yeah.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48Now Sokcho may lie on the shores of the Sea of Japan,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51but if you're longing for white sands and palm trees,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53you won't find them here.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55Koreans love a day at the seaside.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58They get 28 paid days' holiday a year,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01and, you know, there's nothing better,
0:22:01 > 0:22:04glimmer of sunshine, get down to the beach.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06I tell you what, you know what this reminds me of?
0:22:06 > 0:22:09North Shields.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12And today this seaside resort has gone bonkers for one
0:22:12 > 0:22:14scrumptious sea creature in particular.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Do you know, Dave, I'm sensing a recurring theme
0:22:17 > 0:22:19in this town of Sokcho.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21Yeah, there's certainly a lot of squid.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Overnight fishermen have been hauling their catch from the deep,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27but for some squid a curious fate awaits them,
0:22:27 > 0:22:31as they are returned back to the sea in celebration of a special event.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35Ah-ha! Now it's not some let's-all-save-the-squid moment.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Oh, no. This is an opportunity for holiday-makers to take
0:22:38 > 0:22:41part in Sokcho's famous squid festival.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46And, of course, we're going to join in.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51Luckily we've got Charles, a Sokcho local, to guide us through.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54What do you do at a squid festival, Charles?
0:23:03 > 0:23:05You see, when you join up for the squid festival,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08you're given a plastic bag for your squid, some gloves,
0:23:08 > 0:23:12because apparently the squid bite, your official wristband,
0:23:12 > 0:23:15like Glastonbury but for squid, and your T-shirt.
0:23:15 > 0:23:20The only slight snag is, all the PA is in Korean,
0:23:20 > 0:23:25so we're trying to find out what Korean is for go.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27- Gagi.- Gagi.- Let's go!
0:23:27 > 0:23:33The anticipation is overwhelming. As the crowd is silent...
0:23:33 > 0:23:35ANNOUNCEMENT IN KOREAN
0:23:41 > 0:23:42Come on!
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Hey, Dave, be careful. We're not far from where
0:23:59 > 0:24:03they found that giant squid a few years ago in Japan, you know.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Oh, you mean that 23ft one with an eye the size of a beach ball?
0:24:08 > 0:24:12Yeah, that's the one, that's the one. Better go carefully, yeah.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15There's some kids that have got three or four in each bag.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17I mean, they're really quite good.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20- That's Charles' squid. - Oh, that's a good 'un.- Aye.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25And I've got two little 'uns.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28- But, you know what? That's enough. - I think so.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30- That's enough for a nice little meal.- It is.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34Most people here line up to have their squid
0:24:34 > 0:24:36prepared at a beach restaurant.
0:24:36 > 0:24:41Some have it steamed but others opt for the squid sashimi option.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Which means it's minced and eaten raw.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45What are we going to do with them, Charles?
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Er, squid soonday.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49- DAVE AND SI:- Squid sundae! - Right.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52- Read about that and it's got nothing to do with ice cream.- Isn't it?
0:24:52 > 0:24:54No, it's not an ice cream sundae.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57- It's not, it's a squid sundae. Then let's do that.- Yeah.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00- It's not a sundae, it's a soonday. - Soonday.- Total different word.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03And there's you putting a glace cherry on the top.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09Soonday is a dish dating back to ancient Mongolian times,
0:25:09 > 0:25:13made from stuffing animal intestines with a range of ingredients.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17Here in Sokcho, they stuff squid instead
0:25:17 > 0:25:20and serve it as a beach snack.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24So you've got the squid tubes. What's in the stuffing?
0:25:24 > 0:25:25SHE SPEAKS KOREAN
0:25:25 > 0:25:29Ah, there's sticky rice and vegetables and onion
0:25:29 > 0:25:33- and chopped squid legs. - Ah, the tentacles.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37- Ah, top tip from the lady.- Ah, yeah.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43- Have you got that, mate?- Yeah. - We need to write that recipe down.
0:25:43 > 0:25:48So you use a sawn-off water bottle as a squid stuffer.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52'And we can't resist making our own squid soonday.'
0:25:52 > 0:25:54So easy with this method.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Where did you get recipe from?
0:25:58 > 0:26:01THEY SPEAK KOREAN
0:26:06 > 0:26:10Learned from her mum, who comes from North Korea.
0:26:10 > 0:26:15The recipe's originally from North Korea.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18SHE SPEAKS KOREAN
0:26:19 > 0:26:23Fine. Finished.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26'They're put in a steamer for 20 minutes.'
0:26:27 > 0:26:30So when they start to look like cartoon bombs...
0:26:30 > 0:26:32you know they're done.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34Yeah. Beautiful.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Then the squid sausage is sliced, dipped in egg and fried.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45Well this is like a very well-dressed squid, isn't it?
0:27:03 > 0:27:05It's really nice.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10The texture and the stuffing is very, very much like haggis.
0:27:10 > 0:27:11- It is.- It is?
0:27:11 > 0:27:13That is good, isn't it?
0:27:13 > 0:27:16I loved that squid festival.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18There were some really nice families there
0:27:18 > 0:27:21having a really proper family day out.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Very lovely it is, too.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28You know, what I've realised
0:27:28 > 0:27:31is that so many of South Korea's favourite dishes
0:27:31 > 0:27:35were born out of necessity, during its poor and troubled past.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38And today, with the country changing so quickly,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41people really value those food traditions.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46You know, I'm going away assured that Korean food, it's original,
0:27:46 > 0:27:50it's exciting and it's absolutely bursting with flavour.
0:27:50 > 0:27:55I firmly believe that Korean food, it deserves to be as popular
0:27:55 > 0:28:00as any other Asian cuisine that we have on our high streets in the UK.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04What is reassuring to see is that Koreans are still eating
0:28:04 > 0:28:08and still cooking those traditional dishes that they've known
0:28:08 > 0:28:11and loved throughout the centuries.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15And, actually, with flavours like that, long may it continue.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18I'll second that. There's only one thing left to say.
0:28:18 > 0:28:19BOTH: Kimchi!