Chef Edward Lee expressed his bittersweet feelings as his 15-day journey across Korea came to an end.

The April 18th episode of the tvN variety show 'Edward Lee’s Country Cook' featured the final leg of Edward Lee, Byun Yo Han, Go Ah Sung, and Shin Si Ah’s trip to Yeosu, joined by special guest Bae Jung Nam.

On their last evening in Yeosu, Edward Lee suggested they make gimbap and tteokbokki for dinner. He explained, “The first thing I do when I come to Korea is eat tteokbokki. That’s how much I love the taste. It's filled with memories. I wanted to cook something everyone could enjoy together. These two dishes are perfect for a good night,” revealing why he chose gimbap and tteokbokki as their final meal.

The group returned from the market with ingredients for gimbap and tteokbokki, plus their favorite snacks, and prepared a full Korean snack-style meal. Shin Si Ah’s mugwort-tteok-topped sikhye tteokbokki won over Edward Lee’s taste buds, while the gimbap they made together, with each person’s favorite ingredients, hit the spot for everyone. The homemade-style samgyeopsal gimbap and eel gimbap were also big hits.

During the meal, Go Ah Sung asked, “Do you have a busy schedule once you return to the U.S.?” Edward Lee surprised everyone by responding, “I might stay in Korea,” and added, “I might not go back at all. That’s my dream and fantasy,” showing just how deeply he had fallen in love with Korea.

When asked whether the trip had inspired any new dishes for his restaurant, Edward Lee replied, “I’m not thinking about that now. What I’ve learned is fermenting in my mind. Maybe later, ideas will come. But I’m not planning anything specific. I’m just letting it sit in my head.”

Edward Lee also asked each member about their favorite meal from the trip. For him, it was "tonight's dinner." He said, “We weren’t that close in the beginning. Now, we’re really close, and I’ve made such great friends, so this meal is the best.” Touched by his words, Shin Si Ah couldn't hide her sadness about the trip coming to an end.

After Bae Jung Nam left, Edward Lee handed out personalized, handwritten recipes to the members the next day. He remarked that everyone’s cooking skills had improved significantly over the trip and said, “I wanted each friend to take responsibility for one dish. I wanted them to cook not like amateurs but like real chefs.” The members, now feeling a sense of responsibility, studied their recipes carefully and gave it their all.

Edward Lee’s pick for the top chef among them was Go Ah Sung. Entrusting her with the delicate task of making dumplings, he secretly told her, “You’re the best,” out of earshot from Byun Yo Han and  Shin Si Ah, bringing a smile to her face. He continued, “Ah Sung is truly an amazing chef,” sparing no praise.

Byun Yo Han admitted, “For some reason, I didn’t feel like cooking. It made me feel like the trip was ending, so I tried to delay it as much as I could.” Still, their final meal came together beautifully. The group created a memorable feast reflecting their 15-day journey, a seven-layer rice cake, mugwort abalone dumplings, and tuna-eel buckwheat noodles. The food was so delicious that it drew laughter. 

Reflecting on his identity, Edward Lee said, “When I was younger, I felt I was 90% American and 10% Korean. But now, as this trip ends, I think I might be 70% Korean and 30% American. My American friends joke after watching this show, ‘You really eat like a Korean.’ Hearing that makes me happy. It makes me feel closer to Korea, and that’s part of why I’m here now.”

He continued, “When I did 'Culinary Class Wars,' I met Korean chefs and learned about a new side of Korean cuisine. But this trip has changed my perspective again. This is real Korean food,” he said, summing up his thoughts on the 15-day journey.

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