Chef Jung Ho-young is spilling the untold stories behind Netflix's cooking survival series Heukbaek Yorisa: Yori Gyegeup Jeonjaeng 2 (hereafter 'Heukbaek Yorisa 2')—from his teamwork with Sam Kim to misunderstandings that sparked during the broadcast. He breaks down how the tongue-in-cheek line "I made Choi Kang-rok" came to be and why he was "more jealous" of something other than the trophy, as his trademark wit takes over the studio.
The January 28 episode of MBC's variety show Radio Star (hereafter 'Ras') features Jung Ho-young, Sam Kim, Kim Junsu, and Jung Sun-ah in a 'Sweet and Salty Besties' special. Longtime close friends in their respective fields, the four heat up the studio as they unleash behind-the-scenes stories only they know.
Ahead of his first 'Ras' appearance in four years, Jung reveals he received discreet advice from broadcaster Jun Hyun-moo, a former announcer. When the newly crowned Grand Prize winner from the '2025 KBS Entertainment Awards' shared his ultra-detailed tips, the studio turned into a laughter factory.
Jung looks back on his run to the TOP4 on 'Heukbaek Yorisa 2' and brings up his long-standing connection with winner Choi Kang-rok. "Back in my study-abroad days in Japan, I knew him—and he even took over the fish shop part-time job I'd been doing for a long time," he says, introducing their special bond. He adds, "It didn't air, but Kang-rok cheered me on a lot," sharing a heartwarming behind-the-scenes moment.
Still, he jokes there was something he envied even more than Kang-rok's win—pointing to a solo variety appearance produced by star PD Kim Tae-ho, which sends everyone into stitches. An unexpected link between Jung and PD Kim Tae-ho is also set to be revealed.
He also opens up about how he returned after elimination during the competition, and why Son Jong-won and Sam Kim were especially thrilled to see him. In particular, Jung startles Sam by admitting, "If Sam hadn't accepted me on his team, I would've teamed up with Choi Kang-rok." Curiosity is mounting over how their quirky chemistry ultimately clicked.
The backstory behind the viral 'blender meme' finally comes out. Jung protests, "That was devil's editing. I wasn't bossing Sam Kim around," expressing frustration. Still, he jokes, "Honestly, I wouldn't mind if someone offered me a blender CF," leaving the studio in stitches. When he reveals the real reason behind the dish that got slammed during the 'ace match,' the studio briefly erupts.
Having proven both his skills and variety chops through 'Heukbaek Yorisa 2,' Jung Ho-young's next-level charm will be unveiled on the January 28 broadcast at 10:30 p.m.