2 months ago
The Manager Episode 400 Highlights: Lee Yeong Ja's Countryside Paradise and Yang Sang Gook's Thrilling Racing Debut
South Korea’s favorite reality show, The Manager (Omniscient Interfering View), has officially reached its monumental 400th episode! To celebrate nearly a decade of laughter, chemistry, and behind-the-scenes chaos, the show welcomed back beloved founding contributors and showcased incredible milestone moments from its cast members.
From serene macrobiotic cooking to heart-pounding professional race tracks, Episode 400 packed a massive punch of entertainment. Let’s dive into the biggest highlights of the night.
1. Lee Yeong Ja’s "Little Forest" Dream: Gardens, Blue Crabs, and Macrobiotic Class
The episode kicked off by visiting the peaceful rural sanctuary of comedy and eating legend, Lee Yeong Ja (referred to in the episode as Yu Mi). Nine years after the show’s pilot in 2017, she is officially living her dream of a quiet, self-sustaining country lifestyle.
The Ultimate Backyard Harvest
Waking up at the crack of dawn, Yeong Ja donned her sleepwear farming outfit to water her vibrant herb and vegetable gardens. Her backyard boasts a massive variety of fresh produce, including peppermint, spearmint, rosemary, lavender, dill, and cilantro. She even showcased a unique "tent method" for growing potted tomatoes vertically without ground supports.
A Mediterranean-Style Blue Crab Breakfast
Proving her title as a true professor of eating, Yeong Ja prepared a luxurious, healthy breakfast using seasonal west coast blue crabs stuffed with rich roe. Steamed over a bed of homegrown carrots, garlic, olives, and shiitake mushrooms, she paired the crab meat with a homemade cream cheese, roasted sunflower seed, and fresh dill spread. She topped it off with butterhead lettuce and basil plucked straight from her yard.
What is Macrobiotic Cooking?
Later in the episode, Yeong Ja rode her wooden bicycle to a nearby macrobiotic cooking school. A macrobiotic diet focuses on a nature-based, natural lifestyle where food is eaten in its entirety—including roots and skins—to prevent bloating and maximize nutrition. During the class, she helped prepare a refreshing cold zucchini and pea soup blended with soy milk, alongside beautiful rice balls made with yellow napa cabbage flowers.
The Legend of the Military Cook
Never one to cook in small portions, Yeong Ja wrapped up her day by marinating a massive batch of Jeju pork shoulder, green-tea-fed Boseong pork, and Munsan yakdol pork inside a bucket large enough to bathe a toddler. Layered with rare, sweet yangdaepa (sprout onions) kimchi, the massive feast was secretly claimed by her family and managers while she took a well-deserved afternoon nap. She later grilled the leftovers over a never-ending charcoal fire alongside cuttlefish, dried monkfish, and pollack roe ramyeon.
2. Crown Prince Gimhae: Yang Sang Gook’s Dramatic Pro Racing Debut
The sole studio guest for Episode 400 was comedian Yang Sang Gook, the "Crown Prince of Gimhae." However, he wasn't there just for comedy—he brought footage of his nerve-wracking debut as a professional race car driver.
Upgrading to the Elite N1 Class
After finding major success in the amateur N2 racing class, Sang Gook officially debuted in the high-tier professional N1 class at the Hyundai N Festival. Driving a completely stripped, interior-free race car utilizing ultra-grippy slick tires, Sang Gook faced immense physical demands, with vehicle cabin temperatures reaching staggering heights of 70°C to 80°C during competition.
A High-Speed Crash and Epic Recovery
Starting the final 14-lap race in 15th position based on his qualifying time, Sang Gook quickly began overtaking his competitors. Disaster nearly struck when another driver made aggressive contact, smashing into the rear of Sang Gook's car and causing him to dangerously oversteer. Displaying mind-blowing professional control, Sang Gook corrected his steering wheel in less than a second to stay on the track.
A Podium Finish and 30-Year Friendships
Despite multiple Safety Car (SC) disruptions and tactical battles, Sang Gook crossed the finish line to secure an incredible 3rd-place podium finish in his pro debut. Following a post-race review by the stewards, a 5-second penalty given to the driver who hit him actually promoted Sang Gook to 2nd place overall!
Celebrating the win, Sang Gook invited his hometown friends from Jinyeong—who have stood by him for 30 years—to his house. They shared emotional stories of loyalty, childhood memories of fighting bullies in Jinhae, and details about Sang Gook's past secret battles with panic disorder, proving that true friendship stands the test of time.
3. Rookie Restaurant Owners and Ageless Vocalists
The 400th anniversary celebration briefly highlighted other stars making waves in their personal ventures:
- Chef Yun Nam No: The culinary maestro has officially opened his very first French-inspired dream restaurant, though it comes with a staggering $600,000 debt from high-end stainless steel kitchens, premium wines, and luxury cutlery.
- Singer Kim Kwang Jin: At 63 years old, the sentimental vocalist is experiencing a spectacular second heyday. The episode touched upon his unique past life as a top-tier Samsung Securities investment strategy chief director before taking his legendary wardrobe to the concert stage.
Conclusion: Cheers to 1,000 More Episodes!
Episode 400 of The Manager perfectly encapsulated why the show remains a cornerstone of Korean variety television. Balancing heartwarming glimpses of everyday healing with the high-octane pressures of real-world achievements, the cast and crew proved they still have plenty of spectacular stories left to tell. As Yang Sang Gook cheered in the studio, here is looking forward to Episode 1,000!
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