A Former Spy and His News Show Host Target

They met on a live news show

안녕! It’s Ari, your happy Korean friend 😆 and weekend reminder. 🎉 Yes, it’s Friday the 13th—but don’t worry! Today’s newsletter only brings you good luck, good ramyeon, and a rendezvous between a former spy and his target. Let’s dive in!

Cabbage Ramyeon 🌶️

Today, I’d like to share a viral ramyeon recipe. Chef Yoon Nam-no, who rose to fame on Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars, recently introduced a clever twist on ramyeon during a TV segment—and it’s quickly become a nationwide favorite. Just one simple ingredient—cabbage—adds a surprisingly rich depth of flavor.

This spicy cabbage ramyeon makes the perfect weekend treat after a stressful week—and it also works wonders as a hangover dish. Check out the recipe below, and watch the cooking video 👆 if you’d like a visual guide. Bon appétit! 🥵

Ingredients

• 1 pack of any Korean-style red spice soup ramyeon

• 2 leaves of napa cabbage (or “baby cabbage”)

• 3 T cooking oil

• 1 T Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)

• ½ T soy sauce

• 1 T minced garlic

• ⅓ T coarsely chopped garlic (for finishing)

• 550 ml water

Instructions

1. Prep the Veggies
   Roughly cut the cabbage leaves into large chunks. Set aside ⅓ T of coarsely chopped garlic to add just before serving.

2. Make the Flavored Oil
   In a pot, heat 3 T of oil over low heat. Add 1 T minced garlic and sauté briefly until fragrant, then stir in the powdered soup base, dried vegetable flakes, 1 T gochugaru, and ½ T soy sauce. Cook the mixture until it sizzles and gives off a slightly smoky aroma.

3. Cook the Ramyeon
   Pour in 550 ml of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the noodles and cabbage. Let it cook for about 4 minutes and 30 seconds.

4. Finish with Garlic
   Just before turning off the heat, stir in the reserved coarsely chopped garlic for a punchy, aromatic finish.

Tip: This dish is quite spicy, so consider using a milder ramyeon if preferred.

A Former Spy and His News Show Host Target

At 8:22 p.m. on December 3, 2024, Hong Jang-won, then First Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service, received a call from the President. He was told there was something urgent to discuss and to stand by at the office.

At 10:53 p.m.—roughly 20 minutes after the President declared martial law live on television—Hong got another call. “Did you watch the martial law declaration?” the President asked. Hong replied yes. Then came the chilling order:

“Take this opportunity to arrest them all and clean everything out.”

“Them” referred to tens of thousands of critics of the administration. But there was a specific list of 14 individuals—the first names handed to Hong—seen as the most threatening to the President. Hong was instructed to assist the counterintelligence command in tracking down and arresting them. But as he began jotting down the names, he suddenly threw his pen, swore aloud, and defied the President’s order. Among the 14 who were spared because of his disobedience was Lee Jae-myung, the then-opposition party leader and now President of South Korea.

Two months later, at a National Assembly hearing, the former undercover operative—who had served as a “black agent” for 30 years—explained why he disobeyed the President, the very man who had promoted him and to whom he had once been deeply loyal.

“저 대통령 좋아했습니다 (I liked the President)”—a line that later became a meme—Hong testified. “I wanted to follow all of his commands. But when I saw that list, I just couldn’t. For example, imagine you, Chairperson, having dinner with your family and watching TV when counterintelligence agents and NIS investigators storm in, slap handcuffs on you, and throw you into a bunker. That’s not what the Republic of Korea should be.”

Host Kim Eo-jun (center) and former First Deputy Director of the NIS Hong Jang-won (right) share a laugh on Kim Eo-jun’s News Factory. (Photo credit in image)

Among the list of 14 people, another name stood out—not a politician or public official, but a journalist: Kim Eo-Jun. 👆 He was the only media figure included on the 14 individuals list. As the host of Kim Eo-Jun’s News Factory, the most popular news show in South Korea, Kim had long been a vocal critic of the administration.

On Thursday, Hong Jang-won appeared on Kim Eo-Jun’s News Factory. 👆 It was the first time the two met—one had once been ordered to track down, arrest, and possibly torture the other.

But fate, conscience, and courage took a different turn. Instead of meeting in a bunker under martial law, they met in a brightly lit news studio. With a wry smile, the former spy greeted his former target:

“We could have met on the night of December 3rd. I might’ve plucked your beard.”

Kim burst into laughter. It was dark humor, yes—but also a sign. A sign that the nightmare is lifting, that democracy held firm, and that South Korea is slowly finding its way back to normal. 😌

Thanks for reading! 🥰 If you’d like to support my work, consider grabbing my book, I Like You, but Not Your iPhone! 📕 Or buying me a coffee. ☕️ I’ll be back next week. 안녕!