'I Live Alone' Baby Beast's Mentor Lee Sang-hee, Director of Tongyeong Food Culture Institute, Passes Away.. Kim Si-hyun: "My Confidence Has Left" [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Sang-hee, director of the Tongyeong Food Culture Institute who gained public recognition through her appearance on MBC's variety program 'I Live Alone,' has passed away. Kim Si-hyun, a chef known as 'Baby Beast' and who considered Lee his mentor, expressed his condolences.

Chef Kim Si-hyun posted a lengthy tribute to the late Director Lee on his Instagram on the 30th.

Chef Kim wrote, "She devoted her entire life to building something she never regretted, constantly worrying about how to pass it on to the next generation. She worried that these things might feel too old-fashioned and cause resentment among younger generations, so she would refine them with beautiful and simple words before sharing them. Her constant teaching was that cooking is logic, and life is also logic. If something tastes bland, add salt; if you're struggling, take a rest. Those words still deeply resonate."

He continued, "Thanks to my teacher, I discovered a world that existed in more diverse and warm ways than I had known. This not only broadened my knowledge but also gave me a wider perspective. Every morning at the dawn market, she was more energetic than anyone else, and her energy reached even the elderly grandmothers sitting around, making it feel as if Seoho Market was one big family."

Chef Kim also recalled his first meeting with the late Director Lee. He said, "I knew nothing back then, yet after simply looking into Teacher Lee's eyes in Tongyeong and tasting her food, I kept pestering her to teach me everything. I can never forget how she warmly welcomed me with open arms on every single day I visited over several years."

He added, "One day far in the future, when I have accumulated enough experience rings of age, will I be able to become a figure like my teacher for the next generation? When I had nothing to show off, she became my solid proof and gave me more confidence than I had in myself. Upon hearing the news, I felt as though my own confidence had left me."

Previously, the late Director Lee appeared on 'I Live Alone' in April as Chef Kim's culinary mentor. In that broadcast, she and Chef Kim were shown gathering herbs together and cooking. Reflecting on how the late director worried about him before the show aired, Chef Kim stated, "I remember the days when she worried that I might face harsh criticism once the program aired, or that my passion for cooking might turn into dislike. Her words gave me a sense of security, like having an air-raid shelter, and empowered me to take on challenges with greater confidence."

Chef Kim also added, "On days when I went to Tongyeong, I felt more excited than any child. On days we went together carrying baskets to gather herbs, we even promised to have a picnic with Miraimo next time. On one busy day, I dozed off during a conversation with my teacher. I drank the three-year-old wine she brewed herself, while she sipped warm tea, and I waited for her to recover. Watching her as we prepared to leave with cherished people taught me how to treat those I care about."

Chef Kim concluded, "She reminded me constantly of the essence I had almost forgotten due to the hardships and busyness of fine dining work, enabling me to approach things with sincerity. How many people can truly experience the meaning of 'teacher' so deeply? When I received word that she was critically ill, I rushed straight to Tongyeong, held her hand, and cried uncontrollably. Even then, she encouraged me, saying, 'Si-hyun will do well.' When I was about to leave home to say goodbye, she greeted me with, 'Let's meet again in Seoul soon.' That promise will likely stay with me forever. I miss you, teacher."

Meanwhile, the late Director Lee passed away on the 28th at the age of 63. Her funeral procession was held solemnly on the 30th at the Saetongyeong Hospital Funeral Hall in Tongyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do, and her burial site is located at Geoje Neulpureun Arboretum. Chef Kim gained public recognition by appearing as the 'Baby Beast' black-spoon chef on Netflix's cooking competition program 'Black & White Lisa: Cooking Class War Season 2,' which concluded in January.

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*This content was translated by AI.