“Wow…!”
As we stepped inside, a spacious enclosure greeted us. A panda was munching on some food atop a wooden barrel. I couldn’t figure out how such a hefty body could move after eating those grass clumps, but the panda was undeniably cute. Honestly, if pandas weren’t this adorable, they’d probably be extinct by now.
“So cute…!”
“I want to raise a panda too!”
Jiyu and Yumi were also watching the panda with me. The panda, busy eating, suddenly lifted its head as if sensing something. Our eyes met, and then, as if enchanted, the panda slowly started making its way toward me.
“Huh?”
I let out a dumbfounded sound. In contrast, the people around me started freaking out.
“Wow, the panda’s coming this way!”
“Take a photo, guys!”
“So cuuuute!”
The panda stopped in front of me and started waving its arms vigorously, as if greeting me. The people around thought it was waving at them and waved back, but I knew better. This panda was greeting *me*.
“Hi…!”
I had no choice but to wave back enthusiastically. The panda, seemingly delighted, started bouncing around and showing off all sorts of tricks, as if demanding our undivided attention.
“Good job, good job!”
“But doesn’t it seem like it’s reacting to something?” Yumi made an insightful comment, but no one paid attention. Everyone was too busy laughing and enjoying the panda’s antics. I didn’t mind either—the panda was just too cute!
I had only expected to see the panda eating, but I didn’t know it would put on such a performance. Though, I kind of expected it. I’ve always felt like I had some kind of affinity with animals. Last time I went to the zoo, a giraffe licked me, and lions kept circling around me.
Before I knew it, the viewing time was over. Since so many people came to see the panda, there was a strict time limit. You couldn’t stay longer than a few minutes, no matter how much you wanted to.
“Alright, time to leave~”
Employees with earpieces ushered us out. I didn’t mind much since I’d already seen enough of the panda’s tricks. Following the staff’s guidance, we headed outside. By then, it was almost time to regroup.
“That was so fun!”
“I’ve never seen a panda do tricks before!”
Jiyu and Yumi were sharing their thoughts about the panda.
“Seeing a panda in real life is so different from just watching it on a phone!”
“Right? That’s why people come to see them in person!”
It was my first time seeing a panda too, and I completely understood what they meant. Watching it in person was way more immersive and real than seeing it on a phone or TV. I even thought about coming back if I got the chance.
“Let’s head to the spot the teacher mentioned! We’ve got less than an hour left.”
I reminded Jiyu and Yumi. The teacher’s designated meeting time was approaching. I’m usually good at making the most of spare time, but in an amusement park, it’s impossible. Just riding one attraction could take an hour. So, it was better to head to the meeting spot early and rest.
We must’ve walked tens of thousands of steps today. For someone like me who barely moves on a normal day, it was an insane amount. I probably walked a week’s worth of steps in just one day.
I’m not sure about Jiyu and Yumi, but I bet today was a lot more walking for them too.
“Ugh… I want to see more!”
Jiyu whined, but I had already anticipated this. I subtly signaled Yumi, who nodded and firmly told Jiyu:
“Let’s just go, Jiyu. It’s too awkward to do anything else right now.”
“Really? If Yumi says so, I guess we should go…”
Jiyu always listened well to Yumi. Sometimes their dynamic felt like a zookeeper and a puppy—with Yumi as the zookeeper and Jiyu as the puppy.
And so, we made our way to the meeting spot where the teacher was waiting. It was quite a distance, so it took us a while to get there.
—
Kim Chun-il ran a small brewery in the countryside. It was a modest operation, but it had been passed down through generations. Even this tiny brewery brought in a decent income—call it a niche market, I guess.
Today, he was brewing makgeolli with his son, Kim Jae-chang.
Makgeolli is trending these days, so even if you make it all day, the supply can’t keep up. Thankfully, summer has passed a bit, so it doesn’t sell as much as it did during its peak.
When it’s hot, many people enjoy a cool glass of Makgeolli while farming. Of course, if you were drinking Makgeolli while doing office work instead of farming, you’d be considered crazy, but having a glass while doing tough farm work was no problem at all. In fact, a little buzz sometimes helped.
“Dad, you worked hard today. Go inside and rest. I’ll take care of the cleanup.”
Kim Chun-il felt both proud and sorry for his son, who gave up college to take over the family business. While others were enjoying campus life, his son was making Makgeolli in a dimly lit brewery. He wasn’t a top student, but his grades were good enough to get into a prestigious Seoul university.
Kim Chun-il even suggested his son go to college, but the son shook his head and refused. Having grown up following his father around the brewery, he believed his purpose was to inherit the family business.
“Son, are you making rice with that grain today?”
“Don’t worry, Dad. I bought two sacks of rice, so we have plenty to eat.”
With their mother away on a trip, the two men had to fend for themselves. But she left side dishes, so all they had to do was cook the rice.
After finishing the cleanup, Kim Jae-chang prepared the rice. It was the Starlight Rice that’s been quietly gaining popularity. For some reason, it’s only sold in Japan, not Korea.
With tariffs and other costs, a sack of this rice cost over 500,000 won. Considering a 20kg sack of regular rice in Korea costs around 40,000 won, this was an outrageous markup. But after tasting it, Kim Jae-chang thought the price was justified.
The difference between those who haven’t tried it and those who have is whether they think the price is reasonable. Those who haven’t tried it say it’s ridiculously expensive, while those who have say the price is fair.
Buying a sack of rice lasts for months, so the price is worth considering. Paying 500,000 won a month is a burden, but spreading it over 3-4 months makes it much more manageable.
As they were enjoying their meal, the father spoke up.
“Jae-chang.”
“Yes, Dad.”
“Wouldn’t it make a really delicious Makgeolli if we used this rice?”
The father seemed to really like the Starlight Rice. Normally, he only ate one bowl of rice, but lately, two bowls had become the norm. Kim Jae-chang had also thought about it but didn’t try due to practical concerns.
“Dad, I’ve thought about it too, but one sack of rice can make about 1,000 bottles of Makgeolli.”
With 80kg of rice, you can make 800-1,000 bottles. It seems like a lot, but it’s actually a bit short.
“I know that.”
“With the Starlight Rice we have, we can only make about 200 bottles. And the biggest problem is that each bottle would have to sell for 30,000 won.”
Considering Makgeolli usually sells for 2,000-3,000 won at the store, the Starlight Rice version would have to sell for at least 30,000 won. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make financial sense. It would be a loss every time. It’s not like we’re trying to dominate the market with a price war, so there’s no reason to make it.
“No one’s going to buy that. Who in their right mind would pay 30,000 won for a bottle of Makgeolli?”
While the son’s point was valid, Kim Chun-il still had lingering regrets.
“Then let’s just use one sack to make it. After tasting this rice, I think it would make a really sticky, delicious Makgeolli.”
Unable to resist his father’s plea, Kim Jae-chang decided to use one sack to make Makgeolli. They’d have to make up for the loss by selling the rest of their regular Makgeolli.
