'Taste Lab' on ENA Serves Up Science & Soul Food: Viewers Crave Full Season

ENA's pilot variety show 'Taste Lab' has successfully concluded its four-episode run, unlocking a new dimension of scientific entertainment with K-soul food 'Gukbap' (Korean soup stew) as its central theme.

The 'Taste Crew' – Kim Poong, Gwedo, Joo Woo-jae, Kim Sang-wook, and Kim Tae-hoon – delved into the importance of water and the psychological triggers of dopamine, all centered around the beloved Gukbap.

The broadcast kicked off with Joo Woo-jae's vision of a future where meals are consumed as pills. However, physicist Kim Sang-wook countered with scientific reasoning, explaining that relying solely on pills would lead to stomach atrophy and brain function issues, ultimately threatening survival.

This naturally led to discussions about Gukbap, a national comfort food. Kim Tae-hoon, a cognitive psychologist, scientifically explained why hot Gukbap feels 'refreshing' – a complex interplay of the heat activating the parasympathetic nervous system and spices stimulating sweat glands, whose evaporation provides a cooling sensation.

Joo Woo-jae sparked laughter with his personal 'flavor formula': 'This pork bone soup is me.' The humor stemmed from his nickname 'bone' resonating with the bone broth base. Physicist Kim Sang-wook presented his scientific formula: 'The kick of Gukbap is H₂O (water),' explaining that water's polarity is key to extracting flavor components during broth preparation. He further emphasized water's life-sustaining role, shocking viewers with the fact that a body's water content dropping below 55% due to aging can be fatal.

Science communicator Gwedo expanded the discussion into psychological satisfaction with his formula: 'Gukbap is fandom.' This connected the scientific principles of Gukbap to its role in our lives. Kim Sang-wook linked this to the current dopamine debate, explaining that the pleasure hormone is released most intensely *before* acquisition, fueling addiction to shopping, gambling, and even short-form content. Kim Tae-hoon echoed this, calling dopamine the 'More, More, More Hormone,' highlighting its role in human dissatisfaction.

The show also explored the 'umami' derived from concentrated glutamate in slow-cooked Gukbap, crucial for protein intake, and Joo Woo-jae's insightful analysis of why Gukbap became the quintessential solo meal due to psychological comfort and focus.

Concluding the pilot, the crew expressed their strong desire for a regular series. Kim Sang-wook confidently stated, 'This is going regular. Watching this, I don't see how it can't.' Gwedo added, 'Physics is best at prediction,' supporting the sentiment. The blend of gastronomy and knowledge offered by 'Taste Lab' has successfully concluded its pilot, leaving viewers eager for more.

Netizens chimed in with comments like, "Please make it a regular series!", "Joo Woo-jae's chemistry reactions were hilarious lol", and "Do the next season with Gukbap too!", showing enthusiastic support for the show.