Chef Yoon Na Ra, who gained fame as 'Alcohol Brewing Yoon Jumo' on Netflix's 'Culinary Class Wars: Class Warfare Season 2', has revealed her surprising connection to the film industry. (Her nickname 'Jumo' is a traditional Korean term referring to a tavern keeper who serves alcohol, a fitting title given his expertise in brewing and pairing drinks.)
On February 15, Yoon appeared on the YouTube variety show 'Fairy Jaehyung' and shared the unique story behind opening her restaurant. She revealed that she majored in film at the Seoul Institute of the Arts, stating, "I loved movies, especially French films. I attended school with actor Koo Kyo Hwan and took classes with director Byun Sung Hyun."
Despite her film background, Yoon took a different path after graduation. She worked in performance planning for seven years, including a six-month internship at the experimental La MaMa Theatre in New York in 2007. It was during this time in the East Village that her eyes were opened to diverse food cultures.
She eventually transitioned to cooking by chance while working on a local food promotion team for the city of Seoul. "The team was starting a business but didn't have a chef. There was no one to cook, so I started cooking in Mangwon-dong (a twon in Seoul) for eight months," she explained.
When asked if she misses the film industry, Yoon replied that she is happy now, viewing her restaurant as the culmination of everything she learned in the arts. She added, "My friends in the arts, and even rapper Beenzino, tell me that cooking isn't that different from what they do. Even Maestro Myung Whun Chung visited my restaurant and admired the interior, which I designed based on my artistic background."
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