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On March 19, 2024, the dish makguksu became a hot topic on several online forums in South Korea after several media outlets confirmed that BTS' Jungkook had been appointed, as a cook in the military. IDUS, an online platform, shared that the golden maknae reportedly cooked bibim makguksu for the dinner menu through its X account.
Makguksu, also known as buckwheat noodles, is served in a chilled broth with vegetables and ingredients including sugar, sesame oil, vinegar, mustard, and more. The dish is a local specialty of the Gangwon Province and Chuncheon.
Netizens call Jungkook the "Makguksu Teacher"
BTS' Jungkook enlisted for his mandatory military service on December 12, 2023, alongside fellow group member Jimin. He joined the duty with the singer as a companion soldier through Buddy System. Subsequently, he graduated from his five weeks of basic training and was deployed to the Fifth Infantry Division.
On March 16, 2024, the golden maknae took to the South Korean media platform, Weverse, where he updated fans about his well-being and stated that he had been cooking well. He said:
"ARMY, How are you doing? I'm doing well. I've been working out a lot, too. I'm doing a great job cleaning up the ceiling. I'm cooking well, too. It's already mid-March. I'll see you, again. I miss you a lot, Unity!"
Soon, Korean media outlets confirmed that Jungkook was serving as a cook in the military after concluding his recruit training camp, and the news went viral on the internet. They praised the idol's cooking skills and stated that his position provided him the opportunity to flaunt his culinary skills. It also became the third hottest news in the country.
As reported by the outlets, the idol cooked bibim makguksu on March 19, 2024, and it soon circulated on X. Many locals shared the singer's cooking talent regarding buckwheat noodles. The post had over 500k views and 15k retweets. Even IDUS promoted its dish using Jungkook's menu for the day on its official X account.
The singer's cooking news was trending on the K-community theqoo with over 30,000 views and 300 comments. Netizens called him the "Makguksu Teacher" and expressed their desire to watch him open his cooking show.
Even before his enlistment, the idol's famous recipes, such as bulgri and perilla oil makguksu, became hot topics, and many fans tried making the dishes by themselves. He is well-known in the country for his cooking skills and recipes.
According to the user @nvee, they have subscribed to multiple Korean and Korean-American Youtubers and tried remaking the idol's makguksu recipe that he showcased on his live broadcast. They refer to it as "Jungkook's recipe."
Moreover, the news of Jungkook as a cook in the military gained massive attention from Korean netizens as an article about it trended at No.1 on Yonhap News, ranking with 70% comments from the men praising and praying for his safe return. They asked him to take care of his skin as he might get hurt standing in front of the fire and called him a "national treasure."
BTS' Jungkook was reportedly promoted to Private First Class and is expected to return in 2025 after concluding his military service over 18 months.
