A scene from "Jinny's Kitchen" featuring "Drunken Scholar Color-changing Mini Glass," developed by MU:DS, a brand specializing in museum merchandise / Captured from tvN By Kwon Mee-yoo TvN's reality show "Jinny's Kitchen" has returned for a second season, not only warming the cold Icelandic air with hearty Korean cuisine, but also introducing trendy souvenirs that celebrate Korea’s rich heritage. Set in Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, this season features the city's first Korean restaurant, Jinny's Ttukbaegi, named after traditional Korean earthenware. Run by Korean actors Lee Seo-jin, Jung Yu-mi, Park Seo-jun, Choi Woo-shik and Go Min-si, the restaurant offers Korean dishes such as gomtang (beef soup), bibimbap (rice bowl with assorted vegetables) and galbijjim (braised beef short ribs), which have quickly become favorites among locals, leading to long lines of eager customers.
In addition to the delectable dishes, the show features unique souvenirs that reflect Korea's cultural heritage in collaboration with the National Museum Foundation of Korea. Artist Nanan Kang's "Long Long Time Flower Project" paper flowers inspired by "10-panel Folding Screen with a Painting of Grass and Insects" attributed to Shin Saimdang (1504-1551) / Courtesy of National Museum Foundation of Korea The restaurant offers soju, Korea's iconic distilled alcoholic beverage, traditionally served in a small shot glass holding about 50 ml. At Jinny's Kitchen, however, soju is presented in the "3 Drunken Scholars Color-changing Mini Glass Set," developed by MU:DS, a brand specializing in museum merchandise.
This set of three shot glasses, inspired by the Joseon-era painting, "Banquet Hosted by the Governor of Pyeongan Province" (1745–1806), attributed to Kim Hong-do, has printings of scholars whose faces turn red when chilled soju is poured into the glass, thanks to the use of thermochromic pigments. This playful homage to Korea's traditional drinking culture has been a hit, with the glass sets selling out quickly each month. Another artistic touch in Jinny's Ttukbaegi comes from paper flowers by artist Nanan Kang, created in collaboration with MU:DS as part of her "Long Long Time Flower Project.
" These paper flowers, which never wilt, symbolize enduring love, friendship and gratitude. The particular edition displayed in the restaurant, titled "Poppy and Lined Grass Lizard" and "Cockscomb and Dung Beetle," draws inspiration from traditional Korean "Chochung-do," or grass and insect painting, specifically referencing the "10-panel Folding Screen with a Painting of Grass and Insects" attributed to Shin Saimdang (1504-1551). A scene from "Jinny's Kitchen" featuring miniature "Pensive Bodhisattva" statues by MU:DS / Captured from tvN The restaurant is also adorned with miniature "Pensive Bodhisattva" statues , which became hugely popular after BTS member RM posted a photo in 2021 showing two of the statues in his studio.
Modeled after two national treasures of Korea, these statues are crafted as 15-centimeter miniatures and are available in five pastel shades of ivory, gold, black, sky blue and purple. In the first season of "Jinny's Kitchen," set in Bacalar, Mexico, these miniatures were used as table markers, but in this season, they serve as shelf decorations. MU:DS offers a variety of products inspired by the "Pensive Bodhisattva," ranging from true-to-original replicas to more simplified versions that still reflect the serene contemplation of the originals.
The "Pensive Bodhisattva Tou" series, for instance, include handmade clay figurines echoing the meditative posture of the original relic. These cute figurines are displayed on the counter of Jinny's Ttukbaegi. A miniature replica of "Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje" / Courtesy of National Museum Foundation of Korea Another miniature replica of Korean cultural heritage at the restaurant is the "Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje.
" This smaller, lighter version of the sixth-century national treasure is available in traditional gold and six pastel colors. It serves as both an incense holder and a container for small items, blending seamlessly with modern decor. In addition, colorful acrylic objects inspired by Korean celadon jars and blue-and-white porcelain tiger figurines decorate the space, highlighting the restaurant's mission to share not only Korean cuisine but also its cultural heritage with Iceland.
"Jinny's Kitchen" airs on every Friday..
