The Drama: Reborn Rich and the Hunger for Power
The Soonyang Group boardroom is silent.
At the head of the table sits Chairman Jin Yang-cheol, patriarch of Korea’s most powerful chaebol family. His grandsons flank him—each calculating, each hungry, each wearing the same perfectly pressed suit and the same perfectly practiced smile.
Yoon Hyeon-woo knows them all. He’s been their servant for a decade: managing their money, cleaning their messes, protecting their secrets. He’s not family. He’s furniture with a finance degree. And when he’s no longer useful, they discard him—with a bullet.
Then he wakes up in 1987. In the body of Jin Do-jun, the family’s youngest grandson. With thirty years of future knowledge and a lifetime of resentment.
Welcome to Reborn Rich (재벌집 막내아들), the 2022 JTBC drama that became the second highest-rated series in Korean cable television history. It’s a revenge fantasy wrapped in a time-travel thriller, powered by Song Joong-ki’s cold fury and Lee Sung-min’s patriarchal menace.
But beneath the corporate warfare and stock market battles, there’s a deeper truth this drama understands: in Korea, power has always been tied to food. The meals shared at chaebol family tables aren’t just nutrition—they’re rituals of dominance, tests of loyalty, declarations of hierarchy.
And no dish captures this better than galbitang: the royal beef short rib soup that has graced Korean aristocratic tables for over 600 years.
The History of Galbitang
What Is Galbitang?
Galbitang (갈비탕) combines galbi (갈비, beef short ribs) with tang (탕, soup). Unlike the assertive flavors of kimchi-jjigae or the hearty thickness of doenjang-guk, galbitang is defined by its clarity—a crystalline broth that took hours of patient simmering to achieve, with beef ribs so tender they surrender at the touch of a spoon.
This is not everyday food. This is food that announces wealth.
A Royal Beginning
Galbitang’s origins trace to the end of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), though it reached its refined form in the royal courts of Joseon.
| Era | Status of Beef | Galbitang’s Role |
|---|---|---|
| Goryeo Dynasty | Rare, mostly for aristocrats | Emerging as court dish |
| Joseon Dynasty | Strictly regulated | Royal banquet staple |
| Japanese Colonial | Beef restrictions relaxed | Spread to wealthy classes |
| Modern Korea | Still expensive | Special occasion dish |
Why was beef so precious? Korea was an agricultural society, and cattle were essential for farming. Slaughtering an ox for food was like burning your tractor for warmth. Only the nobility could afford such indulgence, and only for the most important occasions.
Historical records from the 1890s confirm galbitang was served at royal court banquets, cementing its status as gungjung yori (궁중요리)—palace cuisine. When you ate galbitang, you weren’t just eating soup. You were participating in a ritual of power.
The Suwon Connection
While galbitang remained an aristocratic dish, the culture of grilled galbi democratized in the 20th century—and the epicenter was Suwon.
In the 1940s, a restaurant called Hwachunok began serving short ribs in nourishing soup near Suwon Station. Word spread. In 1956, the owner experimented with marinating and grilling the ribs over charcoal instead. Suwon galbi was born.
Today, Suwon galbi is famous nationwide, but the original galbitang tradition continues. Every wedding hall in Korea serves it. Every grandmother makes it for birthdays. Every chaebol family has their own recipe, passed down like stock portfolios.
The Symbolism of Clarity
In Korean culinary philosophy, a clear broth represents skill and patience. Anyone can throw ingredients in a pot and make murky soup. But to extract deep flavor while maintaining crystal clarity? That requires technique: blanching the bones, skimming impurities for hours, never letting it boil too vigorously.
When a chaebol family serves galbitang to guests, they’re not just feeding them. They’re demonstrating mastery. Control. The ability to take something complex and make it appear effortless.
Just like running a business empire.
The Recipe: Classic Galbitang
Ingredients
- Beef short ribs (2 lbs / 900g, bone-in, cut into 2-inch pieces)
- Korean radish (1/2 medium, about 300g)
- Onion (1 large)
- Garlic (8-10 cloves)
- Green onions (4 stalks)
- Dangmyeon (Korean glass noodles, optional) Amazon →
- Egg (1, beaten, for garnish)
- Water (16 cups / 4 liters)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For Serving:
- Aged kimchi (essential accompaniment) Amazon →
- Coarse sea salt (for tableside seasoning) Amazon →
- Black pepper
- Steamed rice
Equipment
- Large stockpot (8+ quarts)
- Fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
- Korean earthenware bowl (ttukbaegi, for serving) Amazon →
Video Tutorial
Video by Maangchi
Instructions
Step 1: Soak and Clean the Ribs
The foundation of clear broth is clean meat.
- Place short ribs in a large bowl
- Cover with cold water
- Soak for 1-2 hours, changing water every 30 minutes
- This removes excess blood and impurities
Step 2: Blanch the Ribs
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil
- Add soaked ribs
- Boil vigorously for 10 minutes
- Drain and rinse each piece under cold water
- Scrub off any residue clinging to the meat and bones
- Discard the blanching water—this is crucial for clarity
Step 3: Build the Broth
Now the real cooking begins:
- Return cleaned ribs to a clean pot
- Add 16 cups fresh cold water
- Add whole onion, halved
- Add garlic cloves
- Add 2 green onion stalks, tied in a knot
- Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer
- Never let it boil vigorously again—this keeps the broth clear
Step 4: The Long Simmer
Patience is everything:
- Simmer for 1.5-2 hours
- Skim any foam that rises to the surface (especially in the first 30 minutes)
- The meat should be tender enough to easily pull from the bone
- Add radish chunks in the last 30 minutes of cooking
Step 5: Season and Strain
- Remove and discard onion, garlic, and green onion
- Season broth with salt to taste (start with 1-2 tsp)
- For extra clarity, strain broth through cheesecloth
Step 6: Prepare Garnishes
- Cook dangmyeon according to package directions, cut into shorter lengths
- Make egg jidan: beat egg, cook into thin omelette, slice into strips
- Slice remaining green onions finely
Step 7: Serve Like Royalty
- Place ribs and radish in a large bowl
- Ladle hot broth over
- Add dangmyeon
- Garnish with egg strips and green onion
- Serve with salt and pepper on the side for personal seasoning
- Always accompany with well-fermented kimchi
FAQ
Why is the soaking and blanching process so important?
Beef bones and meat contain blood and impurities that cause bitterness and cloudiness if not removed. The soaking draws out blood; the blanching expels remaining impurities. Skipping these steps will give you murky, gamey-tasting soup instead of the refined, clear broth galbitang is known for.
Can I use a pressure cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes, though traditionalists might frown. Pressure cooking can reduce the time to 45-60 minutes, but you may sacrifice some clarity. If using a pressure cooker, still do the soaking and blanching steps first.
Why must I never let it boil vigorously?
Aggressive boiling emulsifies the fat and proteins into the liquid, creating a cloudy, creamy broth. That’s desirable for some soups (like tonkotsu ramen), but galbitang’s identity is its crystal clarity. A gentle simmer extracts flavor while keeping fat and particles separate.
What’s the difference between galbitang and seolleongtang?
| Aspect | Galbitang | Seolleongtang |
|---|---|---|
| Main cut | Short ribs | Ox leg bones |
| Broth color | Clear | Milky white |
| Cooking time | 2-3 hours | 8-24 hours |
| Status | Royal/special occasion | Common/everyday |
| Price | Expensive | Moderate |
Why is aged kimchi essential?
The richness of galbitang’s meaty broth needs an acidic, pungent counterpoint. Fresh kimchi is too mild; aged kimchi (mugeunji or mukeun kimchi) has deep fermented flavors that cut through the fattiness and cleanse the palate between bites.
Can I make this ahead?
Absolutely. In fact, galbitang improves after resting. The flavors deepen, and you can easily remove solidified fat from the surface when cold. Reheat gently and add fresh garnishes before serving.
Make It Tonight
In Reborn Rich, the Soonyang family’s dining table is a battlefield.
Every meal is a negotiation. Every dish served is a message. Who sits where, who gets served first, who dares to speak—these are the rituals of power that govern chaebol dynasties. Food isn’t nourishment; it’s currency.
Galbitang belongs on that table not despite its simplicity, but because of it. In a world of excess, true elegance is restraint. The clear broth says: we don’t need to show off. The tender ribs say: we have time. The generations-old recipe says: this family endures.
When Jin Do-jun plots his revenge, he’s not just fighting for money. He’s fighting for a seat at that table. For the right to be served, not to serve. For the recognition that he belongs.
Tonight, make galbitang slowly. Take the time to soak, to blanch, to skim. Watch the broth clarify hour by hour. Let your home fill with the smell of beef and patience.
You don’t need a chaebol fortune to eat like one. You just need time, good ingredients, and the understanding that some things can’t be rushed.
오늘 밤, 재벌집 막내아들의 순양그룹 가문처럼 품격 있는 갈비탕 한 그릇 어떠세요?
Hero image: “Galbi-tang” by LWY, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Part of our K-Drama Kitchen series—cooking the dishes that made us hungry while watching.
