Starstruck

CHAE welcomes Emmy & Golden Globe winning stars Ali Wong and Lee Sung-Jin.

When Yoora received an email from someone claiming to be the assistant of Lee Sung-Jin, the director and mastermind behind the Netflix global hit series Beef, requesting a booking at CHAE, he initially thought it was a scam. Suppressing his excitement, Yoora turned to Google to verify the director was indeed in town for business. After confirming the legitimacy of the request, Yoora immediately replied with an enthusiastic yes.

It was April last year when Yoora and Chae took a trip to Adelaide to participate in the 2023 Tasting Australia event. They fondly remember binge-watching the entire season of Beef in their hotel room. "We started the series to watch Steven Yeun play. Shortly after, we were immediately hooked and became fans of the director and Ali Wong, who played the main role in the series," Yoora recalled.

CHAE welcomes Lee Sung Jin and Ali Wong

A few days after receiving the email, Yoora and Chae were informed that not only was the director coming to dine with them, but Ali Wong would be joining as well. With all regular seats fully booked, Yoora and Chae arranged a special Monday lunch outside of their normal trading hours. The thoughtful guests gifted Yoora and Chae a bottle of wine to show their appreciation for the special arrangement. Ali Wong even offered tickets to her popular stand-up comedy show. Yoora and Chae attended, experiencing their very first stand-up comedy performance. "Ali was funny, charismatic. It wasn’t difficult to see the talent that got Ali Wong her global recognition," Yoora remarked.

Left. Chae and friends at Ali Wong Show

Right. Special memory

The day was one of the most memorable for Yoora and Chae. They made sure to ask for autographs from both Lee Sung-Jin and Ali Wong, which now proudly hang on their wall as a treasured memory of the special moment.