starving. i m carlton mccoy, raised in inner city d.c., educated in kitchens around the globe. these days i make a living as a master sommelier. i m a nomad, driving to move in and out of different cultures, different worlds. i celebrate diversity by embracing what makes us both unique and the same. after all, we carry our travels with us to our next destination. that s what life is all about. let s do this. south korea. like most people, i m starting out in seoul, an international mega city located near the center of the korean peninsula. it is the beating heart that drives the korean economy and churns out record-breaking pop culture exports, squid game, parasite and bts, the biggest band on earth. this place is fast paced and runs around the clock. what about the rest of the country? is it super traditional, modern or both? after today i m headed further into the country side. i want to learn about the people, the drinking culture and, most importantly, the food.
k-pop turned hip-hop superstar jay park, the first celebrity to launch his own brand of soju with the guidance of a master brewer. what is the driving force behind starting a soju brand? why is it important to you? when i was signed to rock nation as the first asian artist i wanted to bring something unique to korea. i didn t want to come out to be something i m not. i wanted to try to bring something to the culture that was different. sure. world famous multi-platinum korean hip-hop producer jay park has been at the forefront of the k-pop movement for over a decade. so i came out with a song called soju. i heard it. it is great. thank you. i appreciate it. also, it felt natural for me to do soju instead of a whiskey or vodka. they want you to be an ambassador for the culture? yes, and alcohol and music, it is like everybody in the world can relate. that s correct. you know, here we are, korea