An Yu Jin asserts authority at the rice cake shop

The chaotic restaurant labor of the four 'Earth Arcade' members has moved from Goheung to a larger stage in Seoul. As the scale of the shop has increased, so too have the intensity of the work and the unexpected situations. In particular, the youngest, An Yu Jin, is set to provide unexpected laughter as she suddenly steps up to 'assert her authority' ahead of a new part-timer's arrival.

In the 7th episode of the tvN variety show 'Space Rice Cake Shop,' airing on the 11th, the story unfolds as Lee Eun-ji, Mimi, Lee Young Ji, and An Yu Jin begin full-scale operations at the second branch located in Yeonhui-dong, Seoul. Following their initial trial and error while running the rice cake shop in Goheung, the four now face a new working environment and customers at the much larger Seoul location.

'Space Rice Cake Shop' is a unique format that expands the penalties started in 'Earth Arcade' into actual labor. Having been forced into part-time rice cake shop work due to Torong's schemes, the four members have naturally revealed their individual characters while making rice cakes, taking orders, and serving customers since the early morning.

The fact that their experience in Goheung was more than just a variety show experience is also evident in this Seoul location. The Seoul second branch is equipped with a POS system, a reservation system, 9 burners and griddles, a separate dishwashing area, a waiting zone, a photo zone, and a hall with 9 tables. The novice part-timers, who were flustered in the small shop, have essentially moved to an environment much closer to a professional food service industry.

The most interesting change in that process is An Yu Jin's attitude. While the youngest member was relatively capable and calm in performing her duties in Goheung, she now enters a 'discipline simulation' to prepare for the new part-timer.

While practicing with Lee Young Ji, who acted as the part-timer substitute, An Yu Jin suddenly calls out, "Follow me to the fridge." From her tone to the situational setup, she creates a somewhat intimidating atmosphere, but it draws laughter as it is actually a role-play where the youngest member is conversely attacking the seniors' weaknesses.

This scene shows how 'Space Rice Cake Shop' differs from simple cooking or mukbang variety shows. This is because the tension and mistakes occurring during the actual labor process are transformed into the members' relationships and impromptu role-plays, allowing their characters themselves to function as a narrative device.

Lee Eun-ji and Lee Young Ji are also responsible for the laughter in another way. The two transform into middle-aged man and woman named Jeong-hye and Cheol-yong, respectively, to perform a sly 'push-and-pull romance.'

Lee Young Ji, playing Cheol-yong, delivers a greasy line to Jeong-hye, who helped with the dishes to allow him to leave work: "Who would take a woman like you? I, Kwak Cheol-yong, will take you." Her exaggerated tone, reminiscent of the character Kwak Cheol-yong from the movie 'Friend,' combines with Lee Young Ji's unique spontaneity to create a scene akin to a comedy skit.

Mimi and An Yu Jin, watching this, also appear to admire the two's acting. The structure where the four members perform their respective roles while simultaneously watching and reacting to each other's acting further amplifies the signature 'tiki-taka' of the 'Earth Arcade' crew.

Of course, just because it is the Seoul second branch doesn't mean operations run smoothly. Rather, as the facilities have grown, the impact of mistakes has also increased. During the lunch service, a situation occurs where the hall team fails to properly deliver table numbers to customers, resulting in food not being delivered on time.

With desserts also being missed, the shop's operation falls into a chain of confusion. Since a single wrong order in a restaurant can twist the entire flow of the kitchen, hall, and delivery, this becomes a moment where Lee Eun-ji and An Yu Jin are tested on their actual recovery skills beyond mere laughter.

At this point, the difference between the Goheung days and the Seoul shop is expected to be naturally revealed. While the four created laughter in Goheung through the clumsiness of beginners encountering business for the first time, in Seoul, those who have already experienced one round of operations must adapt to a more complex system. In fact, the difficulty of the work increased in the Seoul second branch with the introduction of new menus, such as rice cake burgers with a fast-food concept.

It is also an interesting point that the members' reactions to moving to Seoul were divided. While Lee Eun-ji and An Yu Jin, who took charge of the hall, welcomed the new environment, Mimi and Lee Young Ji, who were in charge of the kitchen, expressed regret about leaving the Goheung shop they had grown attached to. Despite running the same shop, their ways of accepting the space differed based on their roles.

Ultimately, the fun of 'Space Rice Cake Shop' does not lie solely in how well they make food. Within the relatively realistic framework of running a business, Lee Eun-ji's performance, Mimi's focus in the kitchen, Lee Young Ji's clumsiness and spontaneity, and An Yu Jin's capable youngest character mix together to create a unique ensemble play.

In this 7th episode, An Yu Jin's attempt to 'assert discipline' before welcoming a new part-timer, the middle-aged couple skit between Lee Eun-ji and Lee Young Ji, and the operational crisis caused by missing orders all converge. An Yu Jin's evolution from a novice part-timer to someone attempting to manage juniors also shows that the program's character narrative has progressed to a new level.

Will the four be able to recover from successive mistakes and successfully complete their operations at the larger Seoul branch? Interest is mounting to see how the 'forced employment restaurant adventure' that began in Goheung will evolve into new forms of chaos and laughter on the new stage of Seoul.