Ha Seok-jin reveals why he avoids grilling meat at home

Actor Ha Seok-jin shared a harrowing anecdote about how he once triggered a fire alarm for his entire apartment complex while attempting to grill meat alone at home. Despite keeping various types of meat in his freezer, an unexpected accident during a holiday has prevented him from cooking them at home.

On the 23rd, the JTBC variety show "Chef & My Fridge" featured a 15-minute cooking battle where chefs used ingredients found in Ha's refrigerator.

MCs Kim Sung-joo and Ahn Jung-hwan were initially relieved to find the interior of Ha's refrigerator more organized than expected. However, the cast was shocked when they discovered food items that were nearly 10 years past their expiration dates, followed by a series of other old food items.

When Kim Poong asked, "Are you the type who has trouble throwing things away?" Ha explained, "It's not like I'm constantly digging through the refrigerator, right?"

He even confessed to eating food without realizing it had expired, joking, "I just ate it and didn't get sick. I feel like my immunity is gradually increasing," which drew laughter from the cast.

Various types of meat, including pork and beef, were found in the freezer. When Kim Sung-joo remarked that he seemed to love meat, Ha explained that most of it was high-quality meat received as gifts from acquaintances.

The real question was why he didn't eat this meat at home. Ha revealed that while he usually eats meat with acquaintances at butcher restaurants and brings the leftovers home, he avoids grilling it by himself.

The reason stems from an accident he experienced one or two years ago during a holiday. Ha recalled that after looking up "how to grill meat deliciously" on YouTube, he heated a frying pan intensely, intending to perform proper searing.

However, as soon as he placed the meat on the pan, a massive amount of smoke was produced, eventually triggering the fire alarm for the entire apartment complex. Shortly after, a security guard even had to visit his home to check on the situation.

"I have a shameful memory of causing a nuisance to all the residents in the apartment on the day of the holiday," Ha said, revealing that he has avoided grilling meat alone at home since then. The reason high-quality meat is piled up in his freezer is not due to simple eating habits, but stems from this experience.

Ha's holiday stories also led to discussions about his family. When Kim Sung-joo asked why he was alone instead of visiting his parents' house during the holidays, Ha replied, "I usually visit briefly the day before," adding, "I come back quickly because if I stay too long, I get nagged," causing laughter once again.

Between the presence of food long past its expiration date and his habit of storing expensive meat while avoiding cooking it himself, Ha's refrigerator provided an interesting look into his unexpected daily life.