IVE's An Yu Jin sheds tears after Lee Young Ji's reprimand

IVE's An Yu Jin revealed that she swallowed tears after feeling hurt by singer Lee Young Ji's reprimand during the filming of the tvN variety show 'Space Rice Cake Shop'. While it appeared to be a simple conflict over the price of kimbap, it was actually an emotional clash caused by misaligned intentions as they tried to look out for one another in a busy business environment.

In the 4th episode of 'Space Rice Cake Shop' broadcast on the 21st, the chaotic business operations of Lee Eun-ji, OH MY GIRL's Mimi, Lee Young Ji, and IVE's An Yu Jin as they ran a rice cake shop in Goheung were revealed.

From the second day of business, the shop was bustling with customers. Lee Young Ji realized late in the process of cooking mala tteokbokki that beef brisket needed to be added, and she hurriedly changed the recipe while the broth had already reduced. They managed to overcome the crisis with Mimi preparing grilled beef brisket to top the tteokbokki, but the kitchen essentially became a battlefield due to a surge in orders, ingredient shortages, and issues with the heating equipment.

Following the lunch service, a crowd of additional customers flocked in, starting with 10 reservation holders in the evening. Lee Young Ji comforted herself saying, "Let's not have a mental breakdown," while operating three burners simultaneously, and eventually, even PD Na Yeong-seok was deployed to help with the dishwashing. Excluding calculation errors, the day's sales recorded approximately 832,900 won.

In this frantic business process, a small misunderstanding escalated into an emotional conflict. The incident began with 13,500 won worth of kimbap.

Previously, Lee Eun-ji and An Yu Jin, who were in charge of the floor, went into town and bought kimbap for the kitchen members. However, Lee Young Ji reprimanded the two, asking, "Didn't you say you would ask before buying?"

While the intention was to manage expenditures during a busy period, An Yu Jin felt deeply hurt because her action was not for personal consumption, but to care for her colleagues who were unable to eat properly in the kitchen.

After the business ended, Lee Young Ji and An Yu Jin revisited the matter to resolve their feelings. Recalling the situation, An Yu Jin eventually shed tears.

An Yu Jin said, "I'm laughing and shedding them slightly now. At that time, I was so upset, but I held it in," adding, "I just thought, 'Maybe Unnie is being sensitive.'"

She specifically confessed that she tried to hide her emotions by turning her back so she wouldn't be caught on camera.

There was another reason why An Yu Jin felt even more disappointed. Even in a situation where she herself could not eat properly, she had taken the time to buy kimbap out of concern for the kitchen members, and she felt that her intention was not conveyed.

She also recalled the moment when Lee Young Ji later approached her subtly and said, "Let's look at the notebook."

An Yu Jin said, "I thought, 'I guess this is her way of reconciling,' and thought to myself, 'That's funny.' Then Unnie said, 'Hey, let's eat kimbap,' so I followed her out and ate it. Actually, my feelings were relieved."

Lee Young Ji also apologized after realizing late that her words had caused a bigger wound to An Yu Jin than expected. She said, "Was it that much of a reason to be sad? I'm sorry," and Lee Eun-ji also empathized with An Yu Jin's feelings, saying, "It's understandable to be upset."

Lee Young Ji joked, "I didn't know Yu Jin loved me this much. Isn't this somewhat like agape love?" She then lightened the mood with her signature humor, saying she felt like So Ji-sub from the movie 'I'm Sorry, I Love You.'

Ultimately, the two resolved the misunderstanding, which stemmed not from a dispute over a trivial amount, but from a difference in how they tried to care for one another. The scene showed another layer of fun in 'Space Rice Cake Shop,' as the conflict in the variety show did not remain merely a dramatic device for laughter, but led to a narrative of a relationship where they honestly confirmed emotions built up through working and living together.

'Space Rice Cake Shop' is a program where Lee Eun-ji, Mimi, Lee Young Ji, and An Yu Jin challenge themselves in the food service industry in a manner close to running an actual restaurant, experiencing unexpected labor and human relationships together. In this episode, it naturally revealed not only the quality of the food and sales but also the responsibilities, consideration, and emotional mismatches that occur during busy operations, further fleshing out the relationships between the cast members.