"They said it was impossible in South Korea" The ambition of three men challenging 200,000 won per kg wasabi

In the deep mountains of Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, in a snow-covered remote area, three young men have gathered. They are challenging the cultivation of wasabi rhizomes, a crop known to be more expensive than Hanwoo beef, which can exceed 200,000 won per 1kg. According to the KBS documentary 'Three Men in a Mountain Village', they are 'urban youth farmers' who dream of mass-producing wasabi through precise environmental control technology beyond simple farming.

"If they say it can't be done, it means it can be successful" The reason they are clinging to wasabi

The wasabi they chose is a special crop that is very difficult to cultivate in the natural environment of South Korea. An interviewee in the video mentioned the difficulty of cultivation, saying, "They say it is hard to grow even in Japan, and they say it is almost impossible in South Korea." However, the reason for the challenge lay in that very 'impossibility.' The interviewee showed strong competitive spirit, stating, "When everyone says it can't be done, it means it is difficult, but it also means if it is done, it can be a success."

The three men are utilizing a multi-tier cultivation method in a greenhouse measuring about 60 pyeong. Since wasabi is sensitive to temperature and light, they are conducting environmental control experiments in parallel, including heating and cooling, as well as controlling carbon dioxide concentration and utilizing various light sources (dedicated plant LEDs, red and blue light sources, etc.). Currently, various wasabi plants at different growth stages are growing inside the greenhouse. From those about 3.5 months old to those about 8 months old, they are constantly experimenting to find the optimal growth conditions.

Farming while fighting -30 degrees Celsius, even deploying 'hot packs' to melt batteries

The harsh winter in Pyeongchang is another war for them. The video captures them continuing their farming work amidst extreme cold, where temperatures drop to -20 or -30 degrees Celsius. In particular, the problem of vehicle batteries discharging due to the cold is a daily crisis for them. The interviewee conveyed the severity of the site, saying, "When it drops to -25 or -30 degrees Celsius, even if you jump-start with another car, the engine won't start." In fact, recently, a situation occurred where the engine would not start at all as the temperature dropped to -30 degrees Celsius.

They use an unexpected method to protect the batteries. It is attaching hot packs (hand warmers) to the batteries. To prevent situations where the battery freezes and the engine won't start, they volunteer for 'night shifts' where they attach hot packs to the batteries and then wrap them tightly with plastic and insulation. The interviewee explained the cold of Pyeongchang, saying, "It feels like it was warmer when I was in the military." Their struggle of attaching hand warmers to batteries and wrapping them with plastic and insulation continues every night.

Office and home, the unique communal life of the three men

Their living space is unique. This house, which Cha Dae-ro designed himself, was built in an 'office-cum-home' format for work efficiency. To reduce the boundary between work and life, the office was brought inside the house, and considering that the three would live together, it is equipped with 3 rooms and 2 storage rooms. Perhaps due to the habit of valuing privacy in the city, there are also meticulous rules, such as separate towel holders being provided for each person in the bathroom. The towel holders are arranged in order of proximity to the shower booth as Cha Dae-ro, Kim Hyeon-gu, and Jang Jae-yeong.

Every moment of their daily life is a series of incidents and accidents. They also experience the sorrows of novice farmers, such as the machine stopping due to a button operation error while using an aerial work platform. Kim Hyeon-gu, who is in his third year of returning to farming and living as a 'goose father' with a son and wife; Jang Jae-yeong, who has been a farmer for 6 months; and Cha Dae-ro, the center of the team. These three men are silently writing their own farming diary toward the goal of wasabi, fighting against batteries, the cold, and machines every night.