'It was hell': Comedian Kim Shin-young skips breakfast for first time in 16 years to earn 'rice sommelier' certificate

Comedian Kim Shin-young has drawn attention after it emerged that her passion for rice led her to earn a "rice sommelier" certificate.

The feat was revealed Friday on MBC variety program "Na Honjasanda" (I Live Alone), which showed Kim taking on the challenge of obtaining the certification.

"This is a program introduced in Korea for the first time this year," Kim said. "I couldn't do it in the first cohort because of my schedule, but I was determined to get it in the second."

She also confessed to the lengths she went to for the exam. "I know my rice, but without a certificate it's hard to get recognition," she said. "I skipped breakfast for the first time in 16 years. Honestly, it was hell."

Known for her deep love of rice, Kim skipped her morning meal for the first time in 16 years and headed to the training center early in the day. She completed 18 hours of instruction spread over three days, studying everything from rice varieties and cooking temperatures to the proper way to use a rice paddle.

Even amid a packed schedule, Kim said she reviewed her notes until 4:30 a.m. She was visibly nervous going into the written exam — a 70-question test she found so stressful that she replaced her answer sheet twice.

Her efforts paid off. Kim passed and revealed her certificate on the studio set, beaming with pride.

The rice sommelier is a private-sector qualification requiring specialized knowledge of rice and cooked rice. Candidates must master rice varieties and their characteristics, the factors that affect taste, and proper storage and cooking methods. The core skill is understanding how flavor and texture change depending on the condition of the rice and cooking variables, and knowing which cooking method suits each variety — much as a wine sommelier identifies the aromas and flavors of wine.

Kim already holds certificates in recreation, performance education, life insurance and property insurance.

True to her own description of herself as someone who digs all the way in once she fixates on something, Kim's passion came through clearly to viewers. The episode recorded a 5.2 percent household viewership rating in the Greater Seoul area, topping all Friday variety programs. The highlight of the night — a scene in which Kim served actor Ryu Hye-young a spread featuring LA galbi kimchi stew over rice — peaked at 5.9 percent, earning it the title of "best minute" of the broadcast.