Zero customers and a labor union: The disastrous first day of 'Space Rice Cake Shop'

The first Earth branch, ambitiously prepared by the stars of tvN's variety show 'Space Rice Cake Shop'—Lee Eun-ji, Mimi, Lee Young Ji, and An Yu Jin—met with misfortune immediately after opening its doors. In the second episode, airing on the 7th at 8:35 PM, the show depicts the onset of heavy rain and wind alongside the start of full-scale business, where not a single customer visits on the opening day.

From making rice cakes to a soft opening, the Jiraksil members face the harsh reality of small business

Prior to the official opening, the members began preparations while experiencing the intense difficulty of running a rice cake shop. On the day before business began, the four members received training in the skill of making the rice cakes essential for their dishes. Lee Young Ji, who took on the role of main chef, experienced high-intensity work ranging from the rice cake-making process to cooking, admitting, "Cooking variety shows are a different level of difficulty." She expressed deep respect for self-employed workers after facing the challenges directly on-site.

The group also went through a final inspection stage to gain practical experience. Before the official opening, the members conducted a soft opening, presenting prepared dishes to a mysterious family to test the menu's completeness. This program, which premiered on the 31st of last month, is a restaurant labor adventure that began as a penalty for failing the escape room mission set by Torong in 'Earth Arcade 2'.

Rain, wind, and zero customers: Lee Eun-ji's emotional outburst on an empty street

Opening day was nothing like the members expected. The site where they were preparing for business turned into chaos due to sudden heavy rain and strong winds. Despite starting business, not a single customer visited the shop. Lee Young Ji went outside to attract customers, but her shouts only echoed on empty streets where not even a single passerby could be seen.

Lee Eun-ji and An Yu Jin also attempted to promote the shop. As soon as they spotted a car passing in front of the shop, they desperately tried to catch the driver's attention, but failed. Amidst the continuous bad luck, Lee Eun-ji could not hide her emotional distress, asking, "Why hasn't the word gotten out that we are doing business?" As the first episode predicted a hit by recording the number one viewership rating in its time slot, the crisis of their first day of business feels even more dramatic.

Staff forming a union and striking: Chaotic chemistry with Lee Young Ji

As the business crisis hit, internal conflicts also emerged. Exhausted by the continuous absence of customers and the bad weather, Lee Eun-ji, Mimi, and An Yu Jin formed their own labor union. After forming the union, they suddenly disappeared, causing a de facto strike and leaving main chef Lee Young Ji, who pours all her passion into the business, utterly bewildered. The episode previews the tension between the employees, lost in self-pity, and the boss, Lee, who tries to welcome customers no matter what.

During the menu selection process, Chef Kwon Sung-jun, known as 'Napoli Matpia', added professionalism by providing assistance. It has also been announced that part-time workers including EXO's Doh Kyung-soo, aespa's Karina, and dancer Gabee will join the team. The key interest lies in how the four Jiraksil members will overcome these obstacles to welcome their first customer. tvN's 'Space Rice Cake Shop' episode 2 will air on the 7th at 8:35 PM.