Korean Restaurant Owner Balances 36KG Table With Dishes On His Head
Kang Jin-gyu said he is used to it.
By Sukhbir Cheema — 29 May 2025, 05:14 PM
In a quiet valley just outside Seoul, South Korea, one man has redefined what it means to carry your weight at work
Kang Jin-gyu, 55, doesn't just serve food, he carries an entire table of it on his head several times a day.
At his restaurant in Uidong Valley, Kang transports a fully loaded 10-seater table stacked with dishes and drinks weighing up to 36kg using only his head.
According to Kang, what began as a way to relieve his sore hands has become his signature move
"I am very used to it now. I am well-trained," he said, according to South China Morning Post.
Instead of placing the table on the crown of his head, he rests it slightly to the side, allowing for better balance and subtle adjustments.
He can climb stairs and even navigate the rain, covering the table with a plastic sheet that doubles as an umbrella.
Kang makes around 150 of these trips every single day. His remarkable skill has turned his eatery into a tourist magnet, with curious customers trying and hilariously failing to replicate his balancing act.
Head-carrying has deep roots in Korean culture.
In the days before modern plumbing, women would regularly carry water pots weighing over 20kg on their heads. But in modern times, such skills are rarely seen, which makes Kang's mastery all the more jaw-dropping.
"It is tough work, but I always try my best so I don't get complaints," he said.
