The team behind Netflix’s "Culinary Class Wars 2" says it’s taking viewer feedback about judge Paik Jong-won to heart.
At a press conference for the Netflix unscripted series held Dec. 17 at the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Grand Ballroom in Seoul, director-producer Kim Hak-min told reporters, “We’re hearing a lot of feedback from viewers―wide-ranging and plentiful―and we’re taking it very seriously and carefully.”
Season 1 of "Culinary Class Wars" became a breakout hit last year, the first Korean unscripted title to sit at No. 1 for three straight weeks on Netflix’s Global Top 10 (Non-English TV). It also topped Gallup Korea’s “Koreans’ Favorite TV Programs” list in September 2024―the first streaming variety show to do so―fueling buzz at home and abroad and setting high expectations for Season 2 even before launch.
But ahead of the new season’s debut, some viewers voiced concern over Paik’s role as a judge amid ongoing controversy surrounding the chef-restaurateur and his company The Born Korea. With trust central to judging, skepticism has lingered among parts of the audience.
With Episodes 1-3 dropping Dec. 16, Paik is seen actively evaluating contestants at the judges’ table. Early reactions are split: some praise his entertaining, incisive critiques, while others say they can no longer take his comments at face value. With the season just underway, a clear consensus hasn’t formed yet.
Kim previously said in September he would leave the issue to viewers’ judgment. Three months on, his stance remains measured: “Whatever the reaction, we’re keeping our ears open. We’ll take these opinions seriously and keep them in mind as we plan our next steps.”
"Culinary Class Wars 2" pits underdog “Black” chefs who aim to upend the hierarchy on taste alone against elite “White” star chefs determined to defend it―a blazing class war played out in the kitchen.
This season’s “White” lineup features heavy hitters, from a two-Michelin-star chef Lee Jun and dual Michelin honoree Son Jong-won (Korean and Western) to Korea’s first certified master of temple cuisine, Venerable Sunjae, plus Chinese-cuisine veteran Hu Deok-juk (57 years), French-cuisine master Park Hyo-nam (47 years), marquee names Jung Ho-young, Sam Kim and Raymon Kim, MasterChef Korea Season 4 judge Song Hoon, and Korean Food War Season 3 winner Lim Seong-geun―18 in total. Season 1 standouts Choi Kang-rok and Kim Do-yoon return as “Hidden White Spoons.”
The challengers on the “Black” side are just as formidable: 80 real-deal pros from beloved neighborhood gems to line-around-the-block hotspots. Early standouts in Episodes 1-3 include the “French Papa,” the “Chinese Witch,” “The Brewer, Yoon Jumo,” and the “Baby Beast.”
Round 1 wrapped in the opening three episodes, sending 38 chefs―19 Black and 19 White―into Round 2. The 13-episode season continues weekly, with new episodes dropping Tuesdays at 5 p.m. KST on Netflix.
[Photo: Netflix]
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)