Kim’s production company TEO will launch a new web series, “Food Nerd,” starring Choi. Premiering Monday, Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. KST on TEO’s YouTube channel, the show follows the chef as he hunts down Japanese ingredients and geeks out over them like a true superfan, bringing his offbeat curiosity to every stop on the journey.
Choi first fell for cooking thanks to the manga “Shōta no Sushi,” then shot to fame by winning "MasterChef Korea" Season 2―an underdog arc that felt straight out of a drama. Despite his reserved nature, his candid, quirky one-liners spawned countless memes (including the viral “It’s me, perilla oil”). He also made waves on "Culinary Class Wars," returning in Season 2 as a surprise “hidden” contender and finishing as a Top 2 finalist.
“Food Nerd” marks Choi’s first project since "Culinary Class Wars 2," and interest is high. A self-confessed sushi obsessive who even studied in Japan, Choi is poised to deliver peak-level food fandom on the new series.
A teaser released on the 8th spotlights Choi fielding the question, “Chef, are you an otaku?” He quickly says no―but then admits he’ll binge a good anime chain-style, revealing he’s revisiting “Vagabond.” He goes on to gush about favorites like “Slam Dunk” and “Demon Slayer,” before joking that his recent jogs include practicing that infamously intense “Attack on Titan” run―complete with a deadpan arm-motion demo that delivers a solid laugh.
The teaser wraps by circling back to, “So the chef isn’t an otaku?” Choi trails off―“I’m just…”―only adding to the intrigue. Even in a short clip, his deep-dive superfan energy is on full display, setting the stage for how far “Food Nerd” will push his passion for taste.
A newly unveiled poster amps up the curiosity, too, cheekily capturing Choi roaming Japanese streets in pursuit of flavor. Known for his almost comically dogged focus―he once joked he’s “a man braised in desire”―he goes all-in here with a playful “fish-man” transformation. Paired with a graphic-novel vibe and the tagline “We Stan the Taste,” the key art stakes out the show’s identity with a wink.
“Food Nerd” is slated for six episodes and premieres Monday, Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. KST on TEO’s YouTube channel.
Photos= TEO
(SBS Entertainment News | 강선애)
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