On October 1st, episodes 8~10 of “Culinary Class Wars” were released. With unique formats such as the “Black Spoon Chef Selection” and “Black vs. White Chef Duel” as well as team challenges, the show has captivated viewers. This time, the show upped the stakes with a convenience store mission and invited 20 mukbang creators as judges, further cementing its popularity.
The inclusion of a consolation round and the unveiling of the TOP 8 have increased excitement about who will win. Previously, the show attracted attention with its “blind tasting” conducted by celebrity judges Baek Jong-won and Ahn Sung-jae, who judged purely based on taste.
Renowned chefs like Choi Hyun-seok, Fabri, Yeo Kyung-rae, Oh Se-deuk and Lee Young-suk, along with rising talents and hidden masters, have competed, delivering a dopamine-packed experience for viewers.
As of October 2nd, according to Netflix’s TOP 10 website, “Culinary Class Wars” recorded 4.9 million views (calculated by dividing the total watch time by the show’s runtime) from September 23rd to 29th.
The show ranked first in four countries, including South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong, and made it into the TOP 10 in 28 countries, marking a significant achievement. Since its release on September 17th, it has held the number one spot in Netflix’s Global TOP 10 TV (non-English) category for two consecutive weeks.
Additionally, according to the integrated OTT content search platform KinoLights, “Culinary Class Wars” has maintained a preference score of 97% out of 100%, securing the top spot among variety shows in 2024.
The show has even outperformed the movies “Officer Black Belt”, “I, the Executioner” and the drama “Love Next Door” in terms of buzz.
SNS has exploded with fan art of Baek Jong-won wearing a blindfold, and parody content is surfacing everywhere. Fans have also been rediscovering past appearances of the show’s contestants on various other programs, turning them into viral content.
From Choi Hyun-seok’s appearance on “Please Take Care of My Refrigerator” to Choi Kang-rok’s time on “MasterChef Korea 2”, to Edward Lee’s judging role on international cooking shows and Lee Young-suk’s victory on “Korean Food War 2”, long-forgotten cooking programs are being revisited.
The viral YouTube videos of Auntie Omakase, the program appearance of God of Seasoning and the participation of Cooking Maniac in “MasterChef Korea Season 4” have also drawn attention, highlighting the past achievements of these “black spoon” chefs.
Many viewers shared their thoughts, “I resubscribed to Netflix just to watch ‘Culinary Class Wars’“, “I love cooking shows, and this one hits the spot” and “I hope my favorite contestant makes it to the end.”
Additionally, discussions have emerged around the reasons why celebrity chefs like Kim Poong and Raymon Kim did not appear on the show, sparking continuous topics related to “Culinary Class Wars”.
Similar to idol survival shows, fans are picking their favorite contestants, and some have been trying to reserve tables at the restaurants operated by the show’s participants months in advance.
One netizen shared a screenshot showing thousands of people waiting to book a table, leading to comments like, “I also tried and failed to get a reservation” and “Everyone must be curious about the taste.”
There’s even an online list circulating of restaurants run by contestants. Some participants have closed their businesses or no longer operate them, but viewers are asking them to reopen.
As the show nears its finale, “Culinary Class Wars” is displaying wide-ranging influence, and many are eagerly watching to see if it will leave a lasting mark on Netflix and the domestic variety show industry.
Source: Daum
