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Producer Kim Hak-min from the Netflix original variety show “Culinary Class Wars” Season 2 commented on the controversy involving Paik Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea, saying, “We value audience opinions and consider them carefully.”

The press event for “Culinary Class Wars 2,” which took place in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 17th, was joined by producers Kim Hak-min and Kim Eun-ji, as well as Chef Son Jong-won, a Michelin 1-star chef specializing in Korean and Western cuisine from the white spoon team; Venerable Sunjae, South Korea’s first temple food expert; 57-year-old Chinese cuisine master Hou Deok-juk; and Japanese cuisine chef Jung Ho-young. Representatives from the black spoon team included French Papa, Little Tiger, Witch with a Wok, and Yoon Jumo, who is known for making alcohol. Judges Paik and Chef Anh Sung-jae were absent.

Producer Kim Hak-min commented on the controversy involving Paik, stating, “We will take all feedback into consideration and plan the next steps while keeping viewer opinions in mind.” When questioned if the judges would be different if “Culinary Class Wars Season 3” moves forward, he replied, “Season 2 was released just yesterday. It’s too soon to talk about how Season 3 will unfold.”

Paik acted as a judge in both “Culinary Class Wars 1” from last year and “Culinary Class Wars 2.” Nevertheless, at the beginning of this year, several controversies involving Paik and The Born Korea emerged, such as allegations of price manipulation regarding the BBQ Ham gift set, false origin labeling, indoor high-pressure gas cooking, and breaches of the Food Sanitation Act. In reaction, Paik stated he would suspend all media appearances.

However, as the production for “Culinary Class Wars 2” had already started, Paik finished his filming without stepping down in the middle. As Paik dealt with numerous rumors, audiences kept questioning his suitability as a judge. In response, the production team mentioned in September, “We will present the show and let the viewers make their own judgment.”

◇”Season 2 fully embraces cooking”… Hidden white spoons also make an appearance

Since Season 1 was a huge success, there were also problems related to the show’s structure. During the restaurant operation team challenge, there was a rule that one chef from each group would be unexpectedly fired, and these fired chefs would then form a new team to run a restaurant. The newly formed team, which had very little time to prepare, failed the task completely, resulting in criticism about ‘fairness.’ Master Ahn Yoo-sung, who was dismissed from his team, later mentioned in an interview that he felt ‘hurt.’

As per the differences from Season 1, Producer Kim Eun-ji mentioned, “A lot of viewers wished for the chefs to face off directly through cooking. This season, the idea is to fully commit to cooking. More dishes are anticipated to be created than in Season 1.”

Producer Kim Hak-min said, “I believed that change for the sake of change might harm the show. We aimed to develop a full program by adding the cherished elements from Season 1 and updating the areas that were missing.”

Among the previously released episodes, a new mechanism was implemented where the count of black spoon chefs moving on to Round 2 changes dynamically. Two ‘hidden white spoons’ returning after a break joined the 80 black spoon chefs in the first-round challenge. During this phase, the number of black spoon chefs eligible for Round 2 was capped at 18, without including the hidden white spoons. Should a hidden white spoon earn a place in Round 2, the number of black spoon chefs allowed to proceed increases by one accordingly.

◇The hardest casting was Son Jong-won… Jung Ho-young: “Regretted turning down Season 1 a lot”

The hardest cast member to obtain was Chef Son Jong-won, as stated by the production team. Producer Kim Eun-ji mentioned, “He really made us nervous. He completely turned down our first offer. A few weeks later, during a meeting, we decided to present one more proposal, and he agreed.” Producer Kim Hak-min also noted, “It seems Chef Son Jong-won joined to help the food industry.”

Chef Son Jong-won shared his reasoning for participating, stating, “I chose to take part because I feel that facing difficulties results in personal development.” He further mentioned, “As a chef whose restaurant management is essential, the filming timetable did not conflict with the restaurant’s activities. I felt honored that the production crew had confidence in me.”

Chef Jung Ho-young stated, “I deeply regret turning down the opportunity for Season 1. When it came to Season 2, I couldn’t reach out, so I even thought about finding the writer’s contact details, but the production team reached me just in time.” He further mentioned, “My plan was to display my fundamental skills without being greedy. However, on set, I became greedy and impatient, which made it difficult to showcase my full potential.”

Chef Hou Deok-juk said, “Although 57 years might appear lengthy, it’s not significant in the world of cooking. There’s always more to learn in culinary arts. I often feel I’m only beginning to grasp the true essence of cooking.” He further mentioned, “My joy comes from teaching as many individuals as possible in person and gaining knowledge from the younger generation.”

Venerable Sunjae stated, “I always viewed each competitor as a fellow practitioner, honoring their abilities and lives.” He further mentioned, “I hope audiences recognize how the chefs on ‘Culinary Class Wars’ approach food and the dedication they invest.”

The four black spoon chefs also expressed their opinions about the filming process. Brewmaster Yun, who produces alcohol and impressed judge Chef Anh Sung-jae with homemade traditional liquor and meticulously cooked pork, remembered, “I was totally surprised by the reception. I never thought Chef Anh Sung-jae would approve of me.”

A chef known as Witch with a Wok shared her successful approach: “I used the knowledge and experience I gained over 25 years in the hotel sector. My goal was to enjoy myself while playing by my everyday methods.” She also mentioned, “My determination to present K-Chinese food through ‘Culinary Class Wars 2’ and to shatter the glass ceiling in the food industry as a woman is my main strategy.”

French Papa said, “On-site, the preparation was so hectic that I couldn’t see the white-aproned chefs above. Watching yesterday’s episode brought me great comfort from the many supporters and concerned individuals. All 100 chefs have their own stories; focusing on those narratives could offer solace to the chefs.”

When questioned about his upcoming participation in the program, Little Tiger stated, “I will present cooking that goes beyond just being flawless and instead showcases genuine dedication.”

“Culinary Class Wars 2” is a cooking survival reality program where secret master black spoon chefs, seeking to challenge social hierarchy through flavor, compete against white spoon chefs, who are South Korea’s elite star chefs protecting their position.

The first season, a 12-episode program that aired from September to October last year, generated significant popularity in South Korea. It was the first Korean reality show on Netflix to achieve the top spot in the non-English TV category worldwide for three straight weeks and led the September 2024 Gallup Korea survey on ‘Programs Koreans Like.’

Season 2 also generated significant anticipation before its launch. The initial three episodes of Season 2 were made available on Netflix on the 16th. These first three episodes detailed the first phase of choosing black spoon chefs to challenge 18 white spoon chefs, the introduction of two ‘hidden white spoons,’ and the beginning of Round 2 where white and black spoons engage in competition.

The white spoon team for this season features Chef Son Jong-won, Chef Jung Ho-young, Chef Hou Deok-juk, Venerable Sunjae, Michelin 2-star chef Lee Joon, 47-year veteran French cuisine expert Park Hyo-nam, renowned chefs Sam Kim and Raymond Kim, judge of MasterChef Korea Season 4 Song Hoon, and winner of “Hansik Battle” Season 3 Lim Seong-geun.