On October 8 (KST), Bloomberg reported on the phenomenon, saying, “The cooking battles in ‘Culinary Wars’ have sparked numerous memes and unique characters online, generating widespread buzz. This program has revitalized Korea’s restaurant industry, which struggled during the pandemic, leading to a surge in reservations at the chefs’ restaurants featured in the show. Additionally, iconic scenes from the show, such as the Tiramisu made with convenience store ingredients, have garnered millions of views.”
According to the Netflix Top 10 website (top 10.netflix.com) on Wednesday, October 9, “Culinary Class Wars” recorded 4,000,000 viewing counts (calculated by dividing the total viewing hours by the running time of the show) between September 30 and October 6. It reached No. 1 in 4 countries, including South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan, and ranked in the Top 10 in 18 countries, continuing its massive popularity. Since its release on September 17, the show has been No. 1 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) chart for three consecutive weeks, marking the first time a Netflix Korea variety show has achieved this milestone.
In “Culinary Class Wars”, talented but underappreciated chefs, known as “Black Spoon” chefs, challenge Korea’s top celebrity chefs, known as “White Spoon” chefs, in a fierce competition among 100 chefs. In the recently released episodes 11-12, which aired on October 8, the show culminated in dramatic final missions and a thrilling competition where the winner was finally revealed.
The top 8 chefs, including Choi Hyun-seok, “Triple Star” Scott Kang, Jung Ji-sun, “Cooking Maniac” Yoon Nam-no, Jang Ho-joon, “Auntie Omakase #1” Lee Mi-ryeong, “Napoli Matfia” Kwon Sung-jun and Edward Lee, delivered captivating performances, turning the kitchen into a battlefield with unpredictable plot twists. In the highly anticipated semi-final second round, known as the “Endless Cooking Hell,” the chefs engaged in a relentless showdown, creating innovative dishes using tofu within a 30-minute time limit. After a fierce competition, two chefs advanced to the final round, where they competed in a “Signature Dish” battle to determine the winner.
The contrasting styles of the judges, including Michelin three-star restaurant Mosu’s Chef Ahn Sung-jae and culinary mogul Baek Jong-won, were analyzed as another factor contributing to the show’s popularity. The final, judged through a unanimous voting process, saw both judges agree on the winner in one go.
The champion, who was recognized by the top judges, shared an emotional victory speech, saying, “I feel like I’ve achieved my dream. It seems like living in the kitchen was not a mistake. I will continue to be a chef who only goes back and forth between home and the kitchen.”
The runner-up chef also delivered a touching statement, saying, “While most chefs start to slow down at my age, I want to keep moving forward.”
Meanwhile, “Gyeongseong Creature” Season 2 is also receiving a lot of love. The second season continues to unravel the story of fate, unresolved ties, and destiny, as Tae-sang meets Ho-jae, who resembles him in many ways, and Chae-ok, who survived the spring of Gyeongseong. Two weeks after its release, “Gyeongseong Creature” Season 2 is generating immense buzz, with both Season 2 and Season 1 simultaneously entering Netflix’s Top 10 chart. Season 2 ranked in the Top 10 list in 30 countries, including France, Hungary, Morocco, Nigeria, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore, and the Philippines, holding the No. 2 spot on Netflix’s Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) chart for two consecutive weeks. Buoyed by the excitement for Season 2, “Gyeongseong Creature” Season 1 also re-entered the charts, reaching the Top 10 list in 11 countries, including Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Pakistan, and ranked No. 9 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) chart, further showcasing its popularity.
Both seasons simultaneously climbing the global Top 10 chart demonstrates the binge-watching frenzy among worldwide fans of “Gyeongseong Creature”. The series, which follows a storyline that connects Gyeongseong in 1945 to Seoul in 2024, has captivated global audiences with its deepened characters, compelling narrative, and outstanding performances by the cast. The binge-watching trend is expected to continue as the “Gyeongseong Creature” series receives continued praise from viewers worldwide.
The global success of “Culinary Class Wars” and both seasons of “Gyeongseong Creature” once again highlights the immense power of K-content. Both shows are available exclusively on Netflix for audiences around the world to enjoy.
Source: Bloomberg, Daum (1) (2)
