제 24 호 Culinary Class Wars
- 작성일 2024-11-28
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Kicker : COVERSTORY
Culinary Class Wars
By Myung-Kwan Kang, Editor-in-chief
Have you ever seen the show Culinary Class Wars? Culinary Class Wars is a Netflix original series that is very popular not only in Korea but also around the world, so even if you've never seen it, you've probably heard of it at least once. So what differentiates this show from existing cooking shows? This show differs in several factors, including the structure of the chefs' competition, unique composition of the judges, and judging method. Now, let’s take a closer look at the unique features of Black and White Chefs.
Brilliant cast
The reason for Culinary Class Wars' success is its stellar cast. If I were to describe a White Spoon Chef in one word, he would be ‘a recognized chef’. White Spoon Chefs are people who have been recognized in many broadcasts, competitions, and public events. Qualified chefs, including Michelin awarded chefs, winners of cooking programs, and chefs recognized not only in Korea but also around the world, participated as White Spoons. Additionally, Black Spoon Chefs are also people who already run famous restaurants. Most of the cast members have their own careers and skills, and the sight of 100 great chefs cooking their own dishes has attracted the interest of many people.
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Judges
When it comes to Culinary Class Wars, one thing that cannot be left out is the two judges. One is Jong-won Paik, the number one figure in the Korean culinary industry, and the other is Korea's only chef who has received three Michelin stars, Sung-jae Ahn. These two are widely acknowledged as experts in their field. In particular, the appearance of Jong-won Paik, whose skills have already been recognized through many media outlets, and Sung-jae Ahn, a Michelin 3-star chef who is rarely seen, attracted a lot of attention from viewers. Additionally, for those who are unfamiliar with Michelin, let me briefly explain. A Michelin 1-star means high-quality cooking, worth a stop. A Michelin 2-star means excellent cooking, worth a detour. A Michelin 3-star means exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.
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Battle Between Black Spoon Chefs and White Spoon Chefs
The biggest feature of 'Culinary Class Wars' is that two teams, divided into Black Spoon Chefs and White Spoon Chefs, compete head-on through cooking. The Black Spoon Chef team presents dishes that express strong and rich flavors, while the White Spoon Chef team presents dishes that emphasize simple and restrained tastes, stimulating viewers' taste buds every week.
In this process, the differences in cooking philosophy between the two teams created an interesting drama. This aesthetic of contrast provides a new experience to the public and delivers artistic value that goes beyond a simple cooking program.
This Black Spoon Chefs and White Spoon Chefs confrontation creates a constant sense of tension for viewers, adding to the excitement as each team's chefs are shown contemplating strategies to beat the opposing team while maintaining their own philosophy and style.
In particular, not only the taste of the dish, but also the way it is expressed and the visuals emphasize contrast, adding depth to the show beyond a simple cooking competition. The two teams, while fiercely competitive, also recognize each other and sometimes cooperate, conveying the value of human exchange and harmony beyond competition.
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Meticulous Directing and Sensuous Visuals
The production team of ‘Culinary Class Wars’ shows an excellent sense of visual direction. Lighting and camera direction that emphasize the contrast between Black Spoon and White Spoon add aesthetic value to the program and increase viewers' immersion. Dramatic close-ups of the moment each dish is completed and editing of tense evaluation scenes increase the tension of the program and attract viewers to the TV every week.
In addition, the filming technique that emphasizes the details of cooking is also receiving great a response. The process of preparing ingredients, the moment a dish is cooked over an open flame, and the delicate texture and color of the finished dish are vividly conveyed, giving viewers the feeling of being directly present at the cooking scene. This kind of sensuous production allows viewers to enjoy the program visually and maximizes the beauty of the dish itself. Furthermore, the program's background music and sound effects also play an important role in creating tension and increasing immersion.
Communication with the Public, Amplified Through SNS
SNS also has played a big role in the success of ‘Culinary Class Wars.’ After the program aired, viewers actively exchanged opinions about their preferred teams and dishes, adding to the program's popularity. In particular, the method of determining the winning team through viewer voting encouraged public participation and further increased immersion in the program. This method of communication has contributed to the development of programs beyond simply being consumed, into content that viewers create together.
On SNS, viewers are actively participating in activities such as sharing each team's cooking results and making their own evaluations. This active communication has played an important role in increasing the topicality of the program and is helping to develop the program. The success of 'Culinary Class Wars' went beyond simple cooking competitions and came from creative attempts to capture contrast, and harmonizehuman stories.
Economic Effect
The popularity of ‘Culinary class wars’ is spreading beyond Korea and around the world. According to Netflix, 'Culinary class wars' ranked first in four countries, including Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong. It also ranked in the top 10 in a total of 28 countries, and was ranked first in the Netflix Global Top 10 TV category for three consecutive weeks.
The popularity of ‘Culinary Class Wars’ is affecting not only the restaurant industry but also the tourism industry. According to Naver Data Lab and Catch Table, searches related to Culinary Class Wars have skyrocketed in the week since the first broadcast, the number of searches for restaurants by the featured chefs has increased 74 times compared to the previous week, and the average increase in restaurant reservations by chefs has been calculated to be about 148%. The convenience store app, which introduced collaborative convenience foods with chefs appearing on Culinary Class Wars Chefs, also recorded the highest number of weekly users ever.
As a result of comparing online kitchen appliance sales data compared to the same period last year, moreover, it was found that each type of product increased more than three times. In particular, wine, frying pans, plates, and cutlery also increased by more than 95%, 151%, 156%, and 246%, respectively.
As Culinary Class Wars became popular overseas, interest in Korean food grew. Foreign media is also paying attention to the influence of Culinary Class Wars. Bloomberg reported, “This program has revitalized the Korean restaurant industry, which has been struggling since the pandemic, and reservations at restaurants run by these chefs are rapidly increasing.” Hong Kong media outlet AM730 published a column saying, “40 world-famous restaurants were created in an instant, giving people a reason to travel to Korea”.
Going forward, the challenge will be to spread the word about Korean food and attract travelers to Korea. Hae-woong Jeon, chairman of the Korean Food Promotion Agency, said "The Korean Wave is dominating the world right now, and I believe Korean food is the most important aspect of it".
Culinary Class Wars has transcended being just another cooking competition show, gaining international popularity and creating a significant cultural and economic impact. The show's success can be attributed to its brilliant cast, innovative format, and the powerful contrast between the Black and White Spoon chefs, who showcase distinct culinary philosophies. With its meticulous directing and sensuous visuals, the program delivers an immersive experience that captivates audiences and stimulates conversations, especially through social media.
Beyond entertainment, Culinary Class Wars has revitalized the Korean restaurant industry and boosted interest in Korean food, both locally and globally. The economic effects are evident in the surge of online searches for restaurants featured on the show, as well as increased sales in kitchen appliances and related products. The program’s popularity abroad has also sparked a rise in tourism, with people traveling to Korea to experience the dishes prepared by the chefs.
The show exemplifies how modern media can blend entertainment with cultural promotion, while also leveraging social media for audience engagement. As it continues to spread the word about Korean cuisine, Culinary Class Wars is helping to elevate Korean food’s global presence, further fueling the Korean Wave and its cultural influence worldwide.
Sources:
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https://blog.naver.com/treewg/223594425733