Netflix's immensely popular cooking competition series "Culinary Class Wars" has fundamentally transformed South Korea's fine dining scene, creating a cultural shift that extends far beyond mere entertainment. The show's impact is evident in booking statistics, customer behaviour, and the professional lives of chefs across the nation.
From Basic Questions to Philosophical Discussions
When chef Jun Lee first opened his Seoul restaurant SOIGNÉ thirteen years ago, he spent considerable time explaining basic fine dining concepts to customers. Patrons would frequently request à la carte options at his establishment, which exclusively serves tasting menus, or question why meals required such lengthy preparation times.
Today, Lee encounters entirely different inquiries. "Many people either didn't know this culture existed or weren't particularly interested," explained Lee, whose restaurant name translates to "well-made" in French. "But now they're becoming interested, and when they come to dine, the questions they ask—the style of their questions—have more depth."
Customers now engage with complex topics including flavour combinations, advanced cooking techniques, and the philosophical underpinnings behind culinary creations. This transformation reflects a broader cultural awakening driven by Netflix's unscripted series, which pits acclaimed "white spoon" chefs against underdog "black spoon" challengers.
Unprecedented Booking Demand
The show's influence has generated staggering demand for fine dining experiences throughout South Korea. Tei Yong, CEO of CATCHTABLE—the country's leading restaurant reservation platform—revealed the extraordinary scale of this phenomenon.
"I never imagined a single TV show could generate this level of interest in gastronomy," Yong told The Associated Press. Following Season 1's broadcast, Seoul's Metropolitan Government organised a pop-up event featuring chefs from the Netflix series. When CATCHTABLE opened just 150 reservations, nearly 450,000 people attempted to secure spots—creating approximately 3,000 competitors for each available table.
This interest has sustained beyond initial excitement. According to Yong, average booking and waitlist registrations per participating restaurant surged approximately 303% during the five weeks following Season 2's premiere compared to the five weeks preceding it.
Chefs Experience Personal Transformations
Chef Kim Sung-woon of Table for Four in Seoul reported that reservations have tripled since his appearance on the programme. His staff now receives roughly 100 phone calls daily—so many they struggle to answer while maintaining service standards.
"Customers ask for photos constantly now—I feel like a celebrity," Kim revealed. "I've received more letters than at any time since my military service. Young fans, even children, write to me."
Born and raised in Taean, a seaside town south of Seoul, Kim grew up farming and once dreamed of becoming a baseball umpire before entering the restaurant industry. Despite decades of culinary experience, he found himself speechless upon arriving at the Netflix set and encountering legendary chefs he had long idolised.
Lee has witnessed similar personal changes, with strangers now requesting photographs during casual street encounters. International collaboration requests have increased significantly, while customer demographics have shifted dramatically.
"Before the show, foreigners made up the majority of our reservations," Lee noted. "Now South Korean customers book so quickly that foreign visitors often can't get tables."
Redefining Modern Korean Cuisine
The series has proven particularly significant for chefs who incorporate fine dining techniques into Korean culinary traditions—a category gaining substantial international attention. For Lee, simply adding Korean ingredients doesn't automatically create culturally authentic dishes.
"If you just put kimchi in a dish and say it's inspired by Korean food, does that make it Korean?" he questioned. "Korean food culture isn't about specific recipes—it's the accumulated lifestyle habits people have created."
Beyond globally familiar Korean barbecue and bibimbap, chefs like Lee are reclaiming nuanced cultural identity through their creations. He incorporates French, American, and other techniques learned during his time in New York kitchens, but maintains that Korean elements emerge naturally through his perspective as a South Korean living in Seoul.
Rather than translating concepts into Western terms, Lee preserves Korean terminology—beginning with his signature dish, Hanwoo and Banchans, featuring top-quality beef accompanied by seasonal Korean condiments and vegetables.
"Side dishes in English suggest something optional," Lee explained. "But in Korean culture, without banchan, a meal feels incomplete. The number of banchan signals whether it's an ordinary day or a special occasion—emotions shared by those who live this culture."
Building on Government Initiatives
The show's remarkable success builds upon years of governmental groundwork. South Korea has actively promoted its cuisine globally since the late 2000s, but entertainment content has proven particularly effective in reaching younger audiences.
Jihyung Andrew Kim, a professor in culinary arts and food management at Hanyang Women's University, observed this dynamic firsthand. "The government made genuine efforts for a long time," Kim stated. "But Netflix and cultural content—like BTS gaining international recognition—accelerated globalization of Korean food."
The academic noted that fine dining interest has grown especially among diners in their 20s and 30s, driven by social media culture where dining experiences become shareable content.
Persistent Industry Challenges
Despite unprecedented enthusiasm, significant challenges remain for South Korea's fine dining sector. Chef Kim identified service staff shortages following the COVID-19 pandemic as a critical industry obstacle.
"For fine dining to truly develop, we need service teams to grow alongside chefs," Kim emphasised.
Lee acknowledged that Korean fine dining chefs now operate in an intensely competitive market, but recognised the show's role in creating opportunities. "If the market hadn't broadened through Netflix and the show like this, it would have been a much more difficult environment," he concluded.
The second season of "Culinary Class Wars" debuted at number one on Netflix's Global Top 10 (Non-English TV) list in December and remained on the chart for five consecutive weeks. Netflix has officially confirmed production of a third season, suggesting this culinary revolution will continue influencing South Korea's dining culture for the foreseeable future.
