Review‘Culinary Class Wars’ 2 serves moving tribute to hard work
Chef Choi Kang-rok in a scene from Netflix’s “Culinary Class Wars” Season 2 / Courtesy of Netflix
Netflix’s cooking show “Culinary Class Wars” Season 2 came to an end Tuesday, leaving behind more than just a winner and a 300 million won ($203,129) prize.
While the competition was fierce, it also felt like a warm message to everyone working hard in their own lives.
At the center of this emotion was the contest’s winner Choi Kang-rok.
For over a decade, Choi had been known to the public as a specialist in braised dishes, a label that brought him fame but also proved to be a burden as he tried to live up to that image.
In the final round, he finally broke free expectations. After winning, he moved many viewers by revealing his inner exhaustion, saying, “I wanted to rest from being the 'Braised Man' for just one day.” It was a special moment of honesty from a master who had spent years focusing only on one thing, keeping his stress hidden.
Choi won the title after a tough battle against Lee Ha-sung, who was nicknamed "Culinary Monster." But the true success of this season lies in how it respected the hard work and persistence of ordinary people who give their best to their jobs every day.
Choi's confession, “I pretended to be good at braising to survive,” spoke to many workers who feel similar pressure regardless of their career.
When Choi told himself, “You did well, 'Braised Man.' You can rest from braising today,” it was a healing moment for anyone exhausted by the expectations of their job.
Chef Lee Ha-sung in a scene from Netflix’s “Culinary Class Wars” Season 2 / Courtesy of Netflix
Shedding light on beauty of process
While the first season was famous for the tension between "Black Spoon" challengers and "White Spoon" elites, the second season focused more on human stories. Every chef was incredibly talented, and the show seemed filled with deep mutual respect.
Some of the most touching scenes involved the 76-year-old chef Hou Deok-juk. Seeing a master of his level quietly helping junior chefs or hearing French cuisine expert Park Hyo-nam tell a younger chef, “I hope you fly high on my back,” showed what a true mentor looks like. Their attitudes prove that being at the top means staying humble.
Many viewers found more value in the process than the final result. The competition became a balm for ordinary people. It celebrated the ordinary chefs who work hard in small, hot kitchens every day without any fame.
The excitement for the show has once again found its way to the everyday economy, with restaurants run by the contestants seeing a huge wave of reservations.
Despite early worries about Paik Jong-won, one of the judges who as a food entrepreneur faced criticism for his business-related controversies, the second season stayed focused on the food thanks to the strict and fair judging of Anh Sung-jae.