Today's story, candid and critical. Kim Ji-won, a TenAsia journalist, offers a discerning critique of entertainment industry issues.
The buzz around 'Black and White Chef' has significantly waned. While its chart rankings remain stable, on-the-ground enthusiasm tells a different story, according to OTT fans. During its first season, 'Black and White Chef' was a cultural phenomenon, but interest in its second season has noticeably declined. The weakening competitive dynamic between classes is cited as a major reason for this drop in popularity.
Netflix's cooking survival show 'Black and White Chef 2' has released up to its seventh episode. The first three episodes focused on selecting the 'black spoon' competitors to challenge the 'white spoons,' while episodes four to seven featured one-on-one and team battles. Thanks to the first season's phenomenal success, the second season initially enjoyed high viewership. Since its debut on the 16th, it has recorded 5.5 million views (calculated by dividing total viewing hours by the show's runtime) by the 21st, maintaining the top spot in the 'Global Top 10 TV Shows (Non-English)' category for two consecutive years. It also ranked first in countries like South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
However, compared to season one, the tension has diminished, and scenes of camaraderie feel awkward, leading to negative reviews. This issue arises because the 'black spoon' and 'white spoon' chefs are already too familiar with each other.
In 'Black and White Chef,' 'black spoons' are referred to by nicknames, with their real names revealed only if they survive to the finals. In season two, this rule has become ineffective, as participants naturally use real names. Examples include 'French Papa' (Tommy Lee, Lee Dong-jun) and 'Culinary Scientist' (Shin Dong-min). Some participants' real names are mentioned due to their restaurant names, such as 'New York Pork Bone Soup' (Ok Dong-sik) and 'Barbecue Research Institute Director' (Yoo Yong-wook).
This familiarity detracts from viewer engagement. Unlike season one, where tension built until the final 'black spoon' was revealed, the production team did not enforce the rules.
The 'white spoons' also carry less weight than in season one. This is because they are already well-known 'broadcast personalities' frequently appearing on shows like JTBC's 'Please Take Care of My Refrigerator' and KBS's 'Boss in the Mirror.' Among them, Jung Ho-young, Sam Kim, and Son Jong-won are already active entertainers. This familiarity negatively impacts the 'white spoons' gravitas. The light-hearted names of their dishes, such as 'Pollack Roe Embracing Chicken' and 'Rockfish Lucky Bong Bong,' further diminish their seriousness.
Even the recent viral 'AI memes' of the three chefs have been criticized as comedic. These AI-generated images, themed around 'Chuno,' 'Show Me the Money,' and 'One Piece,' depict what should be tense moments of awaiting judges' decisions. Somehow, the 'white spoon' chefs have become the comedic relief of the show. Chef Jung Ho-young even shared an AI meme on his social media.
Externally, 'Black and White Chef 2' faces issues that further reduce its tension. Even before a winner is announced, the retail industry has 'preemptively' collaborated with chefs to release various 'collaborative products.' Emart24 signed an exclusive pre-broadcast contract with 'white spoon' Son Jong-won to launch lunch boxes, kimbap, and sandwiches. Starbucks collaborated with 'black spoon' Barbecue Research Institute Director (Yoo Yong-wook) to sell a limited-edition sandwich priced over five times the usual cost at 14,500 won. Critics argue that excessive commercialization undermines the essence of the survival competition.
The issues with 'Black and White Chef 2' can be summarized as "the ineffective 'black spoon' rules and the comedic 'white spoons.'" Season one was praised for its fresh personalities and innovative survival format, likened to an 'underdog uprising.' In contrast, season two has become a battle between 'well-known top dogs' and 'soon-to-be top dogs.' Even season one participant 'Delivery Bag Chef' Lim Tae-hoon criticized, "There are so many famous people that it feels like a battle between silver spoons and diamond spoons, or silver spoons and gold spoons."
Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr