Netflix's 'Black and White Chef: Culinary Class War' Tops Global Non-English TV Charts

Netflix's variety show 'Black and White Chef: Culinary Class War' has claimed the number one spot in the Netflix Global TOP 10 TV (Non-English) category, showcasing the prowess of K-survival shows.

'Black and White Chef: Culinary Class War,' Netflix Korea's first cooking survival show, features top-rated 'black spoon' chefs challenging the nation's best star 'white spoon' chefs in a fierce culinary battle involving 100 chefs. According to the Netflix TOP 10 website on the 25th, the show recorded 3.8 million views (calculated by dividing viewing hours by the total runtime of the show) from the 16th to the 22nd and made it to the TOP 10 list in 18 countries. Remarkably, it achieved the number one spot in the Netflix Global TOP 10 TV Non-English category immediately after its release on the 17th.

Episodes 5-7 of 'Black and White Chef: Culinary Class War,' released on the 24th, featured intense 1:1 black-and-white battles in the second round and team battles in the third round, heating up the global audience. The process of the surviving black and white chefs preparing dishes for 100 mystery judges using meat and fish as main ingredients was captivating. The third round team battles, where leadership, strategy, and teamwork determined the outcome, delivered thrilling and cathartic moments. The professional chefs, dedicated to creating the best 'taste,' collaborated and adjusted their opinions, making the show more dramatic than a drama.

Netflix is also releasing 'TMI Compilation Videos' every week after the main episodes, revealing behind-the-scenes details that make the show even more enjoyable. Baek Jong-won commented on the much-discussed second-round 1:1 black-and-white battle between Choi Hyun-seok and OneTwoThree, saying, "It was the most debated match," and added, "In the end, I won. Although An Sung-jae's opinion was valid, the final product was crucial because it was a taste competition." The third-round team battle in 'Black and White Chef: Culinary Class War' featured an impressive array of ingredients. The outcome of the team battles varied depending on the leadership and teamwork of the team leaders. PD Kim Hak-min shared, "We set up the fish the day before and stayed up all night to ensure they didn't die," and added, "The remaining fish and meat were shared among the production team." PD Kim Eun-ji revealed that the selection of team leaders was entirely up to the participants after forming the teams. An Sung-jae emphasized the importance of leadership, saying, "In a restaurant, the leader's decisions can determine whether you win or lose the battle."

'Black and White Chef: Culinary Class War' will release episodes 8-10 on October 1st, followed by episodes 11-12 on October 8th, bringing new episodes to global viewers every Tuesday.

Reporter Kim Ji-won, TenAsia bella@tenasia.co.kr