K-Bakery Show 'Bake Your Dream' Set to Premiere: A New Era for Baking Enthusiasts

The nationwide 'Bake Your Dream' competition is set to captivate baking enthusiasts across the country. Following the success of 'Black and White Chef 2', all eyes are on 'Bake Your Dream' to see if it can spark a new wave of interest in K-baking and advance the baking industry.

On the afternoon of the 30th, the production presentation for MBN's K-Bakery survival show 'Bake Your Dream' was held at the Stanford Hotel Korea in Sangam, Mapo-gu, Seoul. The event was attended by PD Yoon Se-young, Lee Da-hee, Noh Hee-young, Lee Seok-won, Kwon Sung-joon, and Mimi.

'Bake Your Dream' is the first K-bakery survival show in Korea, aiming to select the world's top pastry chef amidst the growing trend of 'K-bread'. A total of 72 bakers and pastry chefs will compete for a grand prize of 100 million won.

PD Yoon expressed, "We've been planning this for a year, and it feels like we're about to launch a new product. I'm anxious to see how viewers and consumers will react. We've worked hard to convey the intense emotions of the participating bakers."

Lee Da-hee has been chosen as the host. PD Yoon explained, "Since this is the first domestic baking survival show, we wanted a fresh face. Lee Da-hee has proven her hosting skills in various programs like 'Queendom' and 'Single's Inferno', making her the perfect fit."

The judging panel includes Lee Da-hee, Mimi, Kwon Sung-joon, Noh Hee-young, and Lee Seok-won. Kwon Sung-joon, who previously participated in Netflix's 'Black and White Chef' Season 1, shared, "As a judge, I find myself empathizing a lot with the contestants."

Brand consultant Noh Hee-young praised the judges' skills, expressing surprise at Mimi's ability to consume large amounts of bread despite her slim figure. He also commended Lee Seok-won, Korea's 17th Master Baker, for his keen eye in identifying fermentation issues. Kwon Sung-joon was described as "philosophical".

Lee Da-hee noted, "Each judge has their unique perspective, which adds an interesting dynamic to the evaluations. Watching the judges' comments on the contestants will be a fun aspect of the show."

The 72 contestants range from world competition participants to local bakery hotspots, pastry chefs, international talents, and rising stars. They include renowned figures like Chef Kim Ji-ho, who has been making croissants for 38 years, and the youngest contestant, 14-year-old Chef Kim Gyu-rin, who expressed a desire to evaluate their skills and gain recognition.

Familiar faces like former KBS announcer Lee Hye-sung will also participate. PD Yoon and Lee Seok-won emphasized, "Lee Hye-sung obtained her baking certification five years ago and has proven her skills through the selection process."

There have been comparisons to 'Black and White Chef', given the similar set and genre. However, PD Yoon clarified, "While 'Black and White Chef' is about class warfare, 'Bake Your Dream' focuses on individuals seeking validation for their creations." Kwon Sung-joon added, "The format is entirely different. In 'Black and White Chef', you have 1-2 hours to recover from mistakes, but with bread, once 30 minutes pass, it's irreversible."

PD Yoon highlighted, "The show's subtitle is 'The One Bread to Rule Them All'. We hope viewers will focus on which bread will conquer all." Lee Da-hee and Mimi added, "The stories of the 72 bakers are woven into the show, showcasing their passion and dedication to baking." Lee Seok-won expressed hope that the show will contribute to the industry's growth, much like the long fermentation process of bread.

'Bake Your Dream' premieres on February 1st at 9:40 PM.

Reporter: Da-yeon Jeong, Ten Asia light@tenasia.co.kr