Tensions Rise in 'The Great Bake-Off' as Contestants Face New Challenges

Kwon Sung-jun delivers a sharp critique to the contestants.

In the third episode of MBN's 'The Great Bake-Off,' 32 contestants who advanced to the second round by proving themselves with their 'signature bread' formed eight teams to compete in a team challenge. The theme was 'A Perfect Day for Bread,' and the stakes were high: the top two teams would survive, teams ranked 3rd to 7th would face elimination, and the 8th place team would be entirely eliminated.

The fourth episode, airing on the 22nd at 9:40 PM, will showcase the contestants' efforts to win over the 'Shopping Cart Judges,' representing consumers. With only six hours to sell as much bread as possible, attracting the judges is crucial. However, unlike cooking, baking contestants rarely interact directly with customers, making them uneasy about promoting their products. Observing this, judge Kwon Sung-jun remarks, "If you're going to give up because no one's coming, you might as well leave now."

The 'Cheating Day' team (Go Jae-wook, Kim Jin-seo, Jung Jung-hoon, Joo Young-seok) leads with a strategy featuring former idol 'Smash' member Joo Young-seok, known as the 'Baking Idol,' to attract customers with his charm. It remains to be seen if their strategy will succeed and if other teams can effectively promote their products.

In the 'Picnic Day' team (Cho Song-ah, Lim Dong-seok, Kwon Soon-seung, Kim Ji-ho), first-round winner Cho Song-ah and runner-up Lim Dong-seok show contrasting sides. Cho Song-ah, previously praised for her composure, becomes anxious as she struggles to complete her final product, expressing, "I'm so nervous." Meanwhile, Lim Dong-seok, known for his calm demeanor, surprises everyone by smiling brightly during the second-round meeting, earning the nickname 'Smiling Angel.' The reason behind his smile and the team's unanimous decision to back Lim's ambitious 'NEW bread,' following their first-round hit 'Salted Ciabatta,' piques curiosity.

In the second round, as judge Lee Seok-won predicted, "Conflicts arise with more than three people," teams face challenges with teamwork. The 'Dopamine Day' team (Yoon Hwa-young, Alessio Galli, Je In-young, Jung Min) sees team leader Yoon Hwa-young sternly warn 'Smiling Face' Je In-young, "This is not the time to laugh," freezing the atmosphere.

Additionally, in the 'Gloomy Day' team (Jang Kyung-joo, Cho Sang-min, Choi Jung-hoon, Kim Si-yeop), Cho Sang-min, who nearly withdrew from judging due to a chocolate mishap in the first round, becomes the 'Angry Pastry Chef' after a teammate's mistake, heightening the tension. Lastly, 'Nature Lover' Oh Seung-geun from the 'Sunday Morning' team (Yoon Yeon-jong, Seo Yong-seok, Kim Jung-eun, Oh Seung-geun) shocks everyone by admitting, "I'm in charge of the aftermath," revealing he abandoned his specialty in healthy bread.

The production team promises, "The fourth episode will unveil unique and creative baking creations only seen on 'The Great Bake-Off,' ensuring viewers will be amazed and salivating throughout."

Tae Yuna, TenAsia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr