A ridiculous spoiler from 'Culinary Class Wars: Culinary Class Wars 2' appears to be becoming reality. A name tag scene showing the Black Spoon "Culinary Monster" with the name "Lee Ha-sung" was revealed due to a production editing mistake, dissipating the tension over his survival and the series' characteristic suspenseful bite.
On the 6th, episodes 11 and 12 of the Netflix original variety show 'Culinary Class Wars: Culinary Class Wars 2' (abbreviated Culinary Class Wars 2) depicted the semi-final of the top seven (TOP7) deciding who advances to the final.
In the Culinary Class Wars 2 semi-final, the format proceeded in sequence with "infinite cooking heaven," where the one person who earns the highest score advances to the final first, and "infinite cooking hell," where the remaining contestants battle until only one remains to go to the final. In the first season, among the top eight, the Black Spoon Napoli mafioso (Kwon Seong-jun) earned the highest score and went straight to the final, after which an "infinite cooking hell" themed around tofu was staged, and this season transformed that composition into a more spectacular version.
However, an unfortunate event that immediately cooled the tension occurred starting with the top seven decision round. In episodes 8, 9 and 10 released last week, a fleeting shot in an interview scene with the production team showed a name tag bearing the real name "Lee Ha-sung" on the chest of the Black Spoon "Culinary Monster." Due to the program's format, the names of Black Spoon chefs in the Culinary Class Wars series can only be revealed after they advance to the final. As a result, the production effectively revealed by editing mistake that the "Culinary Monster" had advanced to the final.
Of course, because the Culinary Class Wars series is such a popular variety show, speculative spoilers flooded online as soon as season 2 began. Among them were spoilers that, as in season 1, the black-and-white showdown would occur in the final of season 2, and that White Spoon's Choi Kang-rok and the Black Spoon's "Culinary Monster" would face off in the final. But since these were mentions appearing in early episodes with many contestants, they were dismissed as passing jokes. On top of that, the production's editing mistake effectively made the "Culinary Monster"'s advancement to the final a foregone conclusion.
Above all, the Culinary Class Wars series has boasted episode endings that maximize its distinctive suspenseful bite. Even the ending of episode 10 created extreme tension by leaving only the result announcement between White Spoon chef Son Jong-won and the Black Spoon "Culinary Monster" chef from a 1:1 do-or-die match. However, because of the scene revealing the "Culinary Monster"'s name, the outcome "Son Jong-won eliminated, Culinary Monster survives" was anticipated. That became reality as soon as episode 11 was released, evaporating viewers' tension.
The ending of episode 12 also concluded with only the result announcement between White Spoon chef Hou Deok-juk and the Black Spoon Culinary Monster chef remaining to decide the final spot. As with the earlier certainty around Son Jong-won's elimination, the prevailing reaction is that Hou Deok-juk's elimination was also foreshadowed by the production's spoiler. The excitement of survival and elimination, the greatest thrill of survival-variety shows, was dissipated by an absurd editing mistake, adding to the disappointment.
In truth, even apart from the lifeless editing mistake, Culinary Class Wars 2 boasts outstanding production quality. It appears to have thoroughly reflected feedback on season 1's shortcomings by excluding the controversial business mission, assembling a 100-person mystery judging panel to enhance mass appeal, and presenting more lavish ingredients and set facilities such as islands, making each episode eye-opening. Nonetheless, it is especially regrettable that a spoiler that most drenches the show's essence as a chef survival program appeared because of the production team's editing mistake.
Will the spoiler some netizens have claimed—"Choi Kang-rok vs. Culinary Monster"—come true? With only determining the winner left in Culinary Class Wars 2, attention is on the outcome.
[Photo] Provided by Netflix.
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