Netflix variety show 'Culinary Class Wars' has ended, and the presence of judge and one of the show's pillars Paik Jong-won is once again standing out. Despite various controversies, he remained at the center of judging, and immediately after the finale he is set to meet viewers again on another variety show, The Genius Paik 3.
'Culinary Class Wars 2' ended with its final episode on the 13th. The judging standards of Paik Jong-won and Michelin three-star chef Anh Sung-jae, which were sharply divided throughout the season, were a core element driving the program's tension. The opposing criteria of "experience" and "precision" clashed, delivering extreme tension to viewers.
But the finale was different. At the moment when a single winner had to be chosen from 100 chefs, the two judges whose opinions had been divided throughout the season reached a unanimous decision. With Choi Kang-rok's victory, the "Culinary Class Wars" series is evaluated as having completed the most convincing finale.
A particularly notable point was the controversies surrounding Paik Jong-won that arose before and after the broadcast. As the head of The Born Korea Inc., he faced noise over qualifications as a judge due to allegations such as violations of origin labeling rules, but the matter was cleared with no charges. Although questions about fairness were raised afterward, the production team maintained trust in the judges, and as a result the flow of the broadcast was not shaken.
Viewer reactions to the program also seem to be gradually settling. Evaluations such as "Regardless of the controversy, the judging was understandable" and "You can't dismiss the standards of someone who has eaten a lot of delicious food in Korea" have continued, and there is considerable public acceptance of Paik Jong-won's "experience-based judging." Ultimately, the saying "Paik Jong-won was Paik Jong-won" is again being circulated.
In this trend, Paik Jong-won immediately moves on to his next step. The tvN variety show he appears in, The Genius Paik 3, announced a fresh start with the subtitle "The Genius Paik 3: world rice vendor challenge." According to the production team, season 3 finished filming last April in Lyon, France, and aims to air in February of this year.
The program is a variety show that depicts the process of opening and operating a restaurant in areas barren of Korean food, and it is a program that brings Paik Jong-won's hands-on know-how to the forefront. Season 1 was filmed in Morocco and Italy, season 2 was filmed in Spain, and actor Yoon Si-yoon newly joins season 3 to take on the local challenge in France. He drew attention for appearing as a judge on "Culinary Class Wars 2" and as an on-site player on "The Genius Paik 3", showing different activities.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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