Cooking shows dominate the airwaves. Flipping through TV channels, it’s almost inevitable to land on yet another program dedicated to food. Whether at home or abroad, indoors or outdoors, someone is always cooking, and someone else is eating. Programs like tvN’s “Europe Outside the Tent” transport viewers to remote European villages where soybean paste stew is prepared against a backdrop of wildflower-filled fields. Meanwhile, MBC’s “It’s Glad You Rested” showcases castaways on deserted islands crafting seafood dishes from freshly harvested ingredients. Once-popular shows like “Three Meals a Day” (tvN), where celebrities cooked simple meals with locally sourced ingredients in rural settings, now struggle to stay relevant. In contrast, MBC’s “Rural Village Lee Jang-woo” features actor Lee Jang-woo farming in Gimje, North Jeolla Province, rebuilding an abandoned brewery to produce makgeolli (Korean rice wine) and serving homemade snacks to local elders.
Cooking shows have become a staple of contemporary entertainment. As the initial wave of “chef-tainers”—celebrity chefs once celebrated as entertainers—faded, mainstream celebrities stepped in to fill the void, sharing their personal recipes and culinary skills. Cooking now features prominently across diverse genres, from travel and parenting to relationship-themed shows. For instance, SBS’s “Same Bed, Different Dreams” portrays quarrelling couples reconciling in the kitchen, while ENA’s “Hyunmoo Kasse” shifts the traditional talk show format by having hosts prepare meals tailored to their guests’ tastes as they engage in candid conversations.
The revival of chef-tainers signals a renewed interest in culinary programming. Netflix’s hit series “The Hungry and the Hairy” is slated to return with a second season. Likewise, JTBC’s “Please Take Care of My Refrigerator,” a flagship show that popularized the chef-tainer trend, will return after a five-year hiatus, with its first episode airing on Dec. 15. Original cast members Lee Yeon-bok and Choi Hyun-seok will rejoin the program, accompanied by stars from “The Hungry and the Hairy,” including Edward Lee, Choi Kang-rok, and Lee Mi-young.
Educational programs have also embraced the culinary trend. ENA’s “Baek Jong-won’s Les Misérables” combines cooking with social impact. The show mentors participants with challenging life circumstances, such as young adults transitioning out of foster care or teenage breadwinners managing family debt, by teaching them business skills through cooking. Contestants range from novices to experienced chefs with over a decade of experience. Producers highlight the program’s focus on empowering marginalized individuals, distinguishing it from traditional cooking shows. Reflecting its human-interest emphasis, the production team includes writers from popular variety and documentary-style programs.
Looking ahead, “Antarctica’s Chef,” co-produced by MBC and LG Uplus Studio X+U, is scheduled to air in April 2024. This unique show will feature Baek Jong-won, Lim Soo-hyang, Suho, and Chae Jong-hyeop as they prepare hearty meals for researchers at the King Sejong Antarctic Research Station, relying solely on locally sourced ingredients. The production team recently departed for Antarctica to commence filming.
Budget-conscious cooking content has also gained traction. KBS’s “Fun-Staurant” attracts millions of viewers with its accessible “one-pan recipes” and affordable dishes, such as $7 braised chicken and $0.7 meals. Ryu Soo-young will explore the historical significance of food in his upcoming program, “Extraordinary Historical Meals” (tvN STORY), premiering Dec. 12. The show will recreate dishes eaten by historical figures during pivotal moments.
Cultural critic Kim Min-jin observed, “The phrase ‘Have you eaten yet?’ has become a common greeting in our society, symbolizing how a meal transcends sustenance to reflect personal and communal growth. While some viewers may experience fatigue with repetitive formats, cooking shows continue to captivate audiences because they consistently deliver engagement and entertainment.”
