Jinny’s Kitchen to The Backpacker Chef: These are the best Korean food reality shows to binge-watch

Star’s Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant is a fusion of talk show, reality TV, and culinary competition. Picture this: beloved celebrities stepping into the kitchen arena, each vying to craft the most tantalising dish based on a unique theme. Their culinary creations are then judged by a panel of discerning celebrity chefs. The winning recipes don’t just earn bragging rights—they’re also made available for purchase online, letting viewers savour the magic at home. With a charismatic regular cast and top-notch chefs who sprinkle humour and expertise in equal measure, this show promises a feast for both the eyes and the palate.

Setting itself apart from the usual drama and competition-heavy food reality shows, Jinny’s Kitchen offers a collaborative and enjoyable experience. Debuting in 2023, the show features renowned Korean celebrities who prepare South Korean street food for international patrons, merging flavours with entertainment. In its first season, stars like Lee Seo-jin, Jung Yu-mi, Park Seo-jun, Choi Woo-shik, and BTS’ V operated a restaurant in the beautiful Bacalar, Mexico. Now, in its second season, the location shifts to Iceland, where the team, joined by new intern Go Min-si, continues to serve Korean dishes such as oxtail gomtang and bibimbap. The show emphasises the cast’s warm camaraderie and introduces viewers to the richness of Korean cuisine.

In Street Food Fighter, Chef Baek Jong-won, a revered culinary master from South Korea, embarks on an epic global feast. This show is a passport to the world’s most tantalising street foods, whisking viewers away to bustling markets in China, night bazaars in Taiwan, the aromatic food stalls of the United States, Mexico, Italy, and even to our even own streets of Penang. Each episode is a sensory adventure, where Chef Baek’s genuine reactions and insightful storytelling transform every bite into an educational mukbang experience. For those who crave a blend of culinary diversity and cultural tales, this show promises a delectable journey around the globe.

This show also stars Chef Baek Jong-won and initially aimed to boost the sales of underused ingredients by demonstrating their delicious potential through creative recipes. The cast began by selling their dishes at rest stops to popularize these ingredients. They later transitioned to selling the products on live home shopping channels, achieving such success that the items frequently sell out.

In this food reality show, the hosts and guests embark on a culinary quest: convincing a local family to welcome them for dinner. As they weave through the neighbourhood, sharing anecdotes and snapping photos, they also uncover hidden gems and cultural tidbits. If they can’t secure an invitation, they pivot to dining with someone at a convenience store. Failing that, they face the ultimate challenge of skipping dinner. This show is a blend of food adventures and cultural exploration, perfect for those who love both gourmet experiences and stories about travelling.

Curious about what’s inside celebrities’ refrigerators? This show reveals the contents of their fridges, from forgotten leftovers to expired items. Well-known chefs then take on the challenge of creating top-notch dishes using whatever they find, along with a few pantry staples. The results are impressive, and even Gordon Ramsay makes a guest appearance as a competing chef in one of the episodes.

If you’re a fan of Jinny’s Kitchen, then Youn’s Kitchen is a must-watch. Think of Jinny’s Kitchen as the spirited spin-off, where Lee Seo-jin graduates from a humble manager to the proud owner of his own eatery. In Youn’s Kitchen, a charismatic ensemble journeys to exotic locales to launch a pop-up restaurant for a few days. The first season puts a delicious spotlight on bulgogi, offering mouthwatering dishes like bulgogi rice, bulgogi noodles, and bulgogi burgers. Season two shifts the culinary focus to bibimbap, featuring enticing variations such as bulgogi bibimbap, spicy pork bibimbap, and vegetable bibimbap. And just like any thriving kitchen, the menu evolves based on customer cravings and ingredient availability, promising a fresh and exciting dining adventure every time.

Yes, we know—yet another show starring the ever-charming Baek Jong-won! Despite not being a traditional chef, he’s become a beloved culinary icon and built a restaurant empire boasting over a thousand locations across South Korea. Paik’s Spirit is a must-watch for anyone who admires Baek Jong-won’s infectious enthusiasm for food (seriously, who wouldn’t after binge-watching Delicious Rendezvous?) and has a penchant for adult beverages. Of course, no food show would be complete without delectable dishes, and this one shines a spotlight on hearty Korean bar snacks—or should we say, the ultimate bar foods that perfectly complement a good drink.

Kang’s Kitchen, another spin-off from the mind of famed producer Na Young-seok, takes the culinary adventure back home to South Korea. Unlike Youn’s Kitchen, where the cast navigates the challenges of running a restaurant abroad, Kang’s Kitchen keeps the culinary action grounded in South Korea—featuring the crew from the variety show New Journey to the West, adding a hefty dose of comedy to the mix. Over the course of three seasons, viewers are treated to the cast’s culinary evolution as they master increasingly intricate dishes and even venture into the realm of desserts. The first season is particularly endearing, capturing the cast’s nightly ritual of tenderising meat for their signature tonkatsu, ensuring it’s irresistibly tender for the next day’s guests.

The Backpacker Chef is another beloved Korean reality show that takes culinary adventure to a whole new level. Starring Baek Jong-won (yes, this chef is everywhere) and a rotating cast of celebrities, the show whisks them away to diverse locales where they face the challenge of preparing mouthwatering dishes for the locals. The twist? They must rely on a limited arsenal of kitchen tools. This makeshift cooking journey not only tests their culinary skills but also brings out their ingenuity and teamwork, promising a feast of creativity and flavours in every episode.

Coffee Friends is a heartwarming Korean reality show that puts a unique spin on the culinary genre. Featuring a star-studded cast including Yoo Yeon-seok, Choi Ji-woo, Son Ho-jun, and Yang Se-jong, the show also boasts special guest appearances from K-Pop sensations like EXO’s Sehun, TVXQ’s Yunho, and actor Nam Joo-hyuk, among others.

Set against the picturesque backdrop of a tangerine farm on Jeju Island, the series follows these beloved celebrities as they embark on the charming adventure of opening and running a cafe. What sets Coffee Friends apart is its noble mission: all profits from the cafe are generously donated to charity. This feel-good show not only serves up delicious food and coffee but also sprinkles in a generous dose of goodwill and community spirit.