MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT | INDUSTRY DEEP DIVE
When Cooking Became Entertainment: The Future of K-Food Content
From Julia Child to Chef’s Table, Culinary Class Wars, and Mukbang—How Streaming Turned Local Food Programming into a Global Industry
Food content has evolved over six decades since Julia Child’s television debut in 1963, progressing through four distinct phases: education, entertainment, competition, and social media. However, the true game-changer was the emergence of global streaming platforms led by Netflix.
When Chef’s Table began streaming simultaneously in over 165 countries in 2015, local food programming was fundamentally transformed into global content. South Korea exported its uniquely original format—Mukbang—to the world, ushered in the “Cheftainer” era with Chef & My Fridge, and achieved Netflix’s global No. 1 ranking with Culinary Class Wars, now confirmed through Season 3. The Associated Press reported that the show has transformed South Korea’s entire fine dining market.