Netflix’s hit variety program 〈Culinary Class Wars: Cooking Class War〉, which returned for Season 2 after 15 months, is continuing a level of success that rivals Season 1. It’s the unshakeable top show on Netflix Korea. Every Tuesday when new episodes drop, 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 takes over social media feeds.This intense fever for 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 has directly hit the publishing market. Following the release of 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 Season 2, recipe books previously published by the appearing chefs are “reverse-running” back onto the bestseller lists.

The restaurants run by the show’s chefs are seeing explosive popularity, making it nearly impossible to snag a reservation. Naturally, fans are turning to the recipe books as the next best thing. It’s their way to experience the magic of the chefs’ dishes — even indirectly — right from their own kitchens. Korea’s major online bookstores such as Kyobo, Yes24, and Aladin are not missing a beat. Responding to the hype, they’ve launched special curated showcases celebrating Season 2, featuring coobooks by chefs from both the new season and the first.

The bibliography of these chefs is endless. This includes: Choi Kang rok’s Cooking Note and The Meaning of Cooking by Choi Kang rok, who appeared in both Season 1 and 2; Black Spoon brewing master Yoon Jumo’s Yunjudang’s Four Seasons Makgeolli Recipes; White Spoon chef Sam Kim’s Once a Month, Fine Dining for Myself; Raymon Kim’s Raymon Kim’s Simple Cooking series; Chef Jun Lee’s Migam; Chef Chun Sanghyeon’s The President’s Chef, etc. From this extensive lineup, we’ve curated the absolute must-reads from the chefs who are generating the most buzz right now.

Kyobo, Yes24, Aladin ‘〈Culinary Class Wars〉 Season 2 Curated Collections (Source: Kyobo, Yes24, Aladin)

The subtle twist that elevates familiar flavors to the extreme

Among the books by Chef Lim Sung-geun, who appeared as a White Spoon chef in 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 Season 2, Lim Sung-geun’s Slightly Different Home Cooking (Pen & Pen, Published in November 2018) is at the center of the “reverse-run” trend. Chef Lim became the show’s biggest viral sensation. He captivated viewers by pairing a cheeky and relaxed charm with the serious, deep-rooted mastery of a true Korean cuisine virtuoso., The book captures 40 years of the master’s secrets,helping readers whip up delicious daily meals and side dishes with ease. Following the airing of 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 Season 2, the book saleshave jumped 42 times. Because heproved he could turn everyday comfort food into gourmet experiences, his performance resonated deeply. This is exactly why fans are flocking to his book – they want to master the distinct techniques that make such a difference.

Beyond Asceticism: Temple Cuisine as a Deliciously Restorative Meal

The culinary essay Temple Food Tossed with Stories by Venerable Sunjae, Korea’s first Official Master of Temple Food and a White Sppon chef on the show, has settled into the top 20 of the culinary category in all major online bookstores. Yes24, in particular, released a bookstore-exclusive recover edition, achieving 5th place in sales in the health and hobby sales charts. This book invites readers into the culinary world of Venerable Sunjae, who satisfied both judges Sung Anh and Paik Jong-won in 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 Season 2 with dishes that cared for health while bringing out the natural flavors of ingredients without meat. Venerable Sunjae weaves together recipes with touching real-life stories, from healing illnesses to transforming the lives of troubled youth through food. She demystifies this often-unfamiliar cuisine, opening the door for anyone to easily recreate these healthy dishes at home.

Venerable Sunjae’s Temple Food Tossed with Stories

Tasting the touch of Seoul Mother in perfect flavor balance

The new cookbook by Black Spoon chef Woo Jungwook, who appeared under the nickname ‘Seoul Mother,’ has achieved remarkable success, released to coincide with the airing of 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 Season 2. Her book, Superpan Woo Jungwook Recipes (December 2025), unveils the hit recipes celebrating the 10th anniversary of her restaurant ‘Superpan’ for the first time. It topped the cooking bestseller lists at Kyobo and Aladin. This book guides readers through fusion Korean recipes that will create a special meal with Woo Jungwook’s unique touch, such as Dried Radish Greens Risotto, Black Bean Mascarpone, and Seaweed Pesto Octopus Salad, as well as Seoul-styleside dishes, soups, and kimchi. As she showed how to make plain dishes extraordinary with precise seasoning, her book detailing theses foundational secrets, specifically pre-seasoning and prep work, was bound to be a hit.

The dignity of the Season 1 winner rising again

With the good performance of Season 2, the sales of books by Season 1 participants are also rising together. Season 1 chiampion Chef Kwon Sung-jun, Napoli Matfia,also published a culinary essay. Napoli Matfia Secret Recipe saw its sales increase by 14.6% compared to the previous week in the second week of 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 Season 2 airing. In his book, along with his life story from going through Michelin restaurants to becoming the No. 1 chef in 〈Culinary Class Wars〉, he introduced 31 secret recipes. HIs unique pasta recipe tip , and the fandom’s interest in Chef Kwon, thanks to his active engagement across broadcast media and YouTube, translated directly into book sales.

The Leap in K-Recipe Books Started by 〈Culinary Class Wars〉

The fever of the Netflix’s 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 has created a trend wherevideo consumers are transformed intoreaders eager to cook. This provides that boom in video content can serve as a new breakthrough for the domestic publishing market. The leap in recipe bookssparked by the 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 craze is just the beginning. After its release in December 2025, 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 Season 2 ranked No. 1 in the Netflix Global Top 10 Non-English TV Shows for two consecutive weeks. Riding this wave, it is projected that in 2026, recipe books will emerge as one of the key pillars of K-content trends.

While 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 made the world ‘watch’ Korean culinary culture, recipe books invite people to ‘experience’ it firsthand.. Recipe books serve as a gateway to ‘read, cook, and taste’ the culture, delivering an immersive experience of the sensibilities and values accumulated in Korean cuisine. In other words, the recipe books of the chefs who appeared in 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 provide an opportunity to experience the essence of Korean culture through the motif of ‘food’. As the global fascination with K-culture — ignited by K-Pop, K-Dramas, and K-Movies — expands into the realm of lifestyle, recipe books will stand at the forefront of publishing content, offering the trendiest way to experience this way of life.

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Written. Hwang Yerin (Publishing Critic, Marketer at Chungrim Publishing Co)

A publishing critic and a publishing marketer. As a young voice in the Criticism Alliance, she hustles to spread the word that reading is the absolute hippest lifestyle.