Choi Kang-rok, who won the Netflix cooking survival show Black and White Chefs: Culinary Class War 2, opened up about why he closed his restaurant despite the surge of attention from variety show appearances — and shared his honest feelings behind the decision.
On the April 21 episode of SBS’s variety show Choegang Road: Sikpoiler, Choi Kang-rok visited Jirisan Mountain with Kim Do-yoon and Defconn to talk about ingredients and cooking.
Kim Do-yoon revealed, “It’s my third year studying ingredients in Jirisan,” adding, “Out of about 4,000 kinds, I still don’t even properly know 500. I think I need at least 10 more years,” leaving everyone stunned. He had prepared Jirisan black pork but explained, “It needs to age one more day,” revealing his unique philosophy on ingredients.
When Defconn expressed disappointment, Choi Kang-rok jumped straight into the kitchen and whipped up a curry using black pork belly. “Pressure cookers break all the rules. You can make anything tender,” he said confidently. Tasting the finished dish, Defconn exclaimed, “I’ve never had curry like this. It’s incredible.”
The most eye-catching moment was Choi Kang-rok’s candid confession. Although he drew massive buzz after winning Black and White Chefs: Culinary Class War 2, he surprised many by shutting down his restaurant. Addressing this, Defconn asked directly, “People say you should row when the tide comes in, but it felt like the tide was in and you said, ‘I’m not setting sail.’ Some even said you were throwing away your luck.”
Choi calmly replied, “I think I’ve been through that kind of situation about three times. I’m always ready to be forgotten. In about three months, people almost forget you.” He continued, “It’s not like I’m doing nothing — I am rowing in my own way. It’s just that I’m not moving fast. Hand-rowing is like 2 km per hour,” drawing laughs with his signature analogy. When Defconn said, “Others are on motorboats,” Choi answered, “I’m fine cruising at this speed,” emphasizing his own pace.
In closing, Choi shared his heartfelt truth: “I’m prepared to be forgotten, but I don’t want to force it. I just want things to flow naturally.”