Name-tag spoiler confirmed as Black and White Chef 2 final seven set

Jan 08, 2026, 08:08 am

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A still image from Netflix’s cooking survival show Culinary Class Wars: Season 2. / Netflix

Netflix’s cooking survival variety show Culinary Class Wars: Season 2 has confirmed its final seven contestants, turning a recent spoiler controversy into reality after an editing slip revealed a contestant’s real name.

Episodes 11 and 12, released on Jan. 6, finalized the top seven chefs: Lim Sung-geun, Yoon Jumo the brewer, Hudukjuk, Ven. Seonjae, Choi Kang-rok, Jung Ho-young, and “Cooking Monster.” In the final head-to-head battle for the last remaining spot, Son Jong-won was eliminated after losing a one-on-one sudden-death match against Cooking Monster, who advanced to the semifinals.

Speculation surrounding Son’s elimination intensified earlier after viewers noticed an apparent production error in Episode 9. During an interview scene, Cooking Monster’s name tag briefly displayed his real name instead of his nickname, sparking online debate. Fans pointed to Season 1 precedent, when the winner Napoli Mafia’s real name was revealed only after reaching the finals, fueling speculation that Cooking Monster’s deep run — and Son’s exit — had already been decided. With Cooking Monster’s advancement to the top seven, the spoiler has now been partially confirmed.

With the final seven set, the competition has moved into the semifinals, which consist of two rounds: “Infinite Cooking Heaven” and “Infinite Cooking Hell.” In the first round, chefs were given free access to a pantry stocked with more than 500 ingredients — including meat, seafood, vegetables, fruit and seasonings — and 180 minutes to earn the highest score. With no limit on the number of attempts, rankings shifted constantly in an intense test of endurance and strategy.

Contestants adopted sharply different approaches, with some opting for rapid-fire multiple attempts while others staked everything on a single, all-or-nothing dish. After fierce competition, Choi Kang-rok impressed judges with a dish said to encapsulate his entire culinary career, earning the highest score and securing a direct berth in the finals.

As interest builds around the eventual winner of the 300 million won ($220,000) prize, speculation over the final matchup has spread rapidly across YouTube and online communities. Long-standing rumors predicting Choi Kang-rok as the eventual champion have also resurfaced.

The final episode, which will reveal the ultimate winner and prize recipient, is set to air on Jan. 13. According to Netflix’s official site Tudum, Culinary Class Wars: Season 2 ranked third in the global non-English TV chart for the week from Dec. 29 to Jan. 4, after holding the No. 1 spot for two consecutive weeks earlier.

#Culinary Class Wars Season 2 #Black and White Chef 2 #Netflix cooking show