Latest news with #ChoiKang-rok
Korea Herald
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
From Master Chef to writer, Choi Kang-rok shares his quiet struggles, new dreams
'Culinary Class Wars' celebrity chef opens up about pressure, aging, finding comfort beyond kitchen Known for his creative ideas and star turns on reality shows like Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars," chef Choi Kang-rok appeared at the 2025 Seoul International Book Fair on Wednesday not with a knife, but with a pen in hand — and a surprising amount of self-doubt. 'I'm very embarrassed to put my life into a book,' said Choi, 47, a well-known introvert, speaking slowly but candidly to a crowd at Coex. He attended the book fair as the author of 'Cooking for Life,' his first essay collection and second book following the 2023 recipe book 'Choi Kang-rok's Cooking Notes.' It was selected as one of 10 titles featured in the fair's selection of newly published works. The essay draws from Choi's own experiences, his thoughts about food and cooking, operating restaurants and what it means to live as a chef. 'I wasn't sure if it was okay to put those trivial stories out there,' he said. 'But I ended up writing down the small, everyday things from the life of an ordinary working person.' What he hopes to offer is not inspiration, but connection and comfort. 'Once you put your life into a book, it's kind of frozen in time. That made me hesitant. But if even this kind of experience can help someone feel, 'He's not that different from me. He lives just like the rest of us,' then maybe that shared feeling can be a form of consolation too.' A decade after winning 'Master Chef Korea 2' (2013) and after leading restaurants like Neo (2022-2024), Choi admitted that cooking no longer brings him joy. 'The first 10 years were fun — testing recipes and discovering the process. But these days, I'm quite afraid of how people look at me. I never truly mastered, and then I became a 'Master Chef.' I can feel the unspoken challenge in their eyes, like 'Let's see how good he is,'' he said. 'I've tried to overcome that, and I've gotten better at 'pretending,' pretending I'm skilled, pretending I've done it all before. But it doesn't make things any more enjoyable.' Choi said that presenting a dish means being put to the test. 'Whether you place a dish beautifully or serve it simply, the cook is waiting for the moment it falls apart. The dish must break down to receive feedback. It's a constant evaluation.' Despite his weariness, Choi is still dreaming. He mentioned Netflix's cooking show 'The Blank Menu for You,' where guests place open-ended orders that he interprets into custom dishes, and called it his 'fantasy,' partly because it lets him cook without the pressure of rent or running a restaurant. Another dream is to build a library-cum-kitchen, a place with a cooking space where people can browse his vast collection of cookbooks. Choi reflected on how aging has prompted him to rethink and adapt his cooking for this new phase of life. 'As I approach my 50s, I'm thinking about how both my body and cooking will naturally change with age. I'm preparing for a kind of cooking that evolves with these changes.'
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Seoul International Book Fair opens to record crowds, famous faces
Actor Park Jeong-min, chef Choi Kang-rok and former President Moon Jae-in bring star power to largest book event On the opening morning of the 2025 Seoul International Book Fair, the exhibition hall at Coex in Gangnam-gu was already packed with eager visitors. By the time the doors officially opened at 10 a.m. Wednesday, a seemingly endless queue had formed, snaking around the venue — a scene that spoke volumes about the fair's popularity. Tickets for the event, which runs through Sunday, were already sold out before opening day via online reservations. No on-site ticket sales are available, with exceptions made only for preschoolers, individuals with disabilities, national merit recipients and seniors aged 65 and over, who are granted free admission. Although the Korean Publishers Association, the event organizer, declined to disclose the exact number of tickets issued, 2024's fair drew 150,000 attendees over five days. The majority of attendees were in their 20s and 30s. One visitor in her 30s, surnamed Jeon, said she had taken a day off work to attend, adding, 'Last year, it was so crowded I couldn't properly browse. I came prepared to really 'shop' this time.' An avid collector of bookmarks, Jeon noted that she was also on the lookout for books with exclusive covers and goods sold only during the fair. 'This is my third year at the book fair,' she said. 'But today feels like the most crowded yet. It seems to grow every year.' Major publishers such as Moonji Publishing, Changbi Publishers, EunHaengNaMu Publishing and Munhakdongne Publishing set up large booths that drew long lines, some even wrapping entirely around the spaces. At the same time, several small independent houses quietly captured attention, drawing steady crowds from the early morning hours, many drawn by popular figures such as actor Park Jeong-min and former President Moon Jae-in, who brought star power to these intimate booths. Park, now head of his independent publishing house Muze, personally handed out copies of his latest release, "Fierce Independence" — a limited edition numbered 1 to 500 — to customers at the event. Fans had lined up as early as 8 a.m., including a fan in her 30s, surnamed Kim, who was hoping to snag one of the single-digit copies. She also planned to attend a book talk on Saturday featuring Park and author Kim Geum-hee, who published "My First Summer, Wanju." Elsewhere, chef Choi Kang-rok from Netflix's hit cooking competition show "Culinary Class Wars" drew long lines for his debut essay's signing event in the morning. Another anticipated appearance came mid-afternoon, when former President Moon appeared at the Pyeongsan Books' booth, where he serves as 'book manager.' Crowds gathered well in advance, and cheers erupted as Moon arrived around 2:30 p.m. He later participated as an award presenter and speaker at the Best Book of Korea ceremony held at 5 p.m. Finding refuge, celebrating partnerships This year's fair is themed 'The Last Resort' — a nod to the role books play as a refuge in uncertain times. The 2025 SIBF features more than 530 participating publishers and literary organizations, 100 of which are from 16 countries overseas. 'Books are the soul of our humanity, our future and the nourishment that elevates our lives. The fair should be a space to share each other's tastes and cultures," said KPA President Yoon Chul-ho during his welcome speech. Taiwan, this year's Guest of Honor, is showcasing a special pavilion under the concept of 'Taiwan Sensibility.' Rex How, chair of Taiwan's Taipei Book Fair Foundation, introduced himself in Korean during the opening ceremony, noting that he was born in Busan. 'Taiwan as Guest of Honor at the 2025 Seoul International Book Fair carries special significance,' said How. 'This year marks the 20th anniversary of Korea's first participation in the Taipei International Book Fair in 2005, and next year will be the 20th anniversary of the Sister & Friendship Cities partnership between Seoul and Taipei. It's a meaningful opportunity to not only celebrate the past two decades but also strengthen our friendship for the next 20 years.' Taiwan has invited 23 authors and scheduled 62 events throughout the week. In particular, International Booker Award-nominated author Wu Ming-yi held a talk session in the afternoon. Controversy over 'privatization' of SIBF Despite the opening day excitement, the fair also faced protests from a coalition of nine organizations, including the Korea Publishers Society and the Writers Association of Korea. At a press conference held outside Coex, the group raised concerns over what they described as the 'privatization' of the Seoul International Book Fair. The alliance accused KPA President Yoon of transforming the fair into a for-profit corporation that prioritizes shareholder interests over public benefit. They claimed that Yoon and a select group of insiders now hold 70 percent of the shares, dominating the event's decision-making. They emphasized that the Seoul International Book Fair has long been a public cultural asset, grown through the participation of numerous publishers and readers, with government support. The coalition demanded the dissolution of the current corporate structure and the establishment of a public committee to restore the fair's civic mission. This year's fair is co-hosted by the KPA and the newly established Seoul International Book Fair Corporation. Following a breakdown in government funding last year, the KPA converted the fair into a corporation to sustain operations. The KPA announced in May that the corporation is a nonprofit subsidiary dedicated to managing the fair, pledging no dividend payouts and full reinvestment of profits. It is currently under review by a Ministry of Employment and Labor-affiliated agency for recognition as a social enterprise. hwangdh@
