What is Final Table about?

Final Table is a new JTBC weekend drama starring Ahn Hyo-seop. According to Yonhap News, the first episode aired on October 24 and drew a nationwide rating of 1.9%, based on figures from Nielsen Korea.

Who are the main characters?

Ahn Hyo-seop plays Kang Han, a gifted chef who returns after years abroad. In the first episode, he visits Familia, a restaurant tied to his childhood memories, and is angered to find its food has changed. The restaurant is now run by Choi Song-i, played by Hong Hwa-yeon, who has kept it going alone since her father, owner-chef Choi Seung-hyo, died. Jang Hyeon-seong plays the late chef.

What happens in the first episode?

Kang Han and Choi Song-i clash over the restaurant's direction. The episode also sets up a larger storyline. Pyeong Yeon Group, a major Korean food-service company hurt by its link to Choi Seung-hyo's death, is launching a cooking survival show called 'The Table: K Chef 2026' to repair its image. That plot point has drawn interest in where the story goes next.

Why are viewers comparing it to Culinary Class Wars?

Before it aired, many Korean viewers compared the drama to Netflix's popular cooking show Culinary Class Wars. The comparison reflects the drama's cooking-competition theme.

For international fans

The drama comes from director Kim Do-hoon, who also made Moon Embracing the Sun and Royal Family. Fans who enjoyed those period and family dramas may find a familiar style here, though Final Table is set in the modern restaurant world.