{ "id": "eppn0f4dc5", "slug": "kangs-kitchen", "title": "Kang's Kitchen (강식당)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted", "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted" }, { "id": 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series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.asia.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Kang's Kitchen (강식당) is a tvN Korean reality show, a New Journey to the West spin-off parodying Youn's Kitchen, in which Kang Ho-dong, Lee Soo-geun, Eun Ji-won, Ahn Jae-hyun, and Song Min-ho run a real restaurant on Jeju Island from December 2017.", "snippet": "Kang's Kitchen (강식당) is a tvN Korean reality show, a New Journey to the West spin-off parodying Youn's Kitchen, in which Kang Ho-dong, Lee Soo-geun, Eun Ji-won, Ahn Jae-hyun, and Song Min-ho run a real restaurant on Jeju Island from December 2017.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted.celebrity-lifestyle-court-reality.lifestyle-dating-and-docusoaps.celebrity-and-family-docusoaps.yr-1997-2018", "markdown": "# Kang's Kitchen (강식당)\n\n**Kang's Kitchen** (강식당) is a South Korean reality variety show in which the cast of tvN's *New Journey to the West* runs a real restaurant, produced by Na Young-suk as a spin-off of both *New Journey to the West* and his restaurant series *Youn's Kitchen*.[1](https://www.wowtv.co.kr/NewsCenter/News/Read?articleId=A201712060174) The first season premiered on tvN on December 5, 2017, airing Tuesday nights at 10:50 pm, and was filmed on [Jeju Island](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeju-island).[1](https://www.wowtv.co.kr/NewsCenter/News/Read?articleId=A201712060174) • [2](https://www.starnewskorea.com/broadcast-show/2017/11/09/2017110909072170860) Its first episode recorded a 5.448% rating, and the season went on to post the highest ratings of any *New Journey to the West* related season, leading to further seasons in 2019.[3](https://star.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/OhmyStar/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0002383535) • [4](https://www.tenasia.co.kr/article/2018010397824)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Format | *New Journey to the West* spin-off in which the cast actually operates a restaurant, parodying Na Young-suk's *Youn's Kitchen*[1](https://www.wowtv.co.kr/NewsCenter/News/Read?articleId=A201712060174) |\n| First season | Premiered December 5, 2017, on tvN, Tuesdays at 10:50 pm; filmed in Wolleung-ri, Jeju Island[1](https://www.wowtv.co.kr/NewsCenter/News/Read?articleId=A201712060174) • [2](https://www.starnewskorea.com/broadcast-show/2017/11/09/2017110909072170860) |\n| Cast | Kang Ho-dong, Lee Soo-geun, Eun Ji-won, Ahn Jae-hyun, and Song Min-ho of Winner[2](https://www.starnewskorea.com/broadcast-show/2017/11/09/2017110909072170860) |\n| Signature dish | \"Kang Ho-dong-kkas,\" a tonkatsu 43 cm in diameter, from a recipe taught by chef Baek Jong-won[1](https://www.wowtv.co.kr/NewsCenter/News/Read?articleId=A201712060174) |\n| Ratings | First episode 5.448% (Nielsen Korea), above *New Journey to the West* season 4's best of 5.119%; season high 8.2%[3](https://star.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/OhmyStar/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0002383535) • [4](https://www.tenasia.co.kr/article/2018010397824) |\n| Later seasons | Season 2 at a hanok cafe in Gyeongju (2019); season 3 followed the same year[5](https://www.osen.co.kr/article/G1110798441) • [6](https://www.gallup.co.kr/dir/GallupReport/GallupReport%2820191224%29_%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%EC%9D%B8%EC%9D%B4%EC%A2%8B%EC%95%84%ED%95%98%EB%8A%94TV%ED%94%84%EB%A1%9C%EA%B7%B8%EB%9E%A8%282019%EB%85%8412%EC%9B%94%29.pdf) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Season 1 (2017)\n\nFilming took place in Wolleung-ri on Jeju Island. The five members traveled to Jeju on November 3, 2017, opened the restaurant on November 4, and had planned to operate through November 9 but closed a day early, finishing all filming on November 8.[2](https://www.starnewskorea.com/broadcast-show/2017/11/09/2017110909072170860) Even before broadcast, roles, dishes, and the customer-selection method leaked through social media, creating both buzz and concern that spoilers would dull the broadcast; the production team had tried to keep the program's content confidential.[2](https://www.starnewskorea.com/broadcast-show/2017/11/09/2017110909072170860)\n\nThe first episode centered on the \"Kang Ho-dong-kkas,\" a giant tonkatsu 43 cm in diameter, about three times the size of an ordinary cutlet, which [Kang Ho-dong](https://www.edgepedia.org/kang-ho-dong) pounded out by hand from 400 g of pork into the early morning before opening day.[1](https://www.wowtv.co.kr/NewsCenter/News/Read?articleId=A201712060174) • [12](https://www.hankyung.com/article/201712063982H) Customers judged the taste a pass, but service was slow: orders piled up as the restaurant filled to capacity on day one, and the hall staff fell into panic despite rehearsing the night before.[1](https://www.wowtv.co.kr/NewsCenter/News/Read?articleId=A201712060174) • [12](https://www.hankyung.com/article/201712063982H) Later episodes added dishes such as [Lee Soo-geun](https://www.edgepedia.org/lee-soo-geun)'s miniature tonkatsu, Baek Jong-won-style omurice, and a whole-pork-belly gimbap.[4](https://www.tenasia.co.kr/article/2018010397824)\n\n## Origin\n\nThe show began as a joke during *New Journey to the West 4*. When *Youn's Kitchen*, Na Young-suk's restaurant reality show set abroad, drew wide attention, cast member Lee Soo-geun suggested \"let's do Kang's Kitchen,\" a parody named after Kang Ho-dong.[7](https://www.osen.co.kr/article/G1110758294) The remark was made during the season's broadcast; in a dragon-ball mission segment, the members' demands were granted, with Song Min-ho receiving a promised *Flowers Over Youth* season with Winner and Kang Ho-dong's joke restaurant also being realized.[8](https://www.etnews.com/20170719000063) • [9](https://www.civicnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=12096)\n\nNa Young-suk kept the promise. After *New Journey to the West 4* ended in August 2017, he spent more than two months developing the idea, and in October 2017 the members gathered secretly at a restaurant in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul, for a preliminary meeting and tasting.[7](https://www.osen.co.kr/article/G1110758294) tvN imposed a gag order on the filming location and schedule, saying both could not be confirmed, but details leaked anyway.[10](https://www.tvdaily.co.kr/read.php3?aid=15095124601292770019&gopc=1)\n\n## Format and cast\n\nThe stated concept was a restaurant where the owner eats more than the customers, a comic inversion of the usual restaurant drama.[1](https://www.wowtv.co.kr/NewsCenter/News/Read?articleId=A201712060174) Unlike *Youn's Kitchen*, which filmed overseas in scenic locations with foreign customers, *Kang's Kitchen* was set in Korea and focused on the staff's own struggles: preparing ingredients, cooking, arguing, and coping with real paying customers.[11](https://www.edaily.co.kr/News/Read?mediaCodeNo=258&newsId=01282486619073784)\n\nThe five cast members divided the work. In the first season Kang Ho-dong was the chef, [Ahn Jae-hyun](https://www.edgepedia.org/ahn-jae-hyun) his kitchen assistant, Song Min-ho the barista, [Eun Ji-won](https://www.edgepedia.org/eun-ji-won) ran the dining hall, and Lee Soo-geun took the role of \"slave,\" doing odd jobs.[12](https://www.hankyung.com/article/201712063982H) Before opening, the members obtained food-safety certificates at a public health center, Kang Ho-dong and Ahn Jae-hyun received a special tonkatsu recipe from chef Baek Jong-won, and Song Min-ho and Ahn Jae-hyun completed barista training.[12](https://www.hankyung.com/article/201712063982H) The directing was credited to Na Young-suk with Shin Hyo-jung as co-director.[13](https://seore.org/w/%EB%AC%B8%EC%84%9C:%EB%82%98%EC%98%81%EC%84%9D)\n\n## Reception\n\nThe premiere drew a 5.448% rating in Nielsen Korea, surpassing *New Journey to the West* season 4's peak of 5.119%, and the show ranked first in its time slot for two consecutive weeks.[3](https://star.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/OhmyStar/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0002383535) • [14](https://sports.khan.co.kr/article/201712171255003/amp) By its finale on January 2, 2018, the season's highest rating had reached 8.2%, the highest recorded across all *New Journey to the West* seasons to that point.[4](https://www.tenasia.co.kr/article/2018010397824) • [15](https://star.fnnews.com/article/201801030847453492)\n\nCommentators attributed the success to three factors: Kang Ho-dong's evolved comic presence under real kitchen pressure, the long-established chemistry of a cast that had worked together since *1 Night 2 Days* and *New Journey to the West*, and the drawing power of combining the audiences of two hit shows, *Youn's Kitchen* and *New Journey to the West*.[14](https://sports.khan.co.kr/article/201712171255003/amp) Reviewers noted that where *Youn's Kitchen* sold relaxation and healing through exotic scenery, *Kang's Kitchen* sold unfiltered reality, showing the members' mistakes and conflicts with subtitles and fast-paced editing.[11](https://www.edaily.co.kr/News/Read?mediaCodeNo=258&newsId=01282486619073784) • [14](https://sports.khan.co.kr/article/201712171255003/amp) [The Dong-A Ilbo](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-dong-a-ilbo) credited the show with giving courage to small-business owners, as the cast visibly improved from fumbling beginners to competent cooks over the run.[16](https://www.donga.com/news/Entertainment/article/all/20180111/88134273/4)\n\n## Later seasons\n\nThe strong response turned a one-off project into a series. Season 2 was filmed at a hanok (traditional Korean house) cafe in Gyeongju in 2019, and announced format changes after so many customers flooded in on the first day of business.[5](https://www.osen.co.kr/article/G1110798441) Season 3 followed the same year; Gallup Korea's December 2019 report on favorite TV programs noted *Kang's Kitchen 3* among the programs mentioned by respondents.[6](https://www.gallup.co.kr/dir/GallupReport/GallupReport%2820191224%29_%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%EC%9D%B8%EC%9D%B4%EC%A2%8B%EC%95%84%ED%95%98%EB%8A%94TV%ED%94%84%EB%A1%9C%EA%B7%B8%EB%9E%A8%282019%EB%85%8412%EC%9B%94%29.pdf) CJ ENM lists the series internationally under the English title *Kang's Kitchen*.[17](https://cjenm.com/en/featured-contents/kangs-kitchen/)\n\nNa Young-suk described the relationship between his two restaurant shows as a company and an affiliate: *Kang's Kitchen*, born from a joke, was a project-style spin-off, while *Youn's Kitchen* remained the flagship production.[18](https://www.osen.co.kr/article/G1110807714)\n\n## References\n\n1. [`강식당` 첫방…지름 43cm `강호동가스` 맛 합격점, 30분 소요시간은 `함정`, 한국경제TV (2017)](https://www.wowtv.co.kr/NewsCenter/News/Read?articleId=A201712060174)\n2. ['강식당' 8일 영업 종료, 스포일러 끝..본방 남았다, 스타뉴스 (2017)](https://www.starnewskorea.com/broadcast-show/2017/11/09/2017110909072170860)\n3. [강호동 다시 봤다... <강식당>, 논란 뛰어 넘은 빅재미, 오마이스타 (2017)](https://star.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/OhmyStar/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0002383535)\n4. [[fn★종영]노짜증, 해피키친 '강식당' 사랑스러운 고군분투기... 시청률 조사회사 닐슨코리아에 따르면..., 텐아시아 (2018)](https://www.tenasia.co.kr/article/2018010397824)\n5. [\"Kang's Kitchen 2\" Announces Format Changes Due To Staggering Number Of Visitors On 1st Day, OSEN (2019)](https://www.osen.co.kr/article/G1110798441)\n6. [갤럽리포트 G20191224: 한국인이 좋아하는 TV프로그램 (2019년 12월), 한국갤럽](https://www.gallup.co.kr/dir/GallupReport/GallupReport%2820191224%29_%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%EC%9D%B8%EC%9D%B4%EC%A2%8B%EC%95%84%ED%95%98%EB%8A%94TV%ED%94%84%EB%A1%9C%EA%B7%B8%EB%9E%A8%282019%EB%85%8412%EC%9B%94%29.pdf)\n7. [[단독] '강식당' 본격 시작, 지난주 멤버들 사전모임 극비리 촬영, OSEN (2017)](https://www.osen.co.kr/article/G1110758294)\n8. ['신서유기4' 송민호 '꽃청춘'·강호동 '강식당' 제작 추진…\"재미있는 시도가 될 것\", 전자신문 (2017)](https://www.etnews.com/20170719000063)\n9. [환상적 팀워크, 빵빵 터지는 웃음 폭죽 '강식당' 2주 연속 시청률 1위, 시빅뉴스 (2017)](https://www.civicnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=12096)\n10. [tvN, '강식당' 촬영 장소·시기 함구령 \"확인 어렵다\", 티브이데일리 (2017)](https://www.tvdaily.co.kr/read.php3?aid=15095124601292770019&gopc=1)\n11. [[강식당 종영D-DAY]③'윤식당2' 바통터치, 나영석 PD의 큰 그림, 이데일리 (2018)](https://www.edaily.co.kr/News/Read?mediaCodeNo=258&newsId=01282486619073784)\n12. ['강식당' 첫방부터 터졌다…강호동, 제2의 전성기는 지금부터, 한국경제 (2017)](https://www.hankyung.com/article/201712063982H)\n13. [문서:나영석 (filmography listing 강식당 directing credits)](https://seore.org/w/%EB%AC%B8%EC%84%9C:%EB%82%98%EC%98%81%EC%84%9D)\n14. [[스경 TV연구소] 웃음꽃 빵빵터지는 '강식당' 왜?, 스포츠경향 (2017)](https://sports.khan.co.kr/article/201712171255003/amp)\n15. [[fn★종영]노짜증, 해피키친 '강식당' 사랑스러운 고군분투기, fn스타 (2018)](https://star.fnnews.com/article/201801030847453492)\n16. [[예능계 '식당열풍'①] 그 '식당'엔 특별한 3가지 맛이 있다, 동아일보 (2018)](https://www.donga.com/news/Entertainment/article/all/20180111/88134273/4)\n17. [Kang's Kitchen, CJ ENM Entertainment Shows](https://cjenm.com/en/featured-contents/kangs-kitchen/)\n18. [[윤식당2 오픈날②] 힐링의 '윤식당2', 웃기는 키친 '강식당'과 달라요, OSEN (2018)](https://www.osen.co.kr/article/G1110807714)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Celebrity, family, lifestyle, and court reality series › Lifestyle, dating, and docusoaps › Celebrity and family docusoaps › Premiered 1997 to 2018*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/kangs-kitchen", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/kangs-kitchen.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Kang's Kitchen (강식당)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/kangs-kitchen. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Kang's Kitchen (강식당)](https://www.edgepedia.org/kangs-kitchen)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/kangs-kitchen](https://www.edgepedia.org/kangs-kitchen). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Kang's Kitchen (강식당)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/kangs-kitchen. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Kang's Kitchen is a tvN Korean reality show, a New Journey to the West spin-off parodying Youn's Kitchen, in which Kang Ho-dong, Lee Soo-geun, Eun Ji-won, Ahn Jae-hyun, and Song Min-ho run a real restaurant on Jeju Island from December 2017." }