Publishers Are Anxious but Reclusive... Is 'Heukbaek Yori-sa' Choi Kang-rok Fulfilling His Prophecy?

"Me, Perilla Oil"... Chef Choi Kang-rok in the Spotlight
Publisher Hopes for Resumption of Internet Activity
"If It Fails, Just Stay Offline for a Year"

Chef Choi Kang-rok featured in 'Black & White Chef: Culinary Class War'. [Source=Netflix]

Chef Choi Kang-rok, who appeared on the popular Netflix show "Black & White Chef: The Culinary Class War" (hereafter "Black & White Chef"), has been caught up in rumors of being out of contact.

On the 22nd, publisher Cle posted on their official social media account, "Chef Choi Kang-rok, who neither uses the internet nor responds to messages, please hold a fan signing event just once. Along with 'Choi Kang-rok's Cooking Notes'." The next day, they added, "We hope the chef resumes his internet activities," sparking speculation among netizens that Chef Choi might have cut off contact and gone into hiding. Cle published his book "Choi Kang-rok's Cooking Notes" last August.

Previously, Chef Choi appeared on "Black & White Chef" as part of the White Spoon team, creating memes with phrases like "This set will be dismantled anyway" and "It's me, perilla oil." After the show aired, sales of "Choi Kang-rok's Cooking Notes" increased by 1278.6% compared to the previous month, and his YouTube channel gained over 200,000 subscribers. However, despite this popularity, Chef Choi has not engaged in notable activities since the show's conclusion, contrasting with other cast members. His remark on "Black & White Chef," "If you fail, just stay off the internet for about a year," has recently drawn renewed attention.

Meanwhile, Chef Choi gained attention in 2013 when he appeared on "MasterChef Korea 2," sharing that he started cooking after reading the manga "Mr. Sushi King." He later emphasized Japanese cuisine as his specialty, earning praise from the judges and ultimately winning the competition. He currently operates the izakaya "Sikdang Neo" in Songpa-gu, Seoul.