Chefs Kim Min-seong, David Lee, Lim Tae-hoon, and Yoon Nam-no revealed the reasons for appearing in ‘Baek Jong-won‘s Les Miserables’.

EAN’s ‘Baek Jong-won‘s Les Miserables’, which will be aired for the first time on the 30th, is a growth entertainment show filled with epic and sincerity in which ‘20 challengers’ perform harsh Spartan missions to seize the first and last opportunity to turn their lives around. It is a special reality show that captures powerful characters, a life-changing story, and the charm of a heartwarming human documentary all at the same time.

‘Baek Jong-won’s Les Miserables’ features CEO Baek Jong-won, the god of business, and 20 challengers who are thrown into a harsh mission. There are also four head chefs who lead and encourage the 20 challengers along with Baek Jong-won and serve as mentors. (Japanese) Chef Kim Min-seong, (Meat) Chef David Lee, (Chinese) Chef Lim Tae-hoon, (Western) Chef Yoon Nam-no. The four head chefs are also expected to be must-watch points in ‘Baek Jong-won‘s Les Miserables’.

So why did the four head chefs decide to appear on ‘Baek Jong-won’s Les Miserables’? According to the production team, the charismatic (Japanese) Chef Kim Min-seong said, “At first, I turned them down. I had a second meeting with the production team to meet them and turn them down, but as I kept hearing about the purpose of the program, I realized that their intentions were good. I thought a lot about ‘what I can do in this’ and decided to appear with difficulty because I thought I could be of some help.”

Chef David Lee of the (Meat) team was also troubled by the request to appear. Chef David Lee said, “I wondered if it would be right for me to go out since I‘m not that talented. But I thought, ’If even one thing I have, even a small one, can help someone, I‘ll gladly do it,’ so I decided to appear.”

(Chinese cuisine) Chef Lim Tae-hoon‘s decision to appear on ’Baek Jong-won‘s Les Miserables’ wasn‘t an easy one either. Chef Lim Tae-hoon said, “At first, I debated whether or not to appear. However, I decided to appear because the program’s intention to give friends who are neglected by society a chance to rise in the restaurant industry caught my eye. And more than anything, they said they would teach the contestants the qualities of a ‘businessman’ rather than a ‘cook,’ and I thought that was something I could do well in.”

Lastly, (Western cuisine) Chef Yoon Nam-no said, “People are bound to face trials. At such times, I think a little help can really make a big difference. That‘s why I wanted to help, even if it was with my small ability. He said, ”Because I have a minor sensibility, I think I tend to feel more for and encourage friends who can’t keep up with friends who are good at it, or friends from difficult family backgrounds.“

The four head chefs who are the ‘best’ in their respective fields have come together. The reason they decided to appear on ‘Baek Jong-won’s Les Miserables‘ despite their concerns is because they can help 20 challengers who are desperately trying to seize the opportunity to turn their lives around and watch them grow up close. The God of Business CEO Baek Jong-won, the four head chefs, and the 20 challengers are all full of ‘sincerity’, and ‘Baek Jong-won’s Les Miserables’ is highly anticipated.

‘Baek Jong-won‘s Les Miserables’ will premiere on Saturday the 30th at 8:30 PM as a follow-up to the currently airing ‘My Child’s Private Life’.

Hong Se-young, Donga.com reporter, projecthong@donga.com