Best Korean Variety Shows Like Jinny’s Kitchen

Jinny’s Kitchen is one of the most beloved Korean variety shows revolving around food. It first aired on February 24, 2023, on tvN and globally on the streaming platform Amazon Prime Video. The first season of the show starred highly popular actors Park Seo Joon, Choi Woo Shik, Jung Yu Mi, Lee Seo Jin, and BTS member V, aka Kim Tae-Hyung. The team opened and successfully ran a Korean food restaurant in Bacalar, Mexico.

Jinny’s Kitchen season 2 premiered on June 28, 2024, on tvN and Prime Video. The second season stars all the original cast members except V of BTS, as the K-pop idol is currently serving in the South Korean military. Actress and director Go Min Si has joined the cast of season 2 as the newest intern on the team. 

Apart from Jinny’s Kitchen, there are several other highly enjoyable Korean variety shows that also center around the theme of food and cooking. The list includes Youn’s Kitchen, The Backpacker Chef, Three Meals a Day, and others. 

Youn’s Kitchen

It is a highly popular Korean variety cooking show that is part of the same franchise as Jinny’s Kitchen. It is the first installment of the well-known franchise. Youn’s Kitchen made its debut on March 24, 2017, on the tvN network. The show has a total of two seasons. The main cast list for season 1 of this reality show includes Youn Yuh Jung, Lee Seo Jin, Shin Goo, and Jung Yu Mi. Meanwhile, the cast of season 2 includes Lee Seo Jin, Jung Yu Mi, Youn Yuh Jung, and Park Seo Joon.

In Youn’s Kitchen, the intriguing team of South Korean actors go to Bali, Indonesia. There, they open and run an authentic Korean food restaurant. Viewers can watch the show online on the streaming platforms Viki and Amazon Prime Video in selected regions.

Coffee Friends

It is another highly entertaining and feel-good Korean variety show based on cooking and food. It premiered on January 4, 2019, on tvN. The show Coffee Friends has a star-studded cast. The main cast members include Yoo Yeon Seok, Choi Ji Woo, Son Ho Jun, and Yang Se Jong. The show also features EXO member Sehun, TVXQ’s Yunho, and actor Nam Joo Hyunk, among others.

Coffee Friends showcases the four South Korean celebrities opening and running a cafe on a tangerine farm situated on Jeju Island. Another highlight of the show is that all the profits from the cafe go to charity.

The Backpacker Chef

It is another popular Korean variety show revolving around cooking, which is quite similar to Jinny’s Kitchen. The reality show first aired on May 26, 2022, on tvN. It has two seasons in total. The Backpacker Chef season 2 is currently ongoing, and it premiered on May 26, 2024, on the tvN network. It stars South Korean celebrity chef Baek Jong Won, actor Ahn Bo Hyun, and comedian Heo Kyung Hwan, among others. 

The Backpacker Chef showcases Chef Baek Jong Won taking a team of celebrities on a trip to different locations. There, they have to prepare delicious dishes for the local people with a very limited amount of kitchen equipment. The audience can watch the show on Viu in selected regions.

Three Meals a Day

It is an intriguing Korean cooking variety show that has a total of nine seasons. It debuted on tvN in October 2014. Three Meals a Day has a long list of celebrity cast members. It includes Lee Seo Jin, Cha Seung Won, Ok Taec Yeon, Nam Joo Hyuk, Yoo Hae Jin, Yoon Se Ah, Son Ho Jun, and many others.

Three Meals a Day shows a group of South Korean celebrities experiencing the village lifestyle. They have to stay in rural areas for a total of three days a week. They also need to prepare three meals a day with the limited ingredients they find in the rural area. The show is available to stream online on Viki in selected regions.

Some other noteworthy Korean variety shows like Jinny’s Kitchen include Hyori’s Homestay, The Genius Paik, and more.