"More Likeable Than Sung Anh and Jang Hang-jun"... The Secret Behind Son Jong-won's "Overwhelming Presence"

[Financial News] Chef Son Jong-won, who gained popularity through the Netflix variety show "Culinary Class Wars Season 2" and JTBC's "Please Take Care of My Refrigerator," has topped the brand reputation rankings for expert entertainers.
On the 7th, the Asia Brand Research Institute, a big data evaluation agency, announced that Son Jong-won ranked No. 1 in the expert entertainer category of the K-Brand Index.
The expert entertainer category of this K-Brand Index was calculated by analyzing 309,328,683 cases of online big data generated over the month of March. The analysis covered the top 30 figures by portal search volume among expert entertainers active in fields such as humanities, science, psychology, culture, and cuisine.
Many chefs made it into the top 10.
Son, who took the top spot, currently oversees both Eatanic Garden, a Korean fine-dining restaurant with one Michelin star, and L'Amant Secret, a French fine-dining restaurant. Through his appearances on "Culinary Class Wars Season 2" and "Please Take Care of My Refrigerator," he has been praised for his skill and gentle manners, earning the nickname of a "good-vibes guy."
Second place went to Chef Sung Anh. His restaurant Mosu became the only three-star restaurant in the Michelin Guide in Korea in 2023, but it closed due to relocation issues. After reopening in March last year, it regained two stars in the Michelin Guide within just one year.
Third place was taken by film director Jang Hang-jun, known as a "10-million-viewer director." His film "The King's Warden" opened on February 4 and joined the 10-million-viewer club on March 6. As of the 5th, it has surpassed 16 million admissions.
In fourth place was psychiatrist Oh Eun-young, followed by Chef Choi Kang-rok in fifth. Webtoon artist and TV personality Kim Poong ranked sixth, Chef Choi Hyun-seok seventh, Chef Kwon Seong-jun eighth, history lecturer Tae-Sung Choi ninth, and critic Lee Dong-jin rounded out the top 10.
Ryu Won-seon, head of the research center at the Asia Brand Research Institute, commented, "This K-Brand Index reflects the trend of expert entertainers with specialized knowledge in each field making active inroads into the broadcasting industry." He added, "In particular, Son Jong-won has demonstrated the essence of fine dining while engaging in a wide range of activities, proving his overwhelming presence." He went on to say, "The public's attention is shifting beyond simple entertainment value toward 'true professionals' who possess solid skills and a spirit of craftsmanship, and this ranking is the result of that trend."
Ryu also pointed out the strong presence of food-service experts at the top of the list.
He noted, "Led by Sung Anh and Choi Kang-rok, a legion of chefs swept the chart," and analyzed, "Amid rapid changes in broadcast content, experts in knowledge-based fields closely tied to everyday life—such as film, education, and history—are establishing new leadership on the strength of their solid public image."
newssu@fnnews.com Kim Soo-yeon Reporter