Culinary Class Wars Restaurants: How to Book in Seoul
Key takeaways
International visitors can easily book restaurants featured in Netflix's Culinary Class Wars by using CatchTable Global with foreign credit cards and no local phone number. This guide covers current venue operational statuses, step-by-step reservation instructions, deposit refund rules, and public transit navigation tips across Seoul.
After Netflix's cooking competition Culinary Class Wars (Heukbaek Yorisa - 흑백요리사) hit screens worldwide, interest in the featured restaurants jumped overnight. Platform metrics show searches for participating chefs' places spiked by 74 times, while domestic booking apps saw reservations jump by up to 4,937%. Scalpers even tried selling prime reservation slots online for upwards of 1.5 million KRW (~1,100 USD), leading to tighter security checks and system upgrades. For foreign tourists arriving in Seoul, securing a table without a Korean resident registration number or local credit card used to be tricky. Today, global booking platforms and straightforward on-site queue systems make it far simpler for international travelers to visit these spots.
What Is the Current Status of Culinary Class Wars Restaurants?
Several featured restaurants changed operations, moved locations, or paused service for redesigns, lease shifts, or pop-up tours. Checking whether a chef's restaurant is open and accepting guests before planning your day saves time.
For instance, Season 1 winner Kwon Sung-jun (Napoli Matfia) ended service at Via Toledo Pasta Bar in mid-2026 to prepare a multi-story flagship location in Seoul. Season 2 winner Choi Kang-rok closed his Japanese bistro Neo in late 2024, focusing on pop-up collaborations and retail releases instead of regular daily seating. Head judge Ahn Sung-jae reopened Mosu Seoul in Itaewon, receiving 2 Michelin Stars in the March 2026 Michelin Guide Seoul, and the restaurant is currently accepting bookings. Meanwhile, established fine dining places such as YUN Seoul, Restaurant EVETT, and trid continue normal service.
| Chef Name | Show Persona / Role | Restaurant Name | Operational Status | Primary Booking Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kwon Sung-jun | Napoli Matfia | Via Toledo Pasta Bar | Closed (Flagship Relocation) | CatchTable Global |
| Choi Kang-rok | Season 2 Winner | Neo | Closed (Pop-up Focus) | N/A |
| Ahn Sung-jae | Head Judge | Mosu Seoul | Open & Accepting Bookings | Official Site |
| Kim Do-yun | White Spoon | YUN Seoul | Open & Accepting Bookings | CatchTable Global |
| Joseph Lidgerwood | White Spoon | Restaurant EVETT | Open & Accepting Bookings | CatchTable Global |
| Kang Seung-won | Triple Star | trid | Open & Accepting Bookings | CatchTable Global |
| Yoon Nam-no | Cooking Mania | Bistro Deepin | Open & Accepting Bookings | CatchTable Global |
How Can You Use CatchTable Global Without a Korean Phone Number?
International travelers can book tables through CatchTable Global, an English reservation service designed for foreign tourists. Standard domestic Korean apps require a local 010 mobile number and a resident identity number (jumin deongnok beonho - 주민등록번호). CatchTable Global skips those steps entirely, letting you sign up with an international email, Apple ID, or Google account.
CatchTable Global allows non-residents to secure seats using foreign credit cards and email registration without needing a local 010 Korean phone number. The platform handles deposit payments in international currencies with major credit networks including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and JCB.
If a payment fails during checkout with an international card, check whether your issuing bank uses 3D Secure authentication. Turning off strict overseas fraud blocks before booking opens helps avoid losing competitive morning reservation slots.
How Do On-Site Queues and Remote Waitlists Work on the Ground?
Casual dining spots and places that do not take monthly advance bookings use digital waiting kiosks (daegi - 대기) at their entrance. Diners enter their party size on a touchscreen when they arrive and receive live updates through email or app alerts.
Remote queueing via domestic mapping apps like Naver Map (Naver Jido 네이버 지도) offers another option. Although Naver Map operates mostly in Korean, auto-translation tools make it easy to monitor queue lengths and sign up once you are near the venue.
Which Top Culinary Class Wars Spots Can You Actually Book Right Now?
A solid selection of featured spots remains open to visitors on predictable schedules. Travel guides on MyKoreaEdit point to consistent booking availability across key central districts in Seoul.
- YUN Seoul (Chef Kim Do-yun): Known for Michelin-starred noodle courses made from raw ingredients dried in-house. Located in Gangnam, YUN Seoul serves tasting menus centered on traditional Korean culinary roots. Reservation deposits usually range from 50,000 KRW to 100,000 KRW per person.
- Restaurant EVETT (Chef Joseph Lidgerwood): Recognized for multi-course menus featuring native Korean wild plants, seasonal berries, and regional herbs. Situated in Gangnam, this Michelin-starred restaurant provides full English service. Tasting menus run from 150,000 KRW to 250,000 KRW per person.
- trid (Chef Kang Seung-won): Features contemporary dining that merges French techniques with Asian flavors. Located in Cheongdam-dong, trid opens its monthly reservation windows on fixed dates via CatchTable Global.
- Bistro Deepin (Chef Yoon Nam-no): A casual natural wine bistro in Sindang-dong serving small plates, pasta, and grilled meats. Online bookings are available, though specific beverage ordering minimums apply.
| Restaurant | Chef / Persona | Cuisine Specialty | Average Price Range (KRW) | Deposit Requirement (KRW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YUN Seoul | Kim Do-yun | Modern Korean Noodle Fine Dining | 100,000 - 200,000 | 50,000 per seat |
| Restaurant EVETT | Joseph Lidgerwood | Foraged Innovative Korean | 150,000 - 250,000 | 100,000 per seat |
| trid | Kang Seung-won | Global Contemporary | 120,000 - 180,000 | 50,000 per seat |
| Bistro Deepin | Yoon Nam-no | Wine Bistro & Modern Small Plates | 40,000 - 90,000 | 20,000 per seat |
Deposit policies generally refund 100% of the booking fee if cancellations are made at least 3 days prior to the reserved dining time.
What Essential Dining Etiquette and Hidden Rules Do Foreigners Often Miss?
Popular chef-driven restaurants in Seoul often enforce house rules to manage seat rotation and reduce food waste. Minimum drink purchases at bistro-style venues represent the most common policy travelers run into.
At venues like Bistro Deepin, table policies require ordering at least one full bottle of wine or alcoholic drink per group. Non-alcoholic bottled options are sometimes available upon request, but opting out of beverage purchases entirely is generally not permitted under venue rules.
Restaurants also enforce anti-scalping measures strictly. The name listed on your CatchTable confirmation must match your ID or passport. If staff suspect a seat was purchased through a reseller, entry will be denied without a deposit refund.
How Do You Navigate Public Transport to Reach These Featured Restaurants?
Seoul's public transit system is efficient, but standard foreign navigation apps can encounter routing limitations in South Korea. Official travel notices from VisitKorea point out that local map engines are required for accurate walking directions.
Because Korean mapping laws restrict detailed geographic data export, Google Maps cannot provide accurate turn-by-turn walking directions in Seoul, making Naver Map essential for finding hidden alleyway bistros. Installing Naver Map or KakaoMap before leaving helps locate exact subway exits, bus routes, and real-time walking paths.
| Neighborhood | Primary Subway Station | Notable Featured Spots | Transit Access Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gangnam / Cheongdam | Apgujeong Rodeo (수인분당선) | trid, YUN Seoul | Take Exit 5 for direct walking paths through boutique alleys |
| Sinsa / Dosan | Sinsa Station (3호선 / 신분당선) | Restaurant EVETT | Exit 8 provides straightforward access to main dining avenues |
| Sindang / Seongdong | Sindang Station (2호선 / 6호선) | Bistro Deepin | Use Line 6 Exit 12 to quickly navigate local market lanes |
| Yongsan / Itaewon | Itaewon Station (6호선) | Various pop-up venues | Exit 1 offers easy connections to major hotel dining rooms |
Frequently asked questions
Q. Can I book Culinary Class Wars restaurants without a Korean phone number?
Yes, foreign tourists can use CatchTable Global to book tables using an international email address, Apple ID, or Google login without needing a local 010 Korean telephone number.
Q. Do these restaurants accept international credit cards for booking deposits?
Yes, CatchTable Global processes reservation security deposits in local or international currencies using foreign credit cards including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and JCB.
Q. Can I walk in without a reservation if a spot is fully booked online?
Some casual spots offer physical waiting kiosks at the door on a first-come, first-served basis, but high-end fine dining venues rarely accept walk-ins without prior online bookings.
Q. Why did my credit card fail when trying to reserve a table?
Card rejections usually stem from strict bank security protocols or missing 3D Secure authentication. Contacting your foreign card issuer to allow overseas transactions before booking opens helps prevent payment errors.
