Netflix is expanding hit Korean reality series Culinary Class Wars into a music competition spinoff, with a reported working title of Black and White Singers and a format that throws veteran vocal legends and emerging artists into one arena. The project is still in development, but for K-pop fans used to trainee-only survival shows, this setup already looks very different.
The original 2024 cooking showdown became a global hit on Netflix by splitting 100 chefs into white and black teams based on seniority and status, turning class and experience into a storyline. The planned singing version keeps that white versus black structure, now with 60 singers and an early round reportedly judged by up to 100 music industry professionals, which could shake up how idols compete on a global platform.
Culinary Class Wars music competition spinoff: what we know
Local media reports say the Culinary Class Wars music competition spinoff is targeting a 2027 premiere window, though Netflix has not locked in a date. The show is tentatively titled Black and White Singers and is expected to feature 60 contestants divided into a 15 member white team of established stars and a 45 member black team of younger or lesser known singers.
The reported white team lineup reads like a who is who of Korean vocal powerhouses: Park Jung-hyun, Gummy, Yang Hee-eun, Lee Hae-ri of Davichi, Kim Yeon-woo, Lee Su-hyun of AKMU, Kim Jo-han, Kim Yoon-ah of Jaurim, Kwon Jung-yeol of 10cm and Kim Jong-seo. On the black team side, early names include BTOB member Lee Chang-sub, singer Jung Seung-hwan and Kwon Jin-ah, with room for indie and emerging acts.
A source involved with production told Korean media that one of the opening rounds will be evaluated by a large panel of music industry professionals, from several dozen to as many as 100 judges. A Netflix spokesperson responded that details surrounding the program, including its premiere date and contestant lineup, have yet to be finalized.
- Working title: Black and White Singers (subject to change)
- Reported contestants: 60 singers, 15 veterans vs 45 emerging artists
- Targeted premiere: 2027, not officially confirmed
- Platform: Netflix reality series connected to Culinary Class Wars
From kitchens to stages, a new kind of survival show
The cooking version of Culinary Class Wars did more than show recipes, it turned hierarchy into drama by placing decorated chefs on a white team and hungry underdogs on a black team. The series rose into the top ranks of Netflix’s non English TV titles, suggesting viewers were hooked on that veteran versus challenger narrative.
Translating that format to singers means rookie vocalists will stand directly across from legends like Park Jung-hyun and Gummy instead of competing only with peers. For idols and younger soloists, the goal shifts from simply debuting to surviving head to head comparisons with artists known for big vocals in ballads, rock and indie.
Compared with shows like Produce 101 or Boys Planet, which center mostly on trainees and lean on viewer text votes, this concept starts with industry professionals weighing in. That balance could reward technical skill and interpretation as much as popularity, especially in the early rounds.
What this could mean for K-pop fans on Netflix
Seeing BTOB’s Lee Chang-sub reportedly placed on the underdog black team, while singer Lee Su-hyun appears on the veteran white team, signals how the show may rank participants by perceived vocal stature rather than idol fame alone. For K-pop and K-drama OST fans, that mix of rock bands, ballad icons and idol voices in one bracket is rare on a global platform like Netflix.
The rumored panel of dozens of music experts, potentially up to 100 in an early stage, also makes this survival format feel closer to a massive audition in front of the industry than a popularity contest. Whether later rounds will introduce public voting is still unknown, but any tension between expert scores and fandom power would likely become its own storyline.
Key questions remain, including the final title, confirmed cast, hosts, mentors, how eliminations will work and how much international viewers will be able to participate. If the 2027 target holds, fans have time to stream the original Culinary Class Wars on Netflix now and imagine how that white versus black battlefield will look once the knives are swapped for microphones.