"It's like Janchi-guksu"... 'Final Table,' the warm meal Ahn Hyo-seop made (Comprehensive)

The production presentation for the new JTBC Saturday-Sunday drama 'Final Table' was held at 2 PM on the 22nd."A simple yet carefully prepared meal"Actors Jang Ryul and Jung Yoo-jin, director Kim Do-hoon, and actors Hong Hwa-yeon and Ahn Hyo-seop (from left) attended the production presentation for JTBC's new Saturday-Sunday drama 'Final Table' at The Link Hotel in Guro-gu, Seoul on the 22nd at 2 PM, sharing various stories. /JTBC[THE FACT|Reporter Choi Soo-bin] Actor Ahn Hyo-seop takes on the role of a chef for the first time since his debut. He has put great effort into practicing cooking to perfectly portray a genius chef and plans to deliver a heartwarming story amidst a spectacular culinary competition. Attention is focused on whether 'Final Table', filled with the passion and dedication of the actors, can capture the viewers' taste buds.The production presentation for JTBC's new Saturday-Sunday drama 'Final Table' (written and directed by Kim Do-hoon) was held at The Link Hotel in Guro-gu, Seoul at 2 PM on the 22nd. Director Kim Do-hoon and actors Ahn Hyo-seop, Hong Hwa-yeon, Jang Ryul, and Jung Yoo-jin attended the event and shared various stories related to the work.'Final Table' is a drama that depicts a feast of spectacular food and incredible stories unfolding among Korean chefs from around the world for the 'The Table: K Chef 2026' competition to select the best Korean chef.Director Kim Do-hoon said, "I have been interested in the world of chefs for a long time. I wanted to create a drama based on their lives," and introduced it as, "It will be a simple yet carefully prepared meal, rather than a lavish spread."Ahn Hyo-seop plays Kang Han, a mysterious genius chef from overseas under the name 'CHRIS. K'. He explained, "When I briefly visited Korea, I visited a restaurant called 'Familia,' which holds deep memories with my father. While experiencing various events there, I become the head chef of 'Familia' and participate in the survival competition."Actor Ahn Hyo-seop leads the drama as genius chef Kang Han in JTBC's new Saturday-Sunday drama 'Final Table'. /JTBCIn particular, this work is drawing attention as Ahn Hyo-seop is taking on the role of a chef for the first time. As he appears as a genius chef in the drama, expressing skillful cooking abilities was an important task. He said, "Since Kang Han is a professional, I thought he should have no flaws and prepared diligently. There were many good references from cooking competition programs like 'Black and White Chef' and 'MasterChef,' so I tried to portray Kang Han's professional side by watching them."Hong Hwa-yeon plays Choi Song-yi, the front-of-house manager at the restaurant 'Familia.' She hinted, "As the restaurant faces the brink of closure, we enter a competition program to save it. I hope you will watch what happens with Kang Han."Jang Ryul plays Cha Woo-jin, a chef at the top restaurant 'Exception.' He introduced the character as, "A character who is obsessed and fixated with cooking but is truly full of passion."Jang Ryul's efforts to portray a skilled chef were also significant. Jang Ryul said, "Before filming began, I took cooking lessons for two hours every morning for one to two months. I learned basic knife skills from the consulting chef, and I often thought it was very difficult. I thought I needed to master the basics to adapt to filming, so I practiced diligently."Director Kim raised expectations by saying, "Even though we had stand-ins for everyone, they cooked better than actual chefs. The actors were so good that we often discarded scenes filmed by the chefs."Jung Yoo-jin will meet viewers as Seon Jeong-won, the executive producer at Pyeonyeon Media and the planner of 'The Table: K Chef 2026.' She explained, "She is a very competent and sharp friend, known as the 'Midas touch.' As the program is being created, this friend will also experience various events and show growth."Actors Jang Ryul (left) and Ahn Hyo-seop will form a rival dynamic in JTBC's new Saturday-Sunday drama 'Final Table,' which premieres on the 24th. /JTBCIn this way, they are expected to form various relationships, from cooperation to competition, as participants challenging 'The Table: K Chef 2026' and the CP who planned the program. It is anticipated that they will depict diverse relationships by supporting each other and engaging in fierce competition.Among them, the rival dynamic between Ahn Hyo-seop and Jang Ryul is particularly noteworthy. Ahn Hyo-seop recalled, "I was really close with senior Jang Ryul, so I wondered if this relationship would be helpful for the drama. When we met on set, he was very kind and always smiled brightly. It was so happy to work together. However, when we started acting, his gaze immediately changed, allowing me to fully express the acting I had prepared."Jang Ryul also reminisced, "I was excited and happy at the thought of acting as rivals with Ahn Hyo-seop. When we met on set, he was such a gentle person that I was disarmed. I kept wanting to laugh, but since I had to act, I tried to show the opposite side when the camera was rolling."Finally, Ahn Hyo-seop said, "'Final Table' is a work like 'Janchi-guksu' (Korean noodle soup). When I was young, my mother was busy, so she always prepared the broth and noodles separately. I used to eat it alone when I came home from school, and those memories are warmly embedded in our drama. I hope that watching 'Final Table' makes someone think of someone or want to share a meal with someone."'Final Table,' consisting of a total of 12 episodes, will premiere on the 24th at 10:40 PM.subin7134@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]