Binge-worthy: GBRB Spin-off: Cafeteria Operation shows off K-pop star D.O.’s culinary talent

GBRB Spin-off: Cafeteria Operation

YouTube via Channel Fullmoon
★★★★☆

South Korean hit-maker Na Young-seok is known for producing some of the country’s most beloved variety series, such as Three Meals A Day (2014 to 2020) and Youth Over Flowers (2014 to 2018).

He is back with a spin-off of his hit farming-based variety series GBRB: Reap What You Sow (2023). GBRB stands for Green Bean, Red Bean – the Korean title of the show.

In GBRB Spin-off: Cafeteria Operation, Na brings back GBRB cast members – actor Lee Kwang-soo and boy band Exo’s D.O. – to run a company cafeteria service for Egg Is Coming, the production company Na belongs to. The spin-off, which released its first episode on YouTube on Jan 10, is slated to have four episodes, with new episodes weekly.

Lee and D.O., whose real name is Do Kyung-soo, are tasked with running lunch and dinner service for the company over three days by coming up with their own menu and cooking some 70 servings of meals in a day.

Na’s free-and-easy filming style once again works to bring out unexpectedly funny and interesting sides to South Korea’s A-listers. Here are three reasons to tune in.

1. K-pop idol’s cooking skills

Those who are not ardent fans of Do might not know that he is a skilled cook.

His speed and ease in the kitchen caught this reviewer by surprise, who later found out online that he is such a great cook that he was put on cooking duty during his mandatory military service.

He appears flustered at first and commits his fair share of mistakes – for example, he forgets to put potato in potato egg soup. But it is a joy to watch him chop, dice and flip a potato pancake in a large skillet pan.

Cooking is not something the K-pop star often gets to flaunt, but it is clearly something he enjoys and is good at.

2. Stars, they’re just like us

One of the highlights of watching the series is simply seeing acclaimed stars do something they are not known for and eagerly await reviews.

It is quite endearing to watch Do and Lee huddle in front of the computer and read reviews that company employees left for them after their first day of service.

Viewers can feel how touched they are to see people enjoy their food, and their excitement as they rustle up the following day’s menu is palpable.

3. Glittery cameos

With his years of helming variety series, Na is extremely well-connected in the entertainment industry.

Aside from Lee and Do, many other famous South Korean stars show up in Cafeteria Operation, offering laughs.

The first order of business for Lee and Do as cafeteria operators is to surprise A-list actors Cha Seung-won and Yoo Hae-jin, who harvested over 100 potatoes in the cooking variety series Three Meals A Day: Light (2024). As part of the programme’s rules, all the potatoes have to be used in their three days of cooking for the company.

Cha and Yoo, both veterans more experienced than Lee, jokingly intimidate him into buying all the potatoes when he comments that some look a little bruised.

Boy band Seventeen members Woozi, Wonwoo and Hoshi also drop by the company’s cafeteria during dinner service on the first day.

Woozi scoops a full bowl of rice and goes back for a second helping of stir-fried pork belly. He understands why the pair added mashed potatoes – an unconventional ingredient – to their soya bean paste stew, as it makes for a richer and thicker soup.

Lee is so touched that he even compares Woozi with Paik Jong-won, South Korea’s famed food entrepreneur and judge on the hit reality show Culinary Class Wars (2024).