BTOB member Lee Changsub has been identified as the grandson of Venerable Seonjae, a master temple cuisine chef who participated in Netflix’s hit cooking competition “Culinary Class Wars 2.”
The venerable Seonjae, a 69-year-old Buddhist monk born in 1956, competes as one of 20 “White Spoon” chefs in the show’s second season, which debuted Dec. 16. He holds the distinction of being the first recognized Korean master of temple cuisine, a culinary tradition rooted in Buddhist principles that emphasizes seasonal vegetables, fermentation and balance while avoiding meat, garlic and strong stimulants, according to First class.
The family bond emerged during Venerable Seonjae’s previous appearance on MBC’s variety program “All Broadcasting in the World.”
“My nephew is also a singer. But even though my nephew is a singer, I don’t know many singers. My nephew is a guy named Lee Changsub from BTOB,” he said. he said.
Changsub, 34, is the lead singer of the boy group BTOB, which debuted in March 2012. Singer born in Suwon studied practical music at Howon University alongside BTOB member Im Hyunsik, gaining admission despite a competitive acceptance rate of 600:1. He launched his solo career in 2017 and released his first full-length album “1991” in October 2024. In addition to music, Changsub established the Chang-Ggo Training Center vocal academy in Suwon in April 2023, where he mentors 130 aspiring idol trainees. After leaving Cube Entertainment in November 2023 following the expiration of his contract, he signed with Fantagio while continuing the BTOB group’s activities.
Venerable Seonjae’s culinary credentials go far beyond family fame. She dedicated decades to promoting temple food beyond the monastery walls, writing the seminal text “A Study of Temple Food Culture” and gaining recognition as a holder of cultural merit.
Her philosophy that “food is medicine” has guided her work as an educator and cultural ambassador. In October 2025, he presented temple cuisine at the APEC CEO Summit Special Banquet in Gyeongju and has lectured internationally, including at Le Cordon Bleu.
“Culinary lesson wars 2” features 100 chefs competing in a class-based format, with 20 established chefs from “White Spoon” facing off against 80 lesser-known challengers from “Black Spoon.” The show’s first season became a global success, topping Netflix’s global Top 10 for three consecutive weeks. Celebrity chef Paik Jong-won and Anh Sung-jae, chef of Korea’s only three-star Michelin restaurant Mosu, return as judges.
