| Native Name: |
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| Num Episodes: | 44 | ||||||
| Network: | tvN | ||||||
| Num Seasons: | 2 | ||||||
| Language: | Korean | ||||||
| Country: | South Korea | ||||||
| Starring: | ----
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| Executive Producer: | Park Hee-yeon | ||||||
| Producer: | Lee Woo-hyung Shin Chan-yang | ||||||
| Genre: | Cooking Travel |
The Backpacker Chef, Also known as Backpacker, is a South Korean variety program that airs on tvN.[1]
Season 1 aired on Thursdays at 20:40 (KST) from May 26 till October 6, 2022, for 20 episodes. It starred Baek Jong-won, Oh Dae-hwan, Ahn Bo-hyun and DinDin.[2]
Season 2 is currently airing on Sundays at 19:40 (KST) from May 26 to November 10, 2024. For this season, Baek Jong-won and Ahn Bo-hyun returns, together with new cast members Lee Soo-geun, Heo Kyung-hwan and Go Kyung-pyo.[3]
The Backpacker Chef is a cooking entertainment program that challenges the extreme mission of improvising a customized food within a limited time in an unfamiliar place to the customer. Cast members leave with only one backpack containing a variety of kitchen tools and ingredients, and present instant catering for unfamiliar guests at the venue of the day.[4]
In the first season, Backpacker Chefs went on 18 different business trips and cooked for 3078 people, preparing more than 100 different dishes.[5]
| Season | width=300 | Air date | width=300 | Airtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 26 — October 6, 2022 | Thursdays at 20:40 (KST) | ||
| 2 | May 26 — November 10, 2024 | Sundays at 19:40 (KST) | ||
| Location | Mission | Guest appearance | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 26, 2022 | Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do | Unlimited fast food to a wrestling club made up of 22 elementary, middle, and high school students < | -- of Chilbo High School--> | [6] |
| 2 | June 2, 2022 | Byeonsan, Jeollabuk-do | A vegetarian meal to 20–30 people who visit Wolmyeon-am | [7] | |
| 3 | June 9, 2022 | Meteorology 1 in the middle of Yellow Sea | Multinational party dishes for 17 employees of the meteorological ship of Korea Meteorological Administration | [8] | |
| 4 | June 16, 2022 | Pocheon, Gyeonggi-do | A dinner for 300 people of artillery brigade at the Pocheon military base 10 lunchboxes for soldiers training the mountains | [9] | |
| 5 | June 23, 2022 | Paju, Gyeonggi-do | A dinner for 400 members of the 1st Infantry Division, Ilwolseong Battalion | Kim Dong-jun | [10] |
| 6 | June 30, 2022 | Jeju Island | Pork course dishes for a group made up of 15 of haenyeo | [11] | |
| 7 | July 7, 2022 | 50 servings of healthy course meals for the Jeju United FC football team | [12] | ||
| 8 | July 14, 2022 | Camp Humphreys | Korean snacks for 15 drill instructors of US Army and KATUSA | Young K (Day6) & Fabrizio Ferrari | [13] |
| 9 | July 21, 2022 | Korean food for lunch of 500 US and KATUSA soldiers < | -- DO NOT PUT ALONGSIDE WITH EP. 8 --> | [14] | |
| 10 | July 28, 2022 | Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do | A cool summer dinner for 250 trainees at Fire Fighters' Academy | [15] | |
| 11 | August 4, 2022 | A low-sugar, low-salt lunch for 32 children at Seobuk-gu Police Station day care center An afternoon snack for the same children later | [16] | ||
| 12 | August 11, 2022 | Seoul Grand Park | A hot meal for 120 zookeepers A summer snack for 4 elephants | Andy (Shinhwa) | [17] |
| 13 | August 18, 2022 | Gyeongbuk Correctional Institution | High protein, high calorie, and high fat lunch for 200 prison guards | Lee Ho-cheol | [18] |
| 14 | August 25, 2022 | Yeongdam, Busan | Cheat day meals for 150 athletic students at Busan Sports High School | Fabrizio Ferrari | [19] |
| 15 | September 1, 2022 | Jinhae Naval Base | Fusion Korean food for 120 sailors of ROKS Hansando | [20] | |
| 16 | September 8, 2022 | Yecheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do | MZ food for 27 elderly female painters at Shinpoong-ri Painting School | [21] [22] | |
| 17 | September 15, 2022 | Ganghwado | Western, Chinese, and Japanese food for 280 students at Chef High School | Fabrizio Ferrari | [23] [24] |
| 18 | September 22, 2022 | Goyang, Gyeonggi-do | Superfood for 150 staff members of the operation room of National Cancer Hospital | Yang Se-hyung | [25] |
| 19 | September 29, 2022 | Yuseong-gu, Daejeon | College food for the 330 cadets at Armed Forces Nursing Academy | Fabrizio Ferrari & Heo Kyung-hwan | [26] |
| 20 | October 6, 2022 | Wonju, Gangwon-do | Camping food for cast members themselves who go on a healing camping trip as a reward vacation | [27] | |
| Location | Mission | Guest appearance | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 26, 2024 | Mageum-ri, Taean, Chungcheongnam-do | Clam cuisine for workers of a clam fishing village, and their families | ||
| 2 | June 2, 2024 | Republic of Korea Air Force Headquarter in Gyeryong-si, Chungcheongnam-do | "Dinner Show, Western Food, and Cooking Performance" for 100 people | Lee Do-hyun | |
| 3 | June 9, 2024 | Jincheon National Training Center | "Special meal" and "Paik Jong Won Street" for 500 people | Fabrizio Ferrari & Miyeon ((G)I-dle) | |
| 4 | June 16, 2024 | Gyechon Elementary School | "Music is classical" and "Taste is latest style spicy tteokbokki" for 44 people | DinDin | |
| 5 | June 23, 2024 | Mount Baegun, Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do | "Cold Food" and "Quick Delivery" for 120 soldiers at the "1000m above sea level". | ||
| 6 | June 30, 2024 | Hwaseong Fire Station in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do | "Taste good even if you eat it later", "Easy to digest", and "Strongest nutritious food" for 110 firefighters during the Merit Reward Month. | ||
| 7 | July 7, 2024 | Incheon International Airport | "Feeling good, Tasty and Resort food" from famous holiday place (Hawaii, Ganmun-ri, Jeollanam-do, Bali, Da Nang, Maldives, Okinawa, Hainan, and Boracay) for 300 Airport Workers during the busiest Holiday month. | Bomi | |
| 8 | July 14, 2024 | National Institute of Ecology (NIE) | "Cities" and "Summer seasonal food" for 200 NIE Staff. | Kang Han-na | |
| 9 | July 21, 2024 | Incheon National Maritime High School | Turned the bad school foods with Baek Jong-won's magic into good food for 230 Students. | Hyojung (Oh My Girl) | |
| 10 | July 28, 2024 | Geumsu Culture and Art Village | Cook traditional korean foods for 35 Geumsu village elders. | ||
| 11 | August 11, 2024 | National Archives of Korea | Cook the lost dishes that were originally popular in the past to 310 National Archives Korea staff. | Seohyun (Girls' Generation) | |
| 12 | August 18, 2024 | Metropolitan Railway Vehicle Maintenance Workshop in Gyeonggi-do, Goyang-si | Cook Signature dishes from places that KTX visited for 180 workers. | Yuri (Girls' Generation) | |
| 13 | August 25, 2024 | Arisu Water Purification Center, Gangbuk-gu, South Korea | "Rainy season, typhoon, stay away", "Taste that goes through fire and water" and "Number of people for drinking water is 3.5 million" for 100 workers. | Cho Kyu-hyun (Super Junior) | |
| 14 | September 1, 2024 | National Forensic Service, Gangwon-do, Wonju-si | "Find a flavor solution" "Endorphin explosion" and "Adrenaline detected at the location" for 140 workers. | ||
| 15 | September 8, 2024 | Korea Expressway Corporation, Gimcheon-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do | "An important stop on the way home", “The flavor that started it, Chestnut, Geobong Wine, Chun Hyang”, for 120 employees. | ||
| 16 | September 15, 2024 | Midong Elementary School, Taebaek-si, Gangwon-do | "Tornado Kick, "Knifehand Strike" and "Hammer Smash" for 28 Students of the first children Taekwondo Demonstraion team before the National Liberation Day of Korea event. | ||
| 17 | September 22, 2024 | National Theater of Korea | "Multiple Toppings at once" and "Harmonious Meal" For 170 National Theater Workers. | Soyou | |
| 18 | September 29, 2024 | Korea Aerospace Industries | "Stomach Booster", "GO Capacity, GO Calories", and "High Fast Food" for 200 Workers. | Jang Ye-won & DinDin | |
| 19 | October 6, 2024 | Republic of Korea 1st Special Forces Brigade Headquarter | Cook the high quality fresh foods to the unit before going for the 1,000-Ri March. | Kwon Eun-bi | |
| 20 | October 13, 2024 | Gwangju Women's University, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju | Cook the $1 breakfast for 120 college students with just $120. | ||
| 21 | October 20, 2024 | Daegu Agricultural Meister High School, Suseong-gu, Daegu | "Harvest Season" and "100% self-sufficient" for 240 People. | Seok Matthew & Fabrizio Ferrari | |
| 22 | October 27, 2024 | Cheongju Post Office | "Breaking from Eating Alone Today" and "An Order for 4 or More People" for 84 Post Office Worker | Kim Min-jong | |
| 23 | November 3, 2024 | Gwanak Police Station, Gwanak-gu, Seoul | "A meal that call for rice" for 140 Police Officer | ||
| 24 | November 10, 2024 | Youth Meal Mungan, Sinchon-dong, Seoul | "House Cook Master Paik" and "Kimchi's Transformation is Innocent" for 100 people. | ||
| Original broadcast date | Average audience share (Nielsen Korea)[29] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | Seoul | |||
| 1 | May 26, 2022 | 3.853% | 3.810% | |
| 2 | June 2, 2022 | |||
| 3 | June 9, 2022 | 3.223% | 3.238% | |
| 4 | June 16, 2022 | 4.727% | 4.435% | |
| 5 | June 23, 2022 | 5.333% | 5.266% | |
| 6 | June 30, 2022 | 4.236% | 4.295% | |
| 7 | July 7, 2022 | 3.707% | 4.146% | |
| 8 | July 14, 2022 | 4.171% | 4.111% | |
| 9 | July 21, 2022 | 4.275% | 4.331% | |
| 10 | July 28, 2022 | 4.056% | 3.985% | |
| 11 | August 4, 2022 | 3.319% | 3.564% | |
| 12 | August 11, 2022 | 3.275% | 3.246% | |
| 13 | August 18, 2022 | 3.879% | 4.146% | |
| 14 | August 25, 2022 | 4.636% | 4.766% | |
| 15 | September 1, 2022 | 4.839% | 4.598% | |
| 16 | September 8, 2022 | 3.748% | 3.697% | |
| 17 | September 15, 2022 | 4.539% | 4.757% | |
| 18 | September 22, 2022 | 4.175% | 4.094% | |
| 19 | September 29, 2022 | 4.979% | 4.786% | |
| 20 | October 6, 2022 | 3.946% | 4.068% | |
| 1 | May 26, 2024 | 4.895% | 5.435% | |
| 2 | June 2, 2024 | 4.621% | 5.075% | |
| 3 | June 9, 2024 | 4.839% | 5.473% | |
| 4 | June 16, 2024 | 4.790% | 5.950% | |
| 5 | June 23, 2024 | 5.192% | 4.843% | |
| 6 | June 30, 2024 | 4.291% | 4.631% | |
| 7 | July 7, 2024 | 5.320% | 5.785% | |
| 8 | July 14, 2024 | 4.790% | 4.807% | |
| 9 | July 21, 2024 | 4.857% | 5.509% | |
| 10 | July 28, 2024 | 5.312% | 6.117% | |
| 11 | August 11, 2024 | 3.742% | 4.112% | |
| 12 | August 18, 2024 | 4.298% | 4.693% | |
| 13 | August 25, 2024 | 4.533% | 4.879% | |
| 14 | September 1, 2024 | 4.949% | 4.952% | |
| 15 | September 8, 2024 | 5.251% | 5.897% | |
| 16 | September 15, 2024 | 4.012% | 4.174% | |
| 17 | September 22, 2024 | 4.885% | 5.643% | |
| 18 | September 29, 2024 | 5.270% | 5.476% | |
| 19 | October 6, 2024 | 6.109% | 6.674% | |
| 20 | October 13, 2024 | 5.561% | 6.674% | |
| 21 | October 20, 2024 | 6.125% | ||
| 22 | October 27, 2024 | 5.341% | 5.903% | |
| 23 | November 3, 2024 | 5.383% | 5.908% | |
| 24 | November 10, 2024 | 6.714% | ||