Amid the weekend drama showdown led by Kim Ji-won and Kim Yoo-jung, JTBC’s “Final Table,” starring Ahn Hyo-seop, has entered the competition. Combining a familiar cooking competition format with a heartwarming family story, the drama is drawing attention over whether it can make its mark in the fiercely competitive weekend television market. The first episode of “Final Table,” which aired on Oct. 24, follows Korean chefs from around the world as they gather for "The Table: K-Chef 2026," a fictional competition to select the best Korean chef. The drama’s use of a cooking competition, a genre that has consistently attracted viewers, as its central premise makes it both familiar and fresh. Directed by Kim Do-hoon, who previously helmed “The Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Royal Family,” the series stars Ahn Hyo-seop, Hong Hwa-yeon, Jang Ryul, Jung Yoo-jin and Cha Ji-yeon. The first episode introduced Choi Song-yi (Hong Hwa-yeon), who is devastated by the sudden death of her father, Choi Seung-hyo, the owner and head chef of Familia, and her first encounter with culinary p