BTOB member Lee Changsub has been identified as the nephew of Venerable Seonjae, a master temple cuisine chef competing in Netflix's hit cooking competition "Culinary Class Wars 2."
Venerable Seonjae, a 69-year-old Buddhist monk born in 1956, is competing as one of the 20 "White Spoon" chefs in the show's second season, which premiered on Dec. 16. She holds the distinction of being Korea's first recognized 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, per First Classe.
The family connection surfaced during Venerable Seonjae's previous appearance on the MBC 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 very many singers. My nephew is a fellow named Lee Changsub in BTOB," she said.
Changsub, 34, serves as the lead vocalist of the boy group BTOB, which debuted in March 2012. The Suwon-born singer studied Practical Music at Howon University alongside BTOB member Im Hyunsik, gaining admission despite a competitive 600:1 acceptance rate. He launched his solo career in 2017 and released his first full-length album "1991" in October 2024. Beyond music, Changsub established the Chang-Ggo Training Centre vocal academy in Suwon in April 2023, where he mentors 130 aspiring idol trainees. After departing Cube Entertainment in November 2023 following contract expiration, he signed with Fantagio while continuing BTOB group activities.
Venerable Seonjae's culinary credentials extend far beyond family fame. She has dedicated decades to advancing temple food beyond monastery walls, authoring the foundational text "A Study of Temple Food Culture" and earning 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, she presented temple cuisine at the APEC CEO Summit special banquet in Gyeongju and lectured internationally, including at Le Cordon Bleu.
"Culinary Class Wars 2" features 100 chefs competing in a class-based format, with 20 established "White Spoon" chefs facing off against 80 lesser-known "Black Spoon" challengers. The show's first season became a global sensation, topping Netflix's Global Top 10 list for three consecutive weeks. Celebrity chef Paik Jong-won and Anh Sung-jae, chef of Korea's only three-Michelin-star restaurant Mosu, return as judges.
