The year he turned 29, he opened the Chinese restaurant Aryang in the semi-basement of a building in Jeokseon-dong, Jongno District, Seoul. In 2022, he opened the Chinese restaurant Dorang in Seochon. In December 2023, Dorang’s dongpo pork was featured on Sung Si-kyung’s YouTube show Meogeultende.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 39, he appeared in Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars as Self-Made Chef. In episode 5, released on Sept. 24, he faced the White Spoon chef Yeo Kyung-lae one on one and won 2–0. Hankyoreh wrote that the win left an impression on viewers. He was eliminated ahead of the semifinal in episodes 8–10, released on Oct. 1.
The year he turned 40, in March he opened the Chinese restaurant Muingak on an uninhabited island with Yeo Kyung-lae on MBC Pukswimyeon Dahaengiya, and in April he cooked and shared meals in Andong, which had been hit by wildfires. In August, he lived on Somodo island on SBS Seomchonggak Yeongung with Lim Young-woong, Gwedo and Lee Yi-kyung, and in November he performed a duet with a grandmother on MBN Unforgettable Duet. In December, a ready meal made in collaboration with him appeared in Wakebunny’s online store House Mode.
The year he turned 41, in March, Ananti said he would hold a special dinner at its Chinese restaurant Lu in Busan, and in June he introduced onion recipes as the price of onions fell.
In July, he said he had donated 30 million won in jjamppong meal-kit proceeds for young people leaving state care, and on Aug. 13, Dorang joined Babo Nanum-teo. On Sept. 23, he appeared in episode 2 of KBS Superman’s Meal Table as a cooking teacher.
Lim Tae-hoon (born 1985) opened his first Chinese restaurant, Aryang, in Jeokseon-dong, Seoul in 2014, the year he turned 29, and became known on Sep 24, 2024, the year he turned 39, when he beat Yeo Kyung-lae one on one in episode 5 of Culinary Class Wars.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Opened his first Chinese restaurant in a building’s semi-basement. He had three parties of customers on opening day.
Source 01 · News1 (Korean) · Baemin Food Service Conference talk · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · Park Jun-woo and Lim Tae-hoon interview · opens in a new tab The month of opening is not confirmed. Korea Economic Daily says he had run a restaurant in Seochon from the same year.Opened it in Seochon. Its signature dishes are dongpo pork and hot pot.
Source 01 · News1 (Korean) · Baemin Food Service Conference talk · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · Park Jun-woo and Lim Tae-hoon interview · opens in a new tabSource 03 · Money Today (Korean) · Dorang owner-chef interview · opens in a new tab The month of opening is not confirmed. Money Today says it opened in 2021; this page follows the 2022 given by News1 and Korea Economic Daily.Dorang’s dongpo pork was featured. He says it brought him media attention.
Source 04 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · Waiting line at Dorang · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · Park Jun-woo and Lim Tae-hoon interview · opens in a new tab The articles say only last December, so the day is not confirmed.Closed it to focus on Dorang. Aryang’s dishes were made available at Dorang as well.
Source 03 · Money Today (Korean) · Dorang owner-chef interview · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · Park Jun-woo and Lim Tae-hoon interview · opens in a new tab The day is not confirmed. Korea Economic Daily says only that it closed this year.Episodes 1–4 were released. He appeared as a Black Spoon, one of the lesser-known chefs competing under aliases, as Self-Made Chef (Cheolgabang Yorisa in Korean, literally “delivery-box chef”), and served palbo wanja (eight-treasure meatballs) in round 1.
Source 06 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · Culinary Class Wars episodes 5–7 released · opens in a new tabSource 05 · Hankyoreh (Korean) · Culinary Class Wars episodes 8–10 eliminations · opens in a new tabSource 07 · Asia Economy (Korean) · Round 1 palbo wanja · opens in a new tabIn episode 5, competed against the White Spoon chef Yeo Kyung-lae using oxtail and won 2–0 in a blind test. Hankyoreh says the win left an impression on viewers.
Was eliminated at the end of the round 4 restaurant mission, in episodes 8–10. He served dongpo pork in that mission.
Source 05 · Hankyoreh (Korean) · Culinary Class Wars episodes 8–10 eliminations · opens in a new tabSource 03 · Money Today (Korean) · Dorang owner-chef interview · opens in a new tabAppeared as a guest and told behind-the-scenes stories from Culinary Class Wars.
Source 09 · My Daily (Korean) · Cultwo Show · opens in a new tabThe actor Baek Seong-hyun visited Lim’s kitchen to learn Chinese cooking. The episode showed Lim teaching sweet-and-sour pork and jajangmyeon.
Source 10 · Star News (Korean) · Same Bed, Different Dreams 2, Baek Seong-hyun · opens in a new tabTook a food trip to Mokpo with Heebab.
Source 11 · Newsen (Korean) · Jun Hyun-moo Plan 2 · opens in a new tabAppeared as a homeroom chef. The four homeroom chefs were Kim Min-seong, David Lee, Lim Tae-hoon and Yoon Nam-no.
Source 12 · Joy News 24 (Korean) · Chef Paik & Les Miserables · opens in a new tabThe product uses Dorang’s signature dish, gochujapchae (a pepper and pork stir-fry). A consumer-vote event was held alongside chef Jung Ji-sun’s steamed bun.
Source 13 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · Samlip Chinese-style steamed buns · opens in a new tab Based on the article date; the release date is not in the article.The broadcast showed Jung Ji-sun visiting Lim’s restaurant.
Source 14 · OSEN (Korean) · Boss in the Mirror · opens in a new tabGave a talk at an event held at COEX in Seoul on the story of how he grew as Self-Made Chef.
Source 01 · News1 (Korean) · Baemin Food Service Conference talk · opens in a new tabSource 15 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Baemin Food Service Conference · opens in a new tab Articles give the year in the event’s name as both 2024 and 2025.Appeared in the segment in which he opened the Chinese restaurant Muingak on an uninhabited island with Yeo Kyung-lae.
Source 16 · KBS Entertainment (Korean) · Pukswimyeon Dahaengiya · opens in a new tabCooked and shared meals in Andong for people displaced by the wildfires in northeastern North Gyeongsang Province.
Source 17 · Newsis (Korean) · Volunteering at a free meal site in Andong · opens in a new tabSource 18 · Maeil Shinmun (Korean) · 1,000 meals in Andong · opens in a new tabSent additional meals to residents of Giran-myeon. The meals were delivered to 44 village halls.
Source 18 · Maeil Shinmun (Korean) · 1,000 meals in Andong · opens in a new tabLived on Somodo island in Wando County, South Jeolla Province, with Lim Young-woong, Gwedo and Lee Yi-kyung.
Source 19 · News1 (Korean) · Seomchonggak Yeongung premieres · opens in a new tabAppeared in episode 4 and performed a duet with a grandmother.
Source 20 · Sports Kyunghyang (Korean) · Unforgettable Duet · opens in a new tabSource 28 · Topstar News (Korean) · Unforgettable Duet preview · opens in a new tab His birth year follows Topstar News, which introduced the broadcast and said he was born in 1985.Taught the actor Sunwoo Yong-nyeo a secret recipe together with chef Fabri, and brought dongpo pork.
Source 21 · Newsen (Korean) · Yongyeo Hankki, episode 1 · opens in a new tabWakebunny opened its online store House Mode and presented a ready meal made in collaboration with Lim Tae-hoon.
Source 22 · Money Today (Korean) · House Mode launch · opens in a new tab Based on the article date.Ananti said he would hold a seven-course special dinner over two days, the 26th and 27th.
Source 23 · Financial News (Korean) · Ananti special dinner · opens in a new tab Based on the announcement date; the event itself was not confirmed.With the price of onions down more than 40% from five months earlier, he introduced onion recipes together with other chefs.
Source 24 · Channel A (Korean) · Onion price drop · opens in a new tabSaid he had donated 30 million won for young people preparing to live independently after leaving state care. He had promised it in January on his YouTube channel Cheolgabang Yorisa.
Source 25 · Sportsworld (Korean) · 30 million won donation for young people leaving care · opens in a new tabSource 26 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Joining Babo Nanum-teo · opens in a new tab The recipient organization differs by article. Sportsworld says Dolgo Donation, and Dong-A Ilbo says Babo Nanum.Dorang joined a merchants’ donation campaign run by Babo Nanum. Under the campaign, part of a business’s profits goes to support neighbors.
Source 26 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Joining Babo Nanum-teo · opens in a new tabAppeared as the second cooking teacher for the children on the show.
Source 27 · OSEN (Korean) · Superman’s Meal Table, episode 2 · opens in a new tab Released on the YouTube channel Syudol.END OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 2014–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
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Food · South Korea
1985 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1985: the year of the event minus 1985, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.10.03 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.