Singer and actor Park Jihoon has emerged as the ace cook of Gangrimsocho, and The Legend of Kitchen Soldier has risen as a TVING ace.
The TVING original The Legend of Kitchen Soldier has continued its upward ratings trend, delivering big laughs through episode 4, which was released on May 18. It recorded 7.9% nationwide and a peak of 9.1% based on Nielsen Korea's paid TV households, setting a new series high. The metropolitan area household rating also surged to 8.3%, with a peak of 9.9%, and it ranked first across all channels including terrestrial broadcasters.
Also, the channel target 2049 rating ranked first across all channels including terrestrial broadcasters. In addition, TVING's paid subscription contribution also ranked number one overall. In Good Data Corporation's TV-OTT integrated drama buzz ranking for the second week of May (May 11–May 17) released through Fundex, Park Jihoon, who plays the lead Kang Seongjae, ranked first among performers, and the series also ranked first in OTT buzz, continuing its popularity.
In particular, episode 4 of The Legend of Kitchen Soldier delivered big laughs with a succession of so-called "chwiXddenda" flavors of absurdist comedy, popular among drama fans. Earlier, Kang Seongjae, who had been flaunting skills during a lawmaker's visit, collapsed from stamina depletion side effects. But he met his deceased father as if in a game, ate the "seaweed soup of revival" and safely opened his eyes. Thereupon, Kang Seongjae, urged by his father to undergo the hands-on training of a chef — being cut by a knife, burning his hands and so on — rather than relying on game-like skills, reborn as a more sincere cook.
Meanwhile, the pomodoro pollack boneless braise that Kang Seongjae made received praise for turning "Myeongsunjo," which had been the number one disliked school meal, into the best dish. Even the lawmakers and military officers who had come to inspect the poor quality of meals were shown devouring Kang Seongjae's "Myeongsunjo," calling it a "rice thief," which brought laughs.
Kang Seongjae's performance continued at the company dinner. Using a chef's eye to cook the meat perfectly, he raised the soldiers' satisfaction with the dinner to a peak. Thereupon, battalion commander Baek Chunik (played by Jung Woong In) watched Kang Seongjae more closely and even raised the possibility of transferring him to the "officer canteen."
However, platoon leader Jo Yerin (played by a person surnamed Han) opposed the unilateral transfer of Kang Seongjae. With Kang Seongjae now settling into his role as a cook, she expressed concern about transfers without accredited qualifications. In addition, Kang Seongjae created new tension by checking the poor condition of military supply ingredients. When Jo Yerin announced she planned to report it, "military supply corruption" rose as a new narrative in The Legend of Kitchen Soldier.
Meanwhile, at the end of the broadcast, Minah (played by Jeon Soyoung), who came for a K-Defense TV interview, surprised those around her by warmly hugging Kang Seongjae the moment she saw him. This deepened curiosity about a past connection between Kang Seongjae and Minah. <
[Photo] Provided by TVING.
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