Park Ji Hoon’s new military drama The Legend of Kitchen Soldier is already off to a strong start.
The TVING original series premiered May 11th on both TVING and tvN, blending military life, fantasy-game elements and dark comedy into one of the network’s strongest debuts of the year.
Episode one follows Kang Sung Jae (Park Ji Hoon), a troubled recruit assigned to Gangrim Outpost after struggling with grief and depression following his father’s death.
Though initially mistaken for an elite soldier, Sung Jae is quickly revealed to be a “soldier under special observation,” putting his superiors on edge. He’s eventually assigned to the kitchen unit, where he begins working alongside veteran soldier Yoon Dong Hyun (Lee Hong Nae).
Things take a strange turn when a mysterious game-like status window suddenly appears before Sung Jae — visible only to him. As he starts adapting to the bizarre system, he unlocks a skill called “Chef’s Eye,” helping him organize the kitchen flawlessly and survive a surprise inspection.
The drama’s RPG-style “level up” setup quickly became one of the episode’s biggest hooks, mixing emotional character growth with game-quest fun.
The premiere ended on a shocking cliffhanger after battalion commander Baek Chun Ik (Jung Woong In) suddenly collapsed after tasting Sung Jae’s special seaweed soup made with hidden sea urchin roe.
Park Ji Hoon’s performance also drew praise, with viewers spotlighting how convincingly he balanced Sung Jae’s emotional vulnerability and determination.
According to Nielsen Korea, the premiere recorded 5.8% nationwide among paid-platform households, making it the highest-rated tvN Monday-Tuesday drama premiere of 2026 so far. The series also surpassed the highest ratings achieved by Yumi’s Cells Season 3 during its tvN run.
With strong early buzz and a dramatic first episode, The Legend of Kitchen Soldier is already shaping up to be one of tvN’s biggest breakout hits of the year.
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