Park Ji-hoon trades royal robes for a chef’s jacket in this military cooking fantasy series based on a popular webtoon.
The upcoming Korean drama The Legend of Kitchen Soldier has locked in its premiere date. The show will arrive on May 11, 2026, airing at 8:50 p.m. KST on both TVING and tvN. The series takes over the Monday-Tuesday slot following Yumi’s Cells 3.
This military mess hall comedy drama follows an army cook who gives up his rifle for a kitchen knife. The story comes from a well-known web novel and webtoon, mixing comedy with fantasy elements inside a military setting.
Park Ji-hoon Leads as a Problem Soldier Turned Kitchen Legend
Park Ji-hoon plays Kang Sung Jae, a private who gets labeled as a “problem soldier” at the Gangrim Outpost. He was once the top trainee during basic training. But things changed, and he became a soldier everyone worried about.
One day, a mysterious hologram screen pops up before him. The screen reads, “Welcome, hero. Your journey as a cook begins now.” This quest system works like a video game. Each task he completes makes his cooking skills better.
Kang Sung Jae comes from a poor background and was raised by a single father. He joins the military to escape his tough life. His father ran a food truck business, so cooking comes naturally to him. The army places him in the kitchen unit, where his journey to becoming a legendary cook begins.
Full Cast and Production Team Behind the Series
The drama brings together a solid group of actors. Here is the main cast:
- Yoon Kyung Ho plays Sergeant First Class Park Jae Young
- Lee Sang Yi takes on a supporting role
- Jung Woong In joins as another key character
- Han Dong Hee portrays First Lieutenant Jo Ye Rin
- Lee Hong Nae plays military cook Yoon Dong Hyeon
Jo Nam Hyeong directs the series. He previously worked on popular dramas like Tale of the Nine Tailed (2020) and A Superior Day (2022). Choi Ryong wrote the screenplay, adapting it from the webcomic created by J Robin and Lee Jin Su.
Studio Dragon produced the show, working together with Studio N. The series has 12 episodes and has already finished filming.
International Recognition Before Korean Premiere
The Legend of Kitchen Soldier got invited to Series Mania 2026 in Lille, France. The festival ran from March 20 to 27. The drama was the only Korean content selected for a special screening in the non-competitive section.
Festival programmers liked the show’s creative approach. They praised Park Ji-hoon‘s acting performance. The series also showed at the London TV Screenings, where CJ ENM presented it to international buyers.
Sebastian Kim, Head of the Content Distribution Business Unit at CJ ENM, shared the company’s goal for the series:
“We hope to use this screening to open opportunities for the series to reach viewers through international streaming platforms and TV channels.”
Streaming and Broadcast Details for Global Audiences
The drama will air at the same time on both platforms. This dual release strategy is rare. Most TVING originals that later air on tvN get released early on streaming first. The Legend of Kitchen Soldier skips that early release and goes straight to both platforms together.
For viewers outside Korea, here is what to expect:
United States: The show airs early morning on May 11 (around 7:50 a.m. ET / 4:50 a.m. PT)
United Kingdom: Viewers can watch around 12:50 p.m. BST on May 11
India: The broadcast time falls near 5:20 p.m. IST on May 11
Australia: The show airs late evening on May 11 (around 9:50 p.m. AEST)
International streaming platforms have not been announced yet. But given CJ ENM’s global distribution push, the series will likely appear on major services soon after the Korean broadcast.
Also Read:
Park Ji-hoon’s Rising Star Power After The King’s Warden
Park Ji-hoon comes to this drama with big momentum. His historical film The King’s Warden crossed 16 million moviegoers as of April 7, 2026. The movie became a massive box office hit in Korea.
Fans know Park from his role in Weak Hero Class 1, where he played a tough high school student dealing with bullying. That show earned him critical praise. Now he moves from serious action to military comedy. The shift shows his range as an actor.
The former Wanna One member continues to build his acting career carefully. Each new project brings a different character. From a royal prince in The King’s Warden to a bullied student in Weak Hero Class 1, and now a cooking soldier, Park keeps audiences guessing about his next move.
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