CJ ENM’s Military Cooking Drama Wins International Acclaim and Top Korean Award
The Korean series “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier” gained early recognition at Series Mania in Lille as the only K-drama in the Special Screening section, and later won best drama series at the Fifth Blue Dragon Series Awards on July 31. The 12-episode show, produced by Studio Dragon and released on CJ ENM’s TVING platform, follows a young man who joins the military and becomes an army cook, uncovering secrets as he completes virtual quests. Park Ji-hoon stars as the lead character Kang Seong-jae.
The series earned early validation at France's Series Mania festival, where its Special Screening slot distinguished it among a competitive international lineup. Its subsequent victory at the Blue Dragon Series Awards, a major South Korean television honor, solidified its domestic standing within months of release.
The show blends military service with culinary themes and game-like mechanics, as protagonist Kang Seong-jae navigates virtual quests that gradually expose hidden truths at his base. Park Ji-hoon, known for his idol-to-actor career trajectory, anchors the production, which represents a notable investment by Studio Dragon in genre-mixing storytelling for the TVING platform.
This series' dual recognition abroad and at home could signal growing appetite for genre-blending Korean dramas that defy conventional formats. Its success may encourage studios to experiment with hybrid narratives, potentially expanding the global reach of K-dramas beyond traditional romance and thriller categories. International audiences and streaming platforms could benefit from more diverse Korean content, while the industry may see increased investment in similarly inventive productions.