Actor Park Ji-hoon / Courtesy of YY Entertainment
After captivating audiences in the blockbuster historical film "The King’s Warden," actor Park Ji-hoon is breaking records once again — this time, in a completely different genre.
Starring in Tving’s original comedy series "The Legend of Kitchen Soldier," Park has swapped intense period drama for the playful world of B-grade humor, proving his incredible range as a performer.
"I think the strength of our show lies in how relaxing it is," Park shared during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Tuesday. In a sea of heavy, high-stress thrillers, his new project offers viewers a chance to unwind. "It’s light, comfortable to watch and has a breezy, flexible storyline rather than a tight, stressful one."
Based on a popular webtoon, the military-cooking-fantasy drama follows Seong-jae, who knows absolutely nothing about cooking. His life turns upside down when a cooking game window for "Guardian" — visible and audible only to him —suddenly appears. By clearing various quests to revive failing dishes, he eventually grows into a legendary military chef.
Park Ji-hoon is seen in a scene from Tving's comic fantasy drama "The Legend of Kitchen Soldier." Courte of Tving
In Monday's episode, Seong-jae wins over a corporal who dislikes him by serving up a hamburger. Reflecting on the lively atmosphere on set, Park said it was actually more fun to ad-lib and add extra flesh to the scenes.
"Originally, the script only noted one or two instances of delivering the hamburger. But I suggested on set that Seong-jae should keep bringing it over and over, pleading, 'Please, just try it once.' Also, the blindfolded tasting scene — which parodied "Culinary Class Wars" — was an idea brought up by actor Yoon Kyung-ho," he explained.
A major highlight of the series is how Seong-jae's comrades react when tasting his food. Their reactions evoke the hilariously exaggerated style of classic cooking manga: Seong-jae plays a pork rib like a flute, charges into an imaginary battle holding bean sprouts like a rifle, and a North Korean defector suddenly transforms into a rockstar to sing the praises of Seong-jae’s pork cutlets.
Scenes from Tving original series "The Legend of Kitchen Soldier" / Courtesy of Tving
Source: Korea Times News
