2026 has brought us many dramas and films which have set records. From historical movies to horror ones, 2026 has seen a shift within the reception of dramas and films across genres. Park Ji-hoon has actually proven to be a breakout star of 2026, with a record-breaking film in the primary half. The actor is back with an emotional drama, The Legend of Kitchen Soldier, which continues to set recent records with each episode.
The Legend of Kitchen Soldier premiered on May 11, 2026, on TVN in South Korea and on Viki for international audiences. No person predicted that inside two weeks it could rise to 10 percent rankings, rank among the many top-paid subscription services on TVING, and earn an invite to Europe’s biggest TV festival.
The Legend of Kitchen Soldier Plot
The 12-episode drama is directed by Cho Nam-hyung (of the Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 fame). The Legend of Kitchen Soldier is tailored from a preferred web novel and webtoon of the identical name. The story follows Kang Sung-jae, a grieving, emotionally withdrawn young man who’s conscripted into military service and assigned to the kitchen unit at a distant outpost. What begins as comedy step by step accumulates emotional weight, and the show’s ability to handle each registers without losing its footing has develop into its defining quality.
How did The Legend of Kitchen Soldier Perform?
Allkpop reported that Episodes 1 and a pair of of The Legend of Kitchen Soldier (released on May 11 & 12) achieved nationwide average rankings of 5.8% and 6.2%, respectively, making the drama a recipient of the very best premiere figures for a Monday-Tuesday drama on TVN (in South Korea) in 2026 thus far. This figure is greater than triple the rankings achieved by Yumi’s Cells in the identical slot. The numbers climbed every week. By episodes 3 and 4 (released on May 18 & 19), the show had topped TVING’s paid subscription contribution rankings, allkpop reported. Allkpop reported that Episode 4 also ranked No. 1 amongst all channels in the important thing 20–49 demographic on tvN.
The pace accelerated with episodes 5 and 6, which were released on May 25 & 26, respectively. In keeping with Allkpop’s report, episode 5 recorded a nationwide average of seven.9%, peaking at 9.7%, and a metropolitan average of 8.8%, peaking at 10.8%, which is a brand new personal best for the series. Episode 5 also surpassed Scarecrow’s rankings for the primary time. In keeping with allkpop, Episode 6 continued the momentum, leading overall paid subscription contributions on TVING for the two-day release period.
Park Ji Hoon’s The Legend of Kitchen Soldier Reaches Europe
The show’s reach prolonged beyond Asia when it was chosen because the only special screening invitation within the non-competitive section at Series Mania 2026, Europe’s largest television series festival, which was held in Lille, France. Festival organizers described it as “a rare and memorable work that uses daring visual style and unique wit to depict a surreal journey toward discovering resilience amid the ruins of loss.” They added: “Above all, Park Ji-hoon’s performance at the middle of the drama is astonishing and deeply moving.”
The Legend of Kitchen Soldier Episode Schedule
The Legend of Kitchen Soldier airs on Monday and Tuesday. Viewers can watch the show on Viki and HBO Max. The whole episode release schedule for The Legend of Kitchen Soldier is as follows:
- Episodes 1 & 2: Monday, May 11 & Tuesday, May 12, 2026
- Episodes 3 & 4: Monday, May 18 & Tuesday, May 19, 2026
- Episodes 5 & 6: Monday, May 25 & Tuesday, May 26, 2026
- Episodes 7 & 8: Monday, June 1 & Tuesday, June 2, 2026
- Episodes 9 & 10: Monday, June 8 & Tuesday, June 9, 2026
- Episodes 11 & 12: Monday, June 15 & Tuesday, June 16, 2026
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