HBO Max’s 12-Part Fantasy Series Is Surging Ahead of the Finale

By now, it’s no secret that Korean dramas and TV shows can quickly gain traction with their audience. From Squid Game to Queen of Tears, these are TV shows that not only impress viewers and critics alike with their production, directing and acting, but can surge in the streaming charts and have audiences in the millions time and time again. Most recently, that has been the case for CJ ENM’s newest series, The Legend of Kitchen Soldier.

The series, which premiered on May 11, has been steadily climbing the charts since its release. On South Korea’s leading streaming platform TVING, the series has ranked No. 1 for two consecutive weeks, earning a whopping 121.26 million views within its first week. The series is also streaming on HBO Max in 17 countries and regions in Asia-Pacific and has gone on to become the #11 series worldwide, per FlixPatrol, reaching No. 1 in Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, and many others. So, as the finale of the 12-episode series quickly approaches on June 16, the series is quickly establishing itself as an all-out streaming sensation.

What Is ‘The Legend of Kitchen Soldier’ About?

Based on J Robin’s popular web novel Kitchen Soldier, The Legend of Kitchen Soldier tells the story of Kang Seong-jae (Park Ji-hoon), a poor kid who just recently lost his father and joins the army to escape his grief and distract himself from the loss. He’s then assigned to the Ganglim Outpost, where he most notably works with Sergeant First Class Park Jae-young (Yoon Kyung-ho), Lieutenant First Class Cho Ye-rin (Han Dong-hee), and the incompetent military cook in charge, Yoon Dong-hyeon (Lee Hong-nae). Despite giving it his all during basic training, and becoming one of the top trainees in boot camp, Seong-jae gets assigned to the kitchen staff because of his complicated mental state.

In the kitchen, however, is where the series takes its fantasy turn. Seong-jae receives a message from a mysterious virtual screen that assigns him to cook for his fellow soldiers. He’s then elevated to star chef on the base, earning praise from his fellow soldiers and staff, and leading him onto a fantastical path. As he continues cooking for his soldiers, Seong-jae gets pulled into conflicts, conspiracies, and martial arts battles while using both his combat skills and his cooking talent to survive and help others. The cast also features Lee Sang-yi as Captain Hwang Seok-ho, Kang Ha-kyung as Corporal Kim Gwan-cheol, Kang Jun-kyu as Joo Sang-wook, Lee Sang-jun as Cha Seung-woo, Im Ji-ho as Tak Mun-ik, Han Min as Captain Lee Min-gu, and Jung Woong-in as Lieutenant Colonel Baek Chun-ik.

‘The Legend of Kitchen Soldier’ Breaks the K-Drama Mold

From the premise alone, it’s clear that The Legend of Kitchen Soldier blends various genres into one, and that’s exactly what makes it stand out in streaming. Instead of sticking to a somber and realistic military drama, or going all out into the fantasy world, the series blends the genres of comedy, fantasy, and action, all into one. So, while Seong-jae is very much a soldier in a very regimented and disciplined military life, his cooking unlocks a mysterious system that assigns him quests and rewards that feel inspired by gaming. The food itself also becomes a central plot point to the series. Rather than treating cooking as a background detail, the drama uses meals to drive character development, solve problems, and strengthen relationships between soldiers.

The genre-bending nature of the series, therefore, was not only a major factor in its success, but was a risk taken by CJ ENM when making it. “One of the most appealing aspects of The Legend of Kitchen Soldier is the way it successfully harmonizes multiple genres – K-food, fantasy, and comedy – while bringing its unique cast of characters to life,” Sebastian Kim, Head of Content Business Unit at CJ ENM, told Forbes. “Unlike conventional romantic comedy series, the show delivers genuine laughter through unexpected and imaginative comedic moments. The series serves as a strong example of how K-dramas can expand beyond traditional romantic comedy formats and explore fresh, genre-blending storytelling.”

With all that said, it’s perhaps no surprise that The Legend of Kitchen Soldier has reached a soft spot for viewers and risen so quickly in the streaming charts. With an exciting mix of high-octane action, laugh-out-loud comedy, and tender moments about an underdog hero, the series appeals to every type of viewer, and carves a whole new subgenre space for itself in the K-drama universe.

Release Date

May 11, 2026

Network

TVING

Directors

Jo Nam-hyung

Writers

최룡

Cast

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  Yoon Kyung-ho

  Park Jae-young

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  Park Ji-hoon

  Kang Seong-jae

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  Lee Hong-nae

  Yoon Dong-hyeon