Park Ji-hoon’s transformation from the “dethroned prince” image into a military uniform is quickly resonating with viewers. tvN’s Monday-Tuesday drama “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier” continued its upward momentum with a new ratings high in just its second episode.
According to Nielsen Korea, episode 2 of “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier,” which aired on May 12, recorded 6.2 percent nationwide viewership, up 0.4 percentage points from its premiere episode’s 5.8 percent. The drama also ranked No. 1 in paid subscription contribution on TVING during the two days following the release of episodes 1 and 2.
In the latest episode, military cook Kang Sung-jae (Park Ji-hoon) faced another crisis after his “Path of the Chef” progression was suddenly interrupted. Although battalion commander Baek Chun-ik (Jung Woong-in) was hospitalized after eating sea urchin seaweed soup, it was later revealed that a perilla allergy caused the incident, allowing Sung-jae to narrowly avoid disaster.
However, the aftermath created a different problem. After completing his first official dish, Sung-jae unlocked a new “favorability check” skill, only to discover that many soldiers in the unit had developed unusually high dislike levels toward him after the chaos surrounding the incident.
The situation worsened when a sudden advancement quest appeared, forcing Sung-jae to complete multiple missions within 72 hours in order to maintain his “Chef Path” abilities. One of the conditions required him to raise Captain Hwang Seok-ho’s (Lee Sang-yi) favorability score above 50, placing additional pressure on the rookie cook.
At the same time, Hwang Seok-ho quietly pushed Sung-jae toward reassignment, viewing the unpredictable soldier as a risk to maintaining a peaceful military environment. Even after arranging a counseling session, the captain continued encouraging him to consider a different position within the unit.
But Sung-jae ultimately reaffirmed his desire to remain in the kitchen after recalling memories of his father, who once operated a restaurant. His determination was first recognized by senior cook Yoon Dong-hyun (Lee Hong-nae), who openly supported Sung-jae’s place in the unit and appealed to platoon leader Jo Ye-rin (Han Dong-hee) on his behalf.
Believing that sincere cooking could change hearts, Sung-jae and Yoon Dong-hyun prepared tonkatsu in an attempt to persuade Hwang Seok-ho. The completed dish looked convincing enough to guarantee success, but the plan collapsed instantly when Hwang casually admitted, “I don’t really like tonkatsu.” The failed mission notification that followed added another setback to Sung-jae’s increasingly difficult journey.
The episode ended with a mysterious figure collapsing on a dark beach, signaling that another major incident is about to hit Gangrim Outpost. As Kang Sung-jae’s struggles deepen, expectations surrounding the drama’s rapid rise continue to grow.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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