[Exclusive] ‘Becoming a Legendary Cook’ Production Team Praises Park Jihoon’s Charm and Teases Hidden Gems!

The TVING original ‘Becoming a Legendary Cook’ premiered on the 11th on both TVING and tvN. Based on a popular webtoon of the same name, this military cooking fantasy drama follows Private Kang Seong-jae (played by Park Jihoon), who trades his rifle for a kitchen knife and his ammo belt for an apron to become a legendary cook. It airs every Monday and Tuesday at 8:50 PM on TVING and tvN.

‘Becoming a Legendary Cook’ captured viewers from the very first broadcast. Airing in the tvN Monday-Tuesday slot, it recorded ratings of 5.8% for the first episode and 6.2% for the second (via Nielsen Korea). This marks the highest ratings for any tvN Monday-Tuesday drama so far this May. It has already outperformed the premiere and peak ratings of ‘Spring Fever’ (starring Ahn Bo-hyun and Lee Joo-bin), ‘Siren’ (starring Park Min-young), and ‘Yumi’s Cells’ Season 3 (starring Kim Go-eun). It is the strongest performance since ‘CEO Shin Project’ ended last October.

Following a successful first week, the production team spoke with Eyes to share the cast’s reactions and key points for fans to watch for.

-With the show hitting #1 in the 2026 tvN Monday-Tuesday slot after just one episode, the production team must be thrilled.

▶ First, we are truly grateful for the love and interest shown toward ‘Becoming a Legendary Cook.’

We worked hard to make the concepts of a ‘cook soldier’ and ‘game quests’ feel familiar and approachable, so we are happy that many people are enjoying it. We viewed the cook soldiers as sons and friends, the kind of youth you could find anywhere, so we wanted to tell a story of food, people, and growth that goes beyond a simple military tale.

Seeing viewers relate to the emotions and relationships between the characters gives our entire team great strength. More diverse and exciting stories are coming, so please stay tuned until the end.

-The response has been hot since the first week, with episode 2 hitting a peak of 6.2%. We’re curious how the lead actors, such as Park Jihoon, Lee Hong-nae, and Han Dong-hee, have reacted.

▶ Rather than just being flashy visuals, the CG and quest windows were designed to let viewers intuitively experience Seong-jae’s emotions and situations.

Specifically, we wanted the food reaction moments to clearly define the boundary between reality and fantasy. At the same time, we focused on making the presence of the ingredients feel natural within the overall tone of the work.

Moving forward, we plan to show the catharsis that ‘taste reactions’ provide during character growth and crises in various ways, which will make the show even more fun to watch.

-While the show has captured viewers in its first week, we understand the production team had some concerns about its success before the release. What was the secret to overcoming those worries?

▶ Since it’s a work that combines the military, cooking, and fantasy system elements, we did constantly worry about whether this combination would be accepted naturally by the audience.

However, we believe the most important factors were the sincerity and empathy of the characters. The fact that Seong-jae isn’t just a ‘capable protagonist’ but someone who struggles and grows in every moment, and the atmosphere and relationships at ‘Gangrim Outpost’ created by the diverse characters, seemed to reach the viewers naturally.

▶ We believe Park Jihoon’s greatest strength is his ability to delicately express the ‘temperature difference’ of a character. He leads the mood naturally in comic moments, but in scenes where Seong-jae’s loneliness or desperation is revealed, he has the power to pull viewers in completely.

He is an actor whose eyes tell a story, and he can naturally convey a character’s emotions and history through his gaze alone. That’s why viewers want to get to know Seong-jae more and keep rooting for him.

Above all, he naturally portrayed the image of a ‘normal youth who endures and succeeds.’ He brought great energy and many ideas to the set, creating a wonderful synergy during production.

-‘Becoming a Legendary Cook’ has been more entertaining than expected. Some viewers are already praising it, saying it’s the kind of show that could have multiple seasons. Is the team considering a Season 2?

▶ Beyond the process of Seong-jae winning people over with food, we wanted to show how the relationships within the unit change through his cooking.

Since the members of Gangrim Outpost have very different personalities, watching the members of the 1st and 2nd living quarters grow closer and transform into one team is a major point of the show. As the episodes progress, the chemistry and relationships will become even more vivid.

Also, the star ratings and one-line reviews for each menu item in Seong-jae’s status window are hidden fun points. Rather than just being a game UI, these are witty devices to show the characters’ reactions and emotions, so it will be fun for viewers to find those details.

-What are the future points to watch for in ‘Becoming a Legendary Cook’?

▶ Beyond the story of Seong-jae becoming a great cook, the events at Gangrim Outpost and the changes in character relationships will unfold in earnest.

Seong-jae will face increasingly difficult situations and choices, and the system will begin to assign unexpected quests. Please watch how he changes the people around him and grows himself amidst laughter, growth, and tension. Seeing Seong-jae become stronger will be a key highlight moving forward.