Army cook Park Ji-hoon is in trouble!
In the second episode of the TVING original ‘The Legendary Army Cook’ (written by Choi Ryong, directed by Jo Nam-hyung) released on May 12, we see Kang Seong-jae (played by Park Ji-hoon) facing a setback in his cooking life due to the whims of Company Commander Hwang Seok-ho (played by Lee Sang-yi), who only cares about his own well-being.
Kang Seong-jae previously faced a crisis when his sea urchin seaweed soup sent Battalion Commander Baek Chun-ik (played by Jung Woong-in) to the emergency room. Fortunately, it was revealed that Baek Chun-ik had a perilla seed allergy, allowing Seong-jae to breathe a sigh of relief. However, after gaining a new skill called ‘Favorability Check’ as a reward for completing his first dish, Seong-jae discovers that the soldiers’ dislike for him is quite high after the commotion he caused.
While his ambitious first step as a cook led to unexpected results, Kang Seong-jae hits another wall. A ‘Job Quest’ suddenly appears, and to continue the ‘Chef’s Path’ that allows him to use various skills, he must succeed in several missions within 72 hours. In particular, one of the missions is to ‘reach a favorability level of 50 or higher with Captain Hwang Seok-ho,’ adding to Seong-jae’s pressure.
To make matters worse, Hwang Seok-ho suggests a different position for Kang Seong-jae. Since Hwang Seok-ho values a peaceful military life above all else, the unpredictable Kang Seong-jae is a burden to him. While Seong-jae looks bewildered, Hwang Seok-ho pushes his agenda by leading him into a military life consultation.
However, after the consultation, Kang Seong-jae remembers his father, who used to run a restaurant, and begins to rethink his life as an army cook. The first person to notice this change is his senior cook, Sergeant Yoon Dong-hyun (played by Lee Hong-nae), who expresses his opinion to Outpost Commander Jo Ye-rin (played by Han Dong-hee) that Seong-jae should remain a cook. Kang Seong-jae also shares his sincere desire to stay in the position with Yoon Dong-hyun.
Following this, the two cooks attempt to persuade Hwang Seok-ho through food. Remembering his father’s words that “delicious food made with sincerity moves people’s hearts,” Kang Seong-jae decides to win over Hwang Seok-ho with Tonkatsu, a dish loved by almost everyone in Korea, which was added to his status window recipe. With Yoon Dong-hyun’s help, he puts his heart into the cooking.
The finished Tonkatsu looked mouth-watering, raising expectations for success. However, Hwang Seok-ho reveals an unexpected preference, saying, “I don’t really like Tonkatsu,” leaving Kang Seong-jae defeated. At the same time, a notification for the failure of the Job Quest appears, adding to the heartbreak.
Meanwhile, episode 2 of ‘The Legendary Army Cook’ ended with a scene of someone collapsed on a dark beach, teasing another incident coming to the Gangrim Outpost.
Meanwhile, ‘The Legendary Army Cook’ ranked first overall in TVING paid subscription contribution over the two days since episodes 1 and 2 were released. Additionally, the tvN broadcast ratings for episode 2 averaged 6.2% with a peak of 7.6% nationwide, and averaged 6.7% with a peak of 7.9% in the metropolitan area. It ranked first in its time slot among cable and general programming channels nationwide, and first among all channels, including terrestrial, in the metropolitan area. It also took first place in the 2049 male and female target demographic across all channels.
