CJ ENM’s upcoming military series The Legend of Kitchen Soldier is set to have its world premiere at the Series Mania 2026 festival in Lille, France.
Produced by Studio Dragon and co-produced by Studio N, the 12-episode dramedy is scheduled for release as a TVING Original. The series has been selected for the festival’s Special Screening program, where its first two 50-minute episodes will be shown to attendees. It marks the only South Korean title scheduled to premiere at this year’s event.
Directed by Nam Hyung Cho and written by Ryong Choi, The Legend of Kitchen Soldier is an adaptation of a popular webtoon. The high-concept story centers on Kang Sung-jae, a young man from a low-income background who enlists in the military to escape financial hardship.
His trajectory as an army cook takes an unexpected turn when he is introduced to a virtual «Quest» screen. As he completes various assigned tasks across the kitchens, dormitories, and training grounds using only cooking utensils, he begins to uncover hidden issues within his military unit.
Actor Park Ji-hoon leads the series as Kang Sung-jae. The ensemble cast also features Kyung-ho Yoon, Dong-hee Han, Hong-nae Lee, and Sang-yi Lee.
Series Mania programming officials have noted the show’s unique genre-blending approach. Carlo Fasino, Programming Manager at the festival, described the series as a ‘surrealist joyride’ that balances its formal daring with an original wit and a grounded lead performance by Park Ji-hoon. For CJ ENM, which is handling international sales, the premiere is part of a broader strategy to expand its global distribution network. Sebastian Kim, Head of the Content Distribution Business Unit at CJ ENM, stated that the company hopes to use this screening to open opportunities for the series to reach viewers through international streaming platforms and TV channels.
