CJ ENM targets European buyers with The Legend of Kitchen Soldier
Leading South Korean distributor CJ ENM is heading to the European market circuit—including MIP London, Series Mania, and Content Europe 2026—with a diverse slate designed to showcase the versatility of K-content. The company’s lineup is headlined by a high-concept scripted dramedy produced by powerhouse Studio Dragon and a new non-scripted survival format that tests the limits of human synchronization.
Leading the scripted offering is The Legend of Kitchen Soldier, a genre-blending series that mixes comedy, fantasy, and food. Produced by Studio Dragon and Studio N, the drama follows Kang Sung-jae, a ‘plastic-spoon’ recruit who enlists in the military to escape a harsh reality.
His service takes a supernatural turn when he encounters a mysterious virtual ‘Quest’ screen that guides him on a path to becoming a legendary army cook. However, the series moves beyond simple culinary exploits; with each quest cleared, Sung-jae uncovers dark secrets within the base, including mysteries tied to his father’s death.
Directed by Jo Nam-hyeong and written by Choi Ryong, the series stars Park Ji-hoon and Yoon Kyung-ho, offering buyers a unique narrative that combines the popular ‘level-up’ gaming tropes with emotional depth and mystery.
On the format side, CJ ENM is introducing Synchro Game, a hybrid survival game show built on the premise: «Synchronize or be eliminated.»
Moving away from the traditional solo survival structure, this format pairs the sharpest minds (‘Brains’) with the strongest bodies (‘Physicals’). The core mechanic requires these diverse skill sets to operate as one single system. The challenges are designed to push both intellect and endurance to the limit, where winning depends not on individual superiority, but on which team can combine their strengths and adapt faster than the competition.
