As singer-actor Park Ji-hoon's drama becomes a full-on phenomenon and wraps on a high note, fresh behind-the-scenes revelations are drawing renewed attention.
On June 16, the TVING original series The Legend of Kitchen Soldier (hereafter 'Kitchen Soldier') ended on a high, posting a 7.6% rating according to Nielsen Korea. While the cast's vivid, true-to-life performances are being hailed as the driving force behind its success, an eye-opening casting condition has sparked buzz.
Recently, Kang Ha-kyung revealed in an interview, "At the time of the audition, the eligibility itself was 'must have completed military service,' and they only let you audition after confirming you had actually finished your duty." The production reportedly set this special requirement from the planning stage to supercharge the show's gritty realism.
A look at the lineup shows everyone was born in the 1990s. Led by Lee Hong-nae (born 1990) as Yoon Dong-hyun, the roster includes Lee Sang-yi (1991) as Hwang Seok-ho, Im Ji-ho as Tak Moon-ik, Kang Jun-gyu as Joo Sang-uk, and Kim Moon-gi (1993) as Pyo Ji-yong — all verified veterans. Then Kang Ha-kyung (1994) as Kim Gwan-cheol, Han Min (1995) as Lee Min-gu, and Lee Sang-jun (1998) as Cha Seung-woo brought pitch-perfect chemistry rooted in real service experience. In contrast, Park Ji-hoon (1999) as Kang Sung-jae is the sole non-veteran among the 'served' lineup.
Reacting to the casting backstory, netizens commented, "No wonder — everyone acted like real returnees from the military; the performances hit different," "They all look incredibly youthful for their age," and "Even without serving, Park Ji-hoon's acting blends in perfectly — absolutely amazing." Fans are still riding the finale's afterglow with heated praise.