CJ ENM's "The Legend of Kitchen Soldier," a TVING original produced by Studio Dragon, has become an unexpected global hit after starting as a deliberate departure from K-drama convention. The 12-episode comedy, which follows a young man who joins the military and becomes an army cook after a virtual quest screen alters his path, won best drama series at the Fifth Blue Dragon Series Awards in July 2026 and was the only K-drama chosen for the Special Screening section at France's Series Mania festival earlier this year, signalling its unusual crossover appeal.

The series has performed strongly across international platforms, reaching No. 2 overall on Disney+ Japan, ranking among the top three Korean dramas on HBO Max across 17 countries and territories (notably Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines), and placing in the Rakuten Viki top five across the Americas, Europe, Oceania and MENA. Its success is credited to an experimental, lo-fi editing style built around the show's virtual quest screen, a decision by Studio Dragon to centre comedy without a romance plot, and an in-universe K-pop group, Migak Boys, that extended the property beyond television. Chief producer Kim Tae-hoon is set to appear at K-Brand Week in Poland on 15 September to further promote the series in Europe.