At this level, Kang Sung Jae (Park Ji Hoon) has grow to be the poster boy of Gangrim Outpost. His fame as a chef, making ready meals that transcend what is often related to army messes, has made nationwide headlines. He has not solely helped salvage the bottom’s fame for serving inedible meals, however he’s additionally being credited with boosting the morale of his fellow troopers.
However with nice energy comes even larger accountability. When on go away, he’s confronted together with his mom’s struggling meals truck enterprise. Can he use his abilities to assist? And on his return to the bottom, he faces an excellent larger problem when all the cadre is deputed for fight coaching.
There are additionally tensions simmering in camp, however can Sung Jae save the day once more? Listed below are three defining moments from episodes 5 and 6 of “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier.”
Warning: spoilers under!
The tteokbokki trial
Within the final episode, we noticed Sung Jae being warmly embraced by reporter Jung Min Ah (Jeon So Younger). It is vitally cute to see Sung Jae being teased by his comrades, however there may be additionally a contact of envy. In any case, who would have thought this unusual fellow really had a girlfriend? An embarrassed Sung Jae says Min Ah will not be his girlfriend, whereas she turns round and tells everybody that she likes him immensely.
The TV report has made Sung Jae a star of types and the Gangrim Outpost a culinary hub. Sung Jae is granted go away for per week and allowed to go to residence. On his method again to Seoul, he’s knowledgeable by the Guardian (VR console) that directions gained’t be potential past the army restricted space. He doesn’t make a lot of it till he arrives at his mother’s meals truck.
When he tries his mom Gong Su’s (Search engine marketing Jung Yeon) tteokbokki, it’s too onerous and pungent. Sung Jae tries to create his personal model however fails as nicely. At residence, he tells his mom and sister that he’s superb at grilling however doesn’t succeed both. With the Guardian being on low frequency, what does he do?
It’s time he relied on himself somewhat than on an exterior gadget. He finds his father’s outdated diary, which lists the place he sourced his components. He insists that they need to get contemporary produce in addition to freshly kneaded tteok as an alternative of resorting to on-line procuring. But it surely appears the dish each mom and son are attempting to create continues to lack taste.
On a lunch outing with Min Ah, he sees an extended queue outdoors a tteokbokki cafe and insists on consuming there. Run by an eccentric former marine (Jin Goo), the small place is brimming with clients, and the tteokbokki tastes higher than something he has ever had. He requests the proprietor to show him. Nevertheless, he’s assigned the duty of chopping onions and frying. Frying components is what he does below the supervision of the chef. His earnestness is endearing, and one desires him to win. But it surely appears he nonetheless hasn’t made a lot headway.
Additionally whereas residence, we get a glimmer of the boy Sung Jae was earlier than his father handed away. He was a happy-go-lucky particular person, who’s now shouldering huge obligations, however is sport for it. It’s Min Ah who tells him that everybody round him thinks he’s superb; it’s simply that he doesn’t know the way good he’s.
On his final day, he’s complimented by the chef and given a field to take residence, a present for working onerous. The field comprises persimmons, and that’s when Sung Jae realizes that is the ingredient that was giving the tteokbokki its uncommon taste. Sung Jae wasn’t handed down a recipe. He’s taught that nice meals is created from perseverance somewhat than shortcuts.
He teaches his mom, and although he has spent his complete vacation slaving away within the little cafe, he’s satiated. The household’s tteokbokki trial is a hit, and he leaves residence relieved that each his mom and sister might be effective, and naturally there may be Min Ah, his largest cheerleader, rooting for him.
It’s a heat feeling as all the household being so invested in getting the tteokbokki proper showcases how strongly they’re certain to one another. The victory additionally feels about rather more than the meals. With out the fixed steerage of the VR console, Sung Jae is pressured to belief his personal instincts, and in doing so, he discovers that he’s way more succesful than he offers himself credit score for.
Bromance within the barracks
An fascinating improvement is how Sung Jae has additionally grow to be one of the vital standard guys within the dorm. Initially labeled bizarre and unusual by most, his sincerity and kindness have gained him the admiration of his comrades. Being a workforce participant and clear-hearted has made him a favourite of types. That is clear when the seniors within the dorm pool their cash collectively and provides him a vacation allowance to take residence. The unstated gesture is heart-warming and speaks far louder than phrases.
In fact, Dong Hyun (Lee Hong Nae) is depressing, since his much-awaited go away has been sidelined with Sung Jae being thought-about earlier than him. However the troopers are in settlement: if anybody deserves go away, it’s Sung Jae. The officers additionally clarify to Dong Hyun that Sung Jae was enlisted quickly after his father’s demise and couldn’t grieve. The compassion is heartwarming, making it clear how a lot Sung Jae has come to imply to everybody.
Nevertheless, Sung Jae’s absence means the mess is on the mercy of Dong Hyun’s cooking abilities. His temper, additional darkened by being denied go away, has made the meals much more inedible than earlier than. It appears Sung Jae involves his rescue even in his absence. He is aware of his senior is upset and feeling horrible, so he leaves behind his recipe guide with a fellow soldier, hoping it could assist him.
Although Dong Hyun pretends he doesn’t need Sung Jae’s amazingness rubbed off on him, he’s clearly relieved. Relaxation assured, he takes on the problem of cooking components he has repeatedly been warned to not contact, given his tendency to mess issues up. The broth he serves is likely one of the greatest ever, a lot in order that all the battalion is left in shock in addition to shock.
As Sung Jae’s return is widely known, there’s a minor hiccup. All leaves have been canceled, and the battalion has been referred to as in for dwell fight coaching.
Dong Hyun is gutted since his go away has been canceled as soon as once more, however the actual problem is one thing else solely: how do you cook dinner within the wilderness? No less than Sung Jae and Dong Hyun are in it collectively.
The curious case of the Arancini rice muffins
Your entire battalion has been deputed for the KCTC occasion (Korea Fight Coaching Heart). However it’s far trickier for Sung Jae, because the Guardian tells him that is the time to spice up the troopers’ morale and cause them to victory. The coaching is designed like an actual wartime train, with the enemy camp represented by the Vipers, a formidable battalion.
Nevertheless, the tough outside, restricted assets, and lack of kit make this by far the most important problem but for each Dong Hyun and Sung Jae.
The primary meal is a catastrophe, with all the battalion struck down by extreme meals poisoning, and Hwang Seok Ho (Lee Sang Yi) threatens each Dong Hyun and Sung Jae with disciplinary motion as soon as the coaching is over. In the meantime, the Vipers have already recognized their location and destroyed a lot of their assets, with a number of officers falling to the enemy.
Dong Hyun and Sung Jae are warned that, come what might, they have to by no means abandon their kitchen trailer. However after the meals poisoning incident, most of their provides have been thrown away, whereas contemporary provisions are but to reach. How precisely are they alleged to survive?
Although Sung Jae earns reward for shortly deciphering the enemy’s actions, the cooking disaster stays unresolved. Hwang Seok Ho even warns him that his army profession could possibly be over as soon as the train ends.
When Sung Jae means that they need to seize enemy provides, Cho Ye Rin (Han Dong Hee) agrees. Although she has bent protocol, if the train is to be handled like an actual conflict state of affairs, somebody has to make the decision.
The workforce manages to safe rice, rock salt, and sauce. However what does one make of that together with the dry provides left within the pantry? The Guardian coaxes Sung Jae to attempt one thing. Because the troops are always on the transfer, he creates meals packets for them, although they appear removed from appetizing. Nevertheless, drawing on what he discovered whereas tirelessly frying components on the tteokbokki store, he transforms the rice into crispy arancini rice balls, seasoning them with sauce and rock salt.
What makes Sung Jae such an interesting protagonist is that each time he’s cornered, he finds a method out. Confronted with meals poisoning, dwindling provides, and the specter of disciplinary motion, he refuses to present in to adversity. As a substitute, he adapts, improvises and in some way manages to show a handful of primary components right into a morale-boosting meal for all the battalion.
Everybody eyes the rice balls with suspicion. However when the notoriously choosy Hwang Seok Ho takes a chunk, he’s immediately transported. The arancini rice balls are a success, and Sung Jae is lastly out of the doghouse.
However there are tensions brewing. Ye Rin is pulled up for defying orders, although Hwang Seok Ho stands up for her. And it appears there could also be an enemy inside their very own ranks. As Sung Jae overhears one in every of Hwang Seok Ho’s rivals, Captain Han Mi (Lee Min Gu), discussing one thing suspicious about Ye Rin over the walkie-talkie, it turns into clear that life isn’t fairly so simple as a plate of arancini rice muffins.
Begin watching “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier”:
Puja Talwar is a Soompi author with a robust Yoo Yeon Seok and Lee Junho bias. A very long time Ok-drama fan, she loves devising alternate situations to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to call a couple of. You’ll be able to comply with her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram.