Reviews

Action Drama with Emotions

This was just really amazing overall.

I loved that it tackled certain subjects with with a lot of grace, but it wasn't afraid to shy away from the difficult to digest topics. I think it handled certain situations perfectly, albeit with a lot more violence than I was expecting.

I will say I found the over-arching storyline just a tad bit uneccessary, and I think they could have done a better job wrapping that.


Also the chemistry Han-rim and Geun-dae was perfect, as well as Hwa-jin and Gang-seok.

But overall, this was super entertaining and very important.

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Food, friendship and faith in oneself.

Even in a show that was ridiculously funny, they still managed to make me sentimental. The expectation that Ji Hoon would shine more than anyone else with his exceptional acting, here I would admit Hong-nae brought the feels more than anyone else. I couldn't help but feel drawn to his performances throughout.

Using cooking as an avenue to bring comraderie and belief in oneself was a nice premise. Light enought to be funny and heavy enough to include criminals with the right amount of gravity. I liked Ye-rin's determined level headed approach when she stood up as the lone female officer. Giving support to all.

I will miss this series. I half expected slap stick humour but they all did great with the script and physical delivery. I am happy that Ji-hoon took a chance on this but at any moment I was expecting him to cry. His very expressive eyes. All the prominent actors did well delivering a very believable rivalry. Coming off of the Bloodhounds series, Sang Yi continued his success onscreen. A worthy addition and I was grateful that his cameo was extended to a full main role.

Really worth the 8 rating.

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Light, Emotional, and Absolutely Delicious

This is a light and cheerful drama about the daily life of a small military base. The plot is engaging, and the cast is simply outstanding—everyone acts straight from the heart, making the atmosphere feel incredibly alive and human. Park Ji Hoon once again did an amazing job and handled his role brilliantly.

I eagerly awaited every episode. It was so nerve when Kang Seong Jae lost his skills. The drama beautifully portrays strength of character, dedication to one's work, and the difficult path to recognition. It is truly inspiring, evokes genuine emotions, and leaves you with a wonderful aftertaste. I would absolutely love to see a Season 2!!!

P.S. Those "food-tasting" scenes were truly something special. They reminded me of another drama "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty".

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A Story of Love that Transcends Lifetimes

I have never written a review on here before, but I felt I had to for this show, as it has become my new favorite BL to date. This was the most achingly beautiful love story told in such a perfect way. I was hooked the moment the show started. The atmospher, lighting, writing, directing, editing, cinematography, production/sound/set design, wardrobe/hair/makeup, etc, were all top notch. I could feel the love and care that went into this show with the attention to detail and level of authenticity. And don't even get me started on the casting, acting, and chemistry! I fell in love with these characters and their relationships with eachother. I adored them and was heavily emotionally invested in their journey and their happiness. This show truly did have it all. It was funny; it was serious; it was romantic; it was breathtaking; it was mysterious; it was heartbreaking; it was sweet; etc., etc. I felt anything and everything while watching this. The story was so meaningful and one of the only BL's that actively made me cry (for various reasons). This is one of those shows that stays with you after it's done and is one I will absolutely come back to and watch again and again throughout the years. I appreciate EVERYONE who was involved in making this show become a reality 🧡

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A refleshingly appetizing surprise!

If I'm being completely honest, halfway through the series, I was sure my thoughts towards it would be complete indifference. Like so many other dramas that start out amazing and then just end up dropping in quality and general interest with each episode. I don't think I've ever been so glad to have been proven wrong.

The Legend of Kitchen Soldier is completely absurd, and it shines in taking that absurdity and pairing it with relatable emotions and feelings. And food. Because a good meal can mean different things for everybody, but it can resonate with anybody. And when it mashed the absurdity with emotions, that's when it worked.

We start out watching Kang Sung Jae, a newly enlisted private, get assigned to the kitchen unit in his outpost at Kanglim. He's just lost his father, people are immediately wary of him (thanks to a smiley face pin nonetheless), and he's got no real cooking skills. Doesn't help that he's staring off into the distance, all distracted because he's the newly chosen individual to complete "The Chef's Path" - a simulation game to improve his cooking skills, and the morale of all his troopmates at Kanglim through his cooking.

Each episode, he has to complete quests, through which he earns experience, and gains skills and special prizes. It's a literal simulation game. And it's beautiful in the weirdest and best of ways. Sung Jae is the protagonist of the game and you not only want to root for him, you just very much do. He's got all the incredible qualities you'd want in a protagonist and he develops as a character (because of the XP lol sure, but also more on that later). Whenever we see him get a win, we cheer. His setbacks frustrate all of us, it's just protaganist things.

This was good, it definitely was, but bit by bit, it felt like the drama was losing its charm. Sung Jae was still protagonist, so why? Why did it feel like the story had strayed away from its original plot? I've figured it out now that I've watched it all, but as I watched, I genuinely did not get it. Now I know - it was because Sung Jae was off the chef's path. For three or four episodes, the characters and the ingredients that made the show what it is, were sidelined to showcase parts of the plot that were integral in hindsight, but just not properly executed to flow well with the rest of the episodes.

Dare I say, once the focus was on the quests and Kanglim again, the show got even better? Seriously, it has been so long since I watched a show that has picked up in the second half rather than fall! So long!
Because it was in the second half that we got the best of this series - more appearances from the supporting characters, actual character growth that turned two (and maybe more) unlikeable characters into people you root for along with Sung Jae, a proper plot, and just some incredible comedy with a ton of heart. It's everything I wanted out of the story, and I got it!!

I could genuinely go on and on about how much I like each of the characters in this series. Every one of them was given the screentime and chance to become an integral part of Sung Jae's life and journey and I love it when a script can do that, give your protagonist all the allies he can imagine.

What more can I even say? It was funny and weird and so heartfelt. Yes, it had a down but the way it came back up was commendable. All the characters are amazing, the story is so good, the actors did a brilliant job. So why not give it a try?! It is definitely worth a watch :)

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A fun mini cooking class and intro to military life, with a star-studded cast, UNHINGED

The actors in this drama had a blast, it was visible they really enjoyed horsing around, as most of them usually played villains and here they were good guys having fun with food. It was nice to see their commaraderie it was nice to see positive messages about trusting yourself and doing your best, honestly, and ppl helping each other, and... the drama was a miniature cooking class lmao

The drama was a lighthearted, warm and bright advertisement for the military, but it was also realistic in some ways and showed military faults that everyone knows about - corruption, rank dominance, bullying, red tape, etc.

The military corruption was showed only on the low level, and resolved in a ... rosey way ... but ... why not. The drama did not attempt to bite more than it could chew. The problems were appropriate for the situation - a new military cook in a far outpost.

The drama focused on showing something really important - military as a place for broken/poor people to receive training, gain work skills and perhaps even life calling, and a community.
ML was a depressed grieving young person and this cooking job in the military gave him something to do and led him to discover his life calling. He also made some connections and friends. That has always been one of the major draws of joining the military and ... still is :)

Food is definitely one of the major tools for bonding ppl, and esp in military, it is something to look forward to and it definitely boosts the morale and makes better teams.

But the drama showed that by portraying the military as a place for gourmet meals, as if the military were a vacation with 5-star food service, and all the high ranking officials being gourmets lmao eating gourmet every day in the officer's cafeteria..... eating French 5-star cooking in officer's cafeteria... So if they go to war... what will they eat? lmao

The drama pushed 5-star cooking too much as if that food is to be expected in the military but ... after all.. why not?

For the soldiers who are there bc they have to be there, imo it is ok they eat gourmet stuff and get fat, since they are not really going to any war any time soon - well we hope, since there was 350,000 Korean troups in Vietnam war. Korea had most soldiers there after the USA.

But sure, this might be a solution to world peace - all military globally should be eating luxury gourmet 5-star food and being fat and happy, and refusing to go to wars etc bc they couldnt eat such nice food.
Everyone will be happy staying in their barracks and living a good life, eating well and having fun. Why not. I think we found the solution to world peace :)

Also, when those well fed and happy soldiers take down their uniform, they will be healthy enough to make some babies, which S Korea so desperately needs, since it is so fashionable to be super skinny frail and sickly tired looking, which is one of the reasons why S Korea has globally lowest birth rate. Who is interested in s.x when they have not eaten properly for ages and are constantly on some diet and/or plastic surgery tricks. LET US FORGET THOSE AND START EATING WELL AGAIN.
Even dramas as recent as 2018 have a lot healthier looking people with more meat aka muscle on them.

So.. this plan about fattening the soldiers with good food seems to be ideal on so many levels ... I am all for this plan. Start now!

=== As for food: ======

Personally, imo there was too much cooking scenes, so I had to fast forward although I am a passionate cook. I am not really interested to LOOK at food. But there was some useful stuff that will help me cook :) I am interested in a cookbook with recipes from the drama. The last dish was awesome.

and yeah -
Ah finally someone puts French cooking where it belongs - in France.
Korean food is amazing, so nutritious and healthy and yummy, produces lean and healthy ppl, and I am glad the drama got to celebrate it.
Imo the real French cooking is the French village cooking. and that ... resembles Korean food in so many ways... all kinds of stews and soups, lots of veggies.... and that is the kind of stuff good to eat.... and is NOT served in French restaurants bc it is "too plain" lmao . The French restaurant stuff shown in this drama is for the show lmao Those pastries look like they are gonna clog your intestines in an instant. That's why French eat so little of that "French cooking"

I got tired of kdramas peddling foreign stuff. it is ironic that both in kdramas and cdramas the military had to step in to remind ppl of their roots :) But someone had to stop some French restaurant or fried chicken, sandwich or whiskey shop etc sponsoring a product placement ... (in cdamas, the military reminded ppl that men shouldnt wear too much makeup i.e. look like anorexic teenage girls with tons of makeup on. Right on, Chinese military!)

So the proper salute to Korean food and the fact we learned to cook rice properly and to assemble a Korean dish is enough to make me feel satisfied, pun intended.

KSJ got his lady - and he was a lot more ... suave and experienced than real KSJ should have been lmao
The commander finally stepped out...
and it all ended well, with an entry to Season 2. Yay.

But I think the next step is to have that KANGLIN COOKBOOK with recipes in digital form with all the scenes from the drama. This drama was a miniature cooking class. I am interested only in the Korean recipes :)

=== As for Support Roles: ====

The character of the commander portrayed by Lee Sang Yi was
a perfect "spice ingredient", without him the drama would not be it. Each drama needs AMAZING support roles or else it doesnt work. So he is that in this drama. He is portraying a super complex character with total mastery and conviction. The plus is his "beautiful" well kept sleek-urban baby face, which adds to totally convey the absurdity of that character. HE IS PERFECT IN THIS ROLE.

His role is that theoretician, that sofa general without common sense and skills, that someone who wants to get promoted no matter what happens to soldiers, that suave as# kisser, that someone who pretends to stick to the books yet does NOTHING and then takes all the credit, that someone who hides behind the "rules" to do nothing and throw soldiers under the bus.
He is portraying it *perfectly*.

****** His role is calculated, greedy, ambitious, cruel nasty SLIMY henchman and indirect-villain on one hand, and on the other hand, a naive little good boy***** Someone willing to do anything to benefit himself, and delulu enough to convince himself it is ok bc the superior said so; someone who HAS some compassion for his comrades but does not move a finger to help the situation. Someone who puts HIMSELF FIRST regardless of the post and soldiers, while not being a truly bad guy.

This is a complex role. And Lee Sang Yi is so good at it!!! it is fun to watch him! he portrays so many layers of this role.

His role is not just a comedic element. The commander is a satire on such military... ppl who went to military school but have no aptitude for it, and enlisted ppl who try to climb higher. Why did that soldier decide to become a commander, is a good question. He is certainly a fish out of water - however, he is there, chasing some fame honors and ranks, and the soldiers are stuck with him.

The drama is clearly portraying some core issues with the military - the corruption of stealing food supplies, the pecking order, the bullying by rank etc, lack of women, etc etc and Lee Sang Yi's sofa general character is one of chronic military problems.
The sofa general problem is a huge problem for military bc a sofa general is TOTALLY incapable of solving anything and only causes problems.
In this case, he let soldiers starve under the previous chef, he had no idea about bad food supply, in the mock battle he was useless, in a real battle he would cause deaths of millions of people. He is ... a clumzy naive dumb greedy guy in a wrong job.

Plus they let Lee Sang Yi keep his sleek urban look. So... the commander's manicured perfect baby face is a visual of what he stands for :) His face is like the visual signal from the drama as to who this character is :)
In the same way they picked the ML actor bc he looks so young, feeble, frail and vulnerable, a skinny tiny guy
Also, Lee Sang Yi's character face provides a stark contrast to the other guy in charge of the barracks, the big fat guy with the round wrinkled face who always plays villains and here plays the typical "rat" soldier who goes against the rules, keeps eating everywhere, and keeps cutting corners, while maintaining alliances with people he needs to be friendly with to continue going. In this drama, he turned out to also be someone who actually cares to do something to help when the times are rough. The visual for that soldier, the actor's face and body, are also picked to visually signal what kind of character he is.

The complexity in Lee Sang Yi's character - and thus the MASTERY of the actor in portraying many layers of it and thus the FUN of watching him in the role - is that he is not a bad evil guy, like the guy above him who is the master mind of stealing food supplies and who used that other soldier - The Inspector - for his purposes.
He is a naive genuinely decent honest guy but a COMPLACENT guy and also a GREEDY guy, SO HE ACTS LIKE THOSE 3 MONKEYS - no see, no say, no hear -
a pion who feels kinda helpless and also super ambitious. So, he deludes himself that everything is all right as long as it comes from the top. So he deludes himself that the lower level guys are justly scorned.
--> So he actually cares about the female Platoon Leader, but on the other hand, keeps shutting her up and going behind her back and doing things that harm the soldiers... He is concerned that the food is bad but he says nothing and even scolds ppl who bring it up .... he does NOTHING ever to help anyone, although he sees them suffering and even feels some concern - but it does not matter to him - bc HE WANTS TO GET PROMOTED.

He is too dumb to think about what he is seeing and to think ahead
and he is smart enough to see what he needs to do to get ahead
and he is slimey enough and ah so eager to please so that he gets promoted, so he is totally willing to ENTHUSIASTICALLY act as an umbrella and fit into the as@ of his commander and then open inside and never come out... He keeps bowing down and obeying blindly and ENTHUSIASTICALLY, no matter what
He is naive enough to believe his superior
He is evil enough to just throw the soldiers under the bus so that he can get promoted
He is slimy enough to delude himself that everything is ok bc the superior said so

And he is good enough and smart enough to remember what happened to Major Lim and to feel bad about it, and native enough to ask questions and dumb and naive enough to believe the answers

So he is like a babe in the woods, like a Little Red Riding Hood meeting the Big Bad Wolf - but the complexity is, he is also Little Red Riding Hood who willingly jumped into the wolf's mouth and willingly burned grandma's house bc the Wolf said so

And so this commander is a PERFECT example of what really exists esp in the military - a similar type is common to every hierarchy/red tape organization and big corporation, but in the military bc of ranks and order to blindly listen to superiors it is even worse.

Military has to take in essentially everyone healthy enough to qualify, bc they need meat in numbers, so then they are stuck with so many ppl being below par, and so the whole situation is quite tricky... and this ineffective sofa general commander realistically exists in that environment bc SOMEONE has to watch over the post and a few soldiers. That is why military is ok with losing ppl here and there .... as it is impossible to ensure quality everywhere.... and so ppl are just numbers.... This is a sad and realitic quagmire of military... Companies lose money but military loses lives... . So it is in their interest to somehow ensure that proper people are commanders - but ... as you can see in this drama, it does NOT always happen...
and esp when some evil dude realizes how much space there is for personal benefiting and then starts exploiting the system... e.g. the Pentagon's $14,000 for individual 3D-printed toilet seat lids and $1,280 for single utility cups... the higher commander here who steals money on food supplies... and a lot lot more a lot bigger amounts..... This drama is only about essentially petty stealing...

Lee Sang Yi is a perfect example of such a sofa general commander, he really brought it to life, made it real.
So, imo, without Lee Sang Yi, the drama would have been so bland. He spices it up ah so well.

And the ending is actually quite a fantasy low probability event, but heck, this is a drama, why not :)

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I absolutely loved this drama. Yes, it is emotional, but it carries a warmth that makes your heart flutter and leaves you with a comforting, happy feeling despite all the sadness it explores.
From the very beginning, the drama stands out because of its unique setting. We have a male lead who works as a funeral makeup artist and a female lead who lives with a prosthetic leg. Through them, the drama explores death, grief, healing, and relationships in an incredibly mature and sensitive manner. We see different people dealing with loss and sorrow in their own ways, and every story is presented with remarkable care and humanity.
I was especially impressed by the direction. There are many conversations throughout the drama, and while some viewers may find them slow, they are essential to understanding the characters' psychology, particularly the female lead's. This is not a drama that rushes through emotions; it takes its time. Because of that, it requires patience, but the payoff is absolutely worth it.
I loved how the flashbacks were woven into the story, gradually revealing the history between the leads and making their relationship feel even more meaningful. Even their arguments were handled realistically and maturely.
The chemistry between the leads felt incredibly natural. There were moments when I genuinely wondered whether I was watching a scripted scene or a behind-the-scenes clip. One of my favorite examples is the under-bridge scene, where they casually hug, tease, and joke with each other. It felt so effortless and real.
I am completely in love with the prosthetic-leg storyline, especially the scenes spread across two episodes—before and after the female lead's confession about her amputated leg. The male lead's respect for her privacy, boundaries, and insecurities was portrayed so beautifully that I was left speechless. This drama somehow manages to ache your heart and heal it at the same time. The prosthetic-leg scene remains one of the most memorable moments I have seen in a drama. When the female lead admits how uncomfortable and self-conscious she feels about showing her amputated leg to anyone, and the male lead gently helps dress her prosthetic while saying that this is "like a breeze" compared to the work he does every day, it completely overwhelmed me. I had tears in my eyes. The emotional journey from the moment she broke the statue, to their heated arguments, to her fear and vulnerability during intimacy, and finally to her opening up about her insecurities while he responds with understanding and acceptance, it was simply perfect.
This drama is a beautifully written and directed drama about love, grief, acceptance, and healing. It is not a fast-paced watch, but if you are willing to give it the patience and attention it deserves, it rewards you with one of the most mature, heartfelt, and emotionally resonant romances in recent Chinese dramas.
A must-watch for anyone looking for a realistic and deeply moving love story.❤️🌸

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smoothly delicious drama

A funny, emotional, delicious, inspiring drama. I liked so much, no boring moments. I love the connections, the friendship, the inspiring and support moments and also the courage to speak about corruption, and wrongly using the power . Cant wait for the second season. The food is the love language, is the family emotional connection.

Just finished the last episode and want to go to celebrate with a good ribs Korean dish.

I think that military is so hard, and has a bad mental and emotional influence for most of men, and the food, the camaraderie, the integrity, the true friendships and support is the luxury for most of them.

Love it, I can easily watch 100 episode. Maybe also I will learn to cook. :D

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A drama that speaks the true!!!

Each episode leaves you hooked to want to watch move.. it talks heavy on bullying and how threatening it can be for someones life. These stories are not just fiction they reflect on real life stories on teachers who actually passed on. The point of this is to show the bullies the outcome of what their actions impact on someones life. Its a heartwarming, gut wrenching series that talls about the corruption on justice and how some high school bullies dont get the consequences because they are minors. There are heavy quotes throughout the film to leave people questioning and show how parents do everything for their children rather then facing the truth. Honestly one of the best kdramas packed with action, reality and makes you feel good when karma gets back to the bullies. There are also some tears but its so worth crying too. Bullying doesnt just take place in one country buts its everywhere and peoppe are suffering due to it. We've lost many children/teenagers due to bullying and selfishness and those who are still alone. Please readh out even if you think no one else is listening someone is 💙💙

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Nine Episodes In and I'm Already Not Ready for What's Coming

After 9 episodes, Never Ending Summer has completely won me over. What started as a slow-burn youth romance has become a deeply emotional story about loneliness, family wounds, and finding comfort in the right person at the wrong time. Zhou Wan and Lu Xixiao's relationship continues to be the drama's biggest strength—every interaction feels earned, from their quiet conversations to the countless moments where they instinctively look out for each other. I especially love how Lu Xixiao keeps acting indifferent while constantly showing up whenever Zhou Wan needs help, while Zhou Wan gradually allows herself to lean on someone, even though not fully, but she is really carrying herself very well, even though she has always learnt to carry everything alone.

The drama also does an excellent job balancing romance with the heavier themes surrounding Zhou Wan's grandmother, her mother's abandonment, and the complicated connection between the two families. Rather than relying on dramatic twists, the story builds its emotional impact through small moments, lingering glances, and unspoken feelings. Knowing that this is ultimately a story about love, separation, and reunion makes every happy scene feel bittersweet.

Nine episodes in, the chemistry between Bao Shang En and Zhou Keyu is carrying every scene, and the emotional tension keeps getting stronger. If the drama continues at this pace, I'm not ready for the heartbreak that everyone knows is coming.
dreading the inevitable separation storyline.

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A Recipe for Laughter, Healing, and Unexpected Feels

Before I start, you should know that this drama isn’t for everyone. The main focus of the show is food, and I don’t just mean eating it. If you enjoy food and have an appreciation for cooking, you’ll probably love this drama even more.

Now, onto the review!

The first 20 minutes had me a little confused. I kept wondering, “What exactly is going on here?” But around the 35 minute mark, I found myself getting attached to the characters. By the end of the very first episode, I was completely hooked. It does require a little patience at the beginning, but trust me it’s worth it.

The camaraderie and friendships completely won me over and became the heart of the show for me.

Seong Jae’s innocence and naivety fit his character perfectly. He’s such a simple, genuine guy which makes him incredibly easy to root for. His family struggles makes you feel for him, so you can’t help but want him to succeed.

One of my favorite parts of the drama was watching his cooking journey. Watching him slowly go from someone who relied on game instructions for everything to someone who actually understood cooking was surprisingly satisfying. Every small win felt earned, and it was so much fun seeing him become more confident in the kitchen.

However, the character who unexpectedly stole the show for me was Dong Hyeon. Seriously, this guy is comedy gold. His reactions were so ridiculously funny that I found myself laughing even in scenes that weren’t supposed to be comedic. Every time he appeared on screen, I knew I was about to be entertained. I’d honestly watch an entire drama centered around him.

And can we talk about the soldiers' reactions to food? Absolute comedy. Their excitement over a decent meal was so over-the-top that I laughed out loud every single time. I was constantly waiting to see what dramatic reaction they’d come up with next.

What I loved most was how effortlessly the drama mixed comedy with heartfelt moments. One minute you're laughing at the chaos, and the next you're getting hit with emotions.This drama is such a breath of fresh air.

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