The Legend of Kitchen Soldier Ending Explained: Directed by Jo Nam-hyung and written by Choi Ryong, 취사병 전설이 되다 is based on the popular webtoon Becoming a Cooking Soldier Legend by Jay Robin and stars Park Ji-hoon as Kang Seong-jae, a young recruit whose military service takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious game-like system called Chef’s Path begins guiding him toward becoming a legendary chef, alongside Yoon Kyung-ho, Han Dong-hee, Lee Hong-nae, Lee Sang-yi and others.
The Legend of Kitchen Soldier Ending Explained
How Did Kang Seong-jae Help Cho Ye-rin?
Ye-rin had managed to gather some pieces of evidence throughout the series that indicated there were problems with the supply contracts. Specifically, her report implied that some officials approved low-quality supplies and presented them as high-grade goods. However, the ones who stood to gain from this scheme were very powerful figures in the military chain of command. After her report made it through to higher-ups, Lee Min-gu initiated what was called a thorough inspection of Ganglim Outpost, but made it look like she filed a groundless claim. Thus, Ye-rin had to be interrogated, becoming an alleged culprit herself.
Finding the solution, Seong-jae found out that Commander Won-young is highly attached to his pet dog. Seong-jae and his companions then prepared a delicacy using the dessert and speciality recipes they discovered from Chef’s Path to get the Commander’s attention. It did not work at the beginning; however, they eventually succeeded in making an excellent combination of potato and meatball snacks that caught the pet’s interest.
This made the possibility of meeting Commander Won-young and sharing the truth with him more likely. With the help of his bravery and honesty, Seong-jae managed to share the truth about the case with him. This made the Commander interested in having an independent review of the case. After the investigation, the truth became clearer, stopping any attempts to ruin Ye-rin’s reputation by lying. Even though Seong-jae himself did not provide any of those pieces of evidence that cleared his friend’s reputation, his determination made it possible to help her when she felt completely alone.
Was Kang Seong-jae Able to Win the Contest and Save Ganglim Outpost?
Saving Ganglim Outpost proved to be the biggest challenge of Seong-jae’s life during The Legend of Kitchen Soldier Episode 12. Upon finding out that the facility was about to be shut down, he realised that the shutdown had been planned in connection with the mission set forth by Chef’s Path. By the rules of the system, he had no other choice but to stop the shutdown by winning the upcoming military cooking championship. Otherwise, he would lose both the outpost and himself on the journey with the mysterious system. With the determination not to back down, Seong-jae prepared for the cooking championship together with Dong-hyeon and Gwan-cheol.
Nevertheless, this tie led to another unforeseen complication. Prior to the commencement of the tie-breaker round, Chef’s Path made an announcement that Seong-jae was disqualified from the contest since he was unable to claim a clear-cut victory during the specified period of time. Consequently, the game took away all the skills, abilities, and recipes which the player possessed. For the last round, Seong-jae’s rival presented an extremely sophisticated French-style dish, which surprised everyone with its level of refinement. On the other hand, Seong-jae decided to prepare a very simple dish of Korean cuisine. Some judges were shocked by such an unpretentious choice of dishes, considering the occasion.
Next, he pointed out that home-cooked food holds a particular significance for soldiers who have been separated from their loved ones for months. Although fancy food can dazzle the senses, home cooking can bring comfort to one’s heart and make him reminisce about those awaiting him at home. As the judges were tasting his food, they were taken back to their childhood days, reminiscing about the food cooked by their mothers. Thus, the food was able to create an emotional bond, winning over the judges’ hearts and helping Seong-jae win the contest. Once Baek Chun-ik’s criminal acts were revealed, and the initial report appeared, the military cancelled the order.
How Was Baek Chun-ik’s Corruption Finally Exposed?
Until the end of The Legend of Kitchen Soldier, it seems that Baek Chun-ik has tried to hide his corruption involving the military food issue. While keeping up the reputation as a highly ranked military man, Baek benefited from contracts that would bring substandard materials into the army. As soon as there were attempts to reveal the truth, everyone somehow managed to keep the issue hidden or blame someone else for the problem. Major Im’s unusual case and multiple suppliers who changed their names several times proved that the corruption case was bigger than it seemed at first glance.
The climax came when they reached the finals of the cooking competition. As Seong-jae concentrated on the competition, Seok-ho and Jae-young investigated in secret. In doing so, they discovered papers which revealed that the Ganglim Outpost had been deliberately blacklisted for shutdown, although it had passed inspections. What made matters worse was the testimony of Min-gu, who implicated Chun-ik in a series of bribes and cover-ups.
During the event, Seok-ho revealed the findings to the military officers and exposed years of fraud involving bribery and suppliers. After Seok-ho did so, Jae-young displayed the report, which showed the true state of the outpost, putting Chun-ik’s lies into question. With evidence piled up against him, Chun-ik’s plans came crumbling down. In the ending of The Legend of Kitchen Soldier,we seethe military police arrest him and put an end to the corruption that plagued many soldiers.
Do Kang Seong-jae and Jung Min-ah End Up Together?
Yes, Seong-jae and Jung Min-ah eventually end up together at the end of The Legend of Kitchen Soldier. Their relationship takes place backstage compared to the other plotlines of the drama, since Seong-jae is primarily concerned with enduring military training, mastering his culinary abilities, and handling Chef’s Path challenges. While there are times when it seems that both characters have feelings for each other, Seong-jae is mostly preoccupied with his self-improvement throughout the series.
Finally, after Seong-jae’s cooking competition and the resolution of the problems at Ganglim Outpost, he experiences an important moment in his life when he discovers his purpose and becomes sure of himself. While being interviewed by Min-ah, he openly says that he was neglecting his feelings while trying to find his way, but now that he knows who he should be, he decides not to restrain himself anymore. To the shock of Min-ah, Seong-jae tells her about his true feelings and asks her to be together. Being happy to hear him, she accepts his proposal, thus giving the series a romantic ending, along with a successful one.
Will There Be a The Legend of Kitchen Soldier Season 2?
Clearly, the conclusion opens up the possibility of a season 2 of The Legend of Kitchen Soldier despite no formal announcement being made. Given all the hardships that Seong-jae has had to go through, one would expect the plot to end on a victorious note, with him winning the cooking contest. However, the last episode ends with Seong-jae receiving yet another task, right after the final scene begins. Chef’s Path is back, this time with the task “The Beginning of a Legend” for Seong-jae.
Narratively speaking, there are also many reasons to have a second season. Although Seong-jae has developed far from the novice soldier portrayed in Episode 1, his dream of being a legendary chef has yet to come true. The introduction of The Officers’ Mess will provide him with another step in the competition arena, along with other skilled chefs to compete against. On the other hand, there are also other interesting stories waiting to be told, including Dong-hyeon getting discharged from the army and Seong-jae being romantically involved with Min-ah. Also, there is Chef’s Path, which is now back in action.
