Park Ji-hoon's 'Legend of the Cook' team heads to Pattaya, Thailand
To celebrate winning three awards at the Blue Dragon Series Awards, the team behind 'Chwirall Legend', which drove TVING's turnaround, will head to Pattaya, Thailand, for a reward vacation at the end of this month.
The cast and crew of the TVING original drama 'Daehak-saeng: The Legend of the Cook' (Cook of Legend) are heading out on a reward vacation following the series' massive success. They are set to depart for Pattaya, Thailand, later this month. TVING has declined to disclose specific schedules or details, citing concerns for the safety of the cast, including lead actor Park Ji-hoon. On the 7th, a TVING official confirmed the trip, asking for understanding regarding the lack of specific details.
The Power of Content Driving TVING's Turnaround
'Cook of Legend,' which premiered on May 11, is a military cooking fantasy drama that follows the growth of Private Kang Seong-jae (played by Park Ji-hoon) into a legendary cook. Based on the popular webtoon of the same name, the series captivated viewers with its protagonist wielding kitchen knives instead of guns and wearing an apron instead of an ammunition belt. The unique way the show depicted the flavors of food through war scenes, soccer matches, and rock concerts even spawned the new slang term 'Chwirall.'
The performance has been overwhelming. It led the platform's growth by attracting the highest number of paid subscribers within its first week of release among all series released on TVING over the past three years. During its broadcast on tvN, it also reached a peak viewership rating of 7.9% (based on Nielsen Korea's national paid households). This achievement played a decisive role in TVING successfully turning a profit, recording an operating profit of 6 billion won for the first time since its launch.
A Double Celebration: Winning Three Awards at the Blue Dragon Series Awards
The series' success translated into major awards. At the 5th Blue Dragon Series Awards held on the 31st of last month, 'Cook of Legend' won Best Drama. Actor Yoon Kyung-ho took home Best Actor, and the OST 'Sad Salty Taste,' performed by IVE's An Yu-jin, won the Best OST award, bringing the total tally to three wins. Park Ji-hoon, who joined the ranks of the '10-million viewers' club earlier this year with the film 'Man Who Lives with the King,' elevated the quality of the work with his stellar performance.
The reward vacation was decided to celebrate the record-breaking achievements and the three wins at the awards ceremony. The drama aired from its premiere on May 11 until June 16.
