In the Tving original series The Legend of Kitchen Soldier, which concluded on June 16, Lee Sang-yi played Captain Hwang Seok-ho, the commander of the 4th Company. Delivering a powerhouse performance for the finale, he rewrote the definition of a cameo, proving that a "special appearance" can mean "especially active."
Through this project, Lee Sang-yi demonstrated a wide acting spectrum ranging from comedy to serious drama. He even dominated the screen with his outstanding dancing skills. With performances that went far beyond expectations, he proved in every episode why his special appearance had to be extended.
In the final episode, when it was reported to Major General Kim In-tae (played by Jung Jae-sung) that the Ganglim outpost was scheduled to be closed due to safety issues, Hwang Seok-ho made a grand entrance with a roaring shout: "May I say something, sir?"
Hwang Seok-ho raised his voice, stating, "The Ganglim outpost is safer than any other outpost." He revealed that the previous safety report had been intentionally fabricated to look unsafe under the orders of Battalion Commander Baek Chun-ik (played by Jung Woong-in). He exposed that the closure was being pushed forward with the battalion commander's malicious intent to disband the outpost personnel who had spoken out against a corrupt food supply contractor.
Furthermore, Hwang Seok-ho played a recording of Major Lee Min-gu's (played by Han Min) confession on the spot. By clearly exposing Battalion Commander Baek Chun-ik's crimes and proving that Major Im Seung-bin (played by Lee Se-ho) had been framed, he delivered a deeply satisfying, refreshing moment to the viewers.
Even in a situation that could negatively impact the promotion he had dreamed of for a long time, Hwang Seok-ho delivered a profound message, saying, "We cannot let any more unfair things happen." In the end, Hwang Seok-ho received a commendation, and the Ganglim outpost was selected as the best outpost, bringing the story to a beautiful conclusion.
The production team of The Legend of Kitchen Soldier also expressed their deep gratitude to Lee Sang-yi, who carried the show's immersion with his extraordinary presence until the very end.
In the ending credits of the final episode, the production team displayed a subtitle message: "Special thanks to actor Lee Sang-yi for his special appearance." This was their way of thanking him for his passionate performance despite only being a guest star.
Reflecting on the project, Lee Sang-yi defined The Legend of Kitchen Soldier as "a special project where I had fun filming and gained many wonderful people."
He added, "I started filming after receiving an offer for a special appearance, but as my screen time and role grew, my sense of responsibility and affection for Hwang Seok-ho grew as well."
Lee Sang-yi recalled, "Although Hwang Seok-ho was annoying at times, he was the character I had to portray, so I loved and cherished him more than anyone." He reminisced about the precious moments, saying, "The director told me, 'Hwang Seok-ho should be annoying but somehow lovable, like Team Rocket from the anime Pokémon.' So, after much thought, I did a lot of ad-libs and acting choices that remain memorable to me."
Finally, Lee Sang-yi shared his witty and affectionate closing remarks: "Fortunately, I am very happy and proud that many people found Hwang Seok-ho cute. Thanks to that, I was able to make a wonderful memory of appearing on M Countdown, something I never could have dreamed of in my life. Thank you, The Legend of Kitchen Soldier. Salute!"
Meanwhile, Lee Sang-yi is set to make another powerful acting transformation in MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama Married Woman Killer, scheduled to premiere this July. He will play Inspector Lee Dong-jin of the Violent Crimes Team 2, who is hot on the trail of "Kingfisher."
[Photo = Chorokbaem Entertainment]
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)