[Sportschosun Jo Ji-young] Actor Lee Sang-yi made new history with a cameo that stayed special until the very end.
Lee played Captain Hwang Seok-ho of the 4th Company in TVING's original series "The Legend of Kitchen Soldier," which ended on the 16th. He delivered a fully committed performance in the finale and set a new formula: a cameo is someone who makes an especially big impact.
In this project, Lee showed a wide acting range from comedy to serious drama. He also impressed the audience with his outstanding dance skills, proving in every episode why his cameo role had to be expanded beyond expectations.
In the final episode, when Kim In-tae, the head of Gangnim Outpost, was informed that the outpost was scheduled to be shut down over safety concerns, Hwang appeared with a loud cry of, "May I say a few words?" He declared that "Gangnim Outpost is safer than any other outpost" and revealed that the existing safety report had been deliberately written to make the site look unsafe under orders from battalion commander Baek Chun-ik. He also said the closure was being pushed forward because the commander had ulterior motives and wanted to silence the outpost members who had spoken out against a poor food supplier.
Hwang also played an audio file containing Major Lee Min-gu's confession on site, clearly exposing Baek Chun-ik's crimes and proving that Major Im Seung-bin had been framed. Even though the situation could have hurt his long-awaited promotion, Hwang delivered a powerful line, saying, "We can't let any more unfair things happen." In the end, Seok-ho received a commendation, and Gangnim Outpost was named the best outpost, ending the series on a high note.
The production team of "The Legend of Kitchen Soldier" also expressed their gratitude for Lee's performance by displaying a message in the ending credits that read, "We would especially like to thank actor Lee Sang-yi for his special appearance."
Lee described "The Legend of Kitchen Soldier" as "a special project that I enjoyed filming and through which I met many people." He added, "I started filming after being offered a special appearance, but as my screen time and importance gradually increased, so did my sense of responsibility and my affection for Hwang Seok-ho. Hwang could be annoying at times, but because he was the character I had to play, I loved him and cared for him more than anyone else." He continued, "The director told me that Hwang Seok-ho should be like Team Rocket from the anime 'Pokémon'—annoying, but somehow endearing. I still remember how, after a lot of thought, I came up with various ad-libs and performances."
Finally, Lee said, "Fortunately, it seems many people found Hwang Seok-ho lovable, and that makes me very happy and proud. Thanks to this, I was able to create a great memory I never could have imagined in my life: appearing on 'M Countdown.' Thank you for 'The Legend of Kitchen Soldier.' Loyalty."
Meanwhile, Lee is expected to continue his strong momentum in MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama "Married Woman Killer," set to premiere in July, where he will play Detective Lee Dong-jin of Violent Crimes Unit 2, a pursuer from "Kingfisher."
Jo Ji-young, soulhn1220@sportschosun.com
