[Edaily Reporter Kim Mi-kyung] You can now enjoy the trending foods from K-dramas right at your local convenience store.

#CJ CheilJedang announced on the 16th that it will release six trending menu items featured in the popular drama “The Legend of the Cook” as convenience store-exclusive boxed lunches and ready-to-eat meals. This collaboration was planned to bring the culinary experiences from the drama to real-life dining tables and provide trend-conscious consumers with a unique dining experience.

“The Legendary Cook” tells the story of an ordinary private who acquires special culinary abilities, revolutionizes military food, and grows into a legendary cook. CJ CheilJedang has targeted convenience stores, the channel most frequently used by the drama’s primary audience—the MZ generation. Going beyond a simple product launch, the company has infused each product with the drama’s unique narrative and worldview.

The much-talked-about menu items, carefully crafted by the drama’s protagonists—including actor Park Ji-hoon—include: △Pork Cutlet Made with Care (GS25) △Wild Vegetable Bulgogi Bibimbap (GS25) △Old-Fashioned Hamburger (CU) △Gochujang Ragù Pasta (CU) and Authentic Soy Sauce Braised Chicken(7-Eleven), and △The Legendary Combo: Tteokbokki & Tuna Mayo (Emart 24).

This project introduced “VPPL (Virtual Product Placement),” a method utilizing AI technology—a rarity in the food industry. This technique involves using AI to naturally insert products and brands into pre-filmed footage. Through this approach, CJ CheilJedang’s flagship products, such as Haechandeul Gochujang, were seamlessly integrated into the drama without disrupting the viewers’ immersion.

This collaboration, which spans both online and offline channels, expands beyond convenience stores into the institutional food service market. CJ CheilJedang plans to introduce the drama’s menus to institutional and military food services through B2B (business-to-business) channels such as CJ Freshway, offering special recipes to actual military personnel.

A CJ CheilJedang representative stated, “We have prepared products that faithfully capture the story and worldview of the drama so that viewers can directly taste and enjoy the dishes made with the passion of the cooks in the show,” adding, “We will lead the way in creating synergies between K-food and K-content through innovative marketing and comprehensive collaborations.”