On March 4, 2025, South Korean production company Studio Dragon released a video on their social media revealing The Tyrant’s Chef's first look. Titled "Universal Emotions, Original Stories", the clip revealed a lineup of anticipated series, including Gyeonwoo and the Fairy, Second Shot at Love, Unknown SEOUL, The Price of Confession, The Manipulated, Dear X, and Dear Hongrang.
However, what caught fans off guard was the unexpected reveal of the first look for The Tyrant’s Chef, whose casting was finalised earlier this year. The brief teaser featured lead actors Im Yoon-ah and Lee Chae-min in their respective roles.
Im Yoon-ah was dressed as chef Yeon Ji-young, with Lee Chae-min appearing in royal attire as king, Lee Heon.
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Given that the drama had only recently undergone casting changes, with Lee Chae-min replacing Park Sung-hoon, fans were surprised to see footage so soon. One X user, @Yoonghearteu wrote,
"O.M.G! Yeon Ji Young first look!! With Lee Heon, the king! Ohhhh I’m sold!!"
The surprise reveal of The Tyrant’s Chef instantly set social media abuzz. Fans who had been eagerly awaiting updates on the series were thrilled to see the first glimpse of Im Yoon-ah and Lee Chae-min in character.
"Honestly I was skeptical reg the pairing. But after seeing the characters look. They look good. Waiting for the teaser," another X user commented.
"They’re killing it!," another person remarked.
"Chef Ji-young looks so pretty in uniform Why does it suits her well," one fan wrote.
"Visual couple," another X user added.
Many expressed surprise as the casting of The Tyrant’s Chef went through changes recently, and they were not expecting the first look to be released this soon.
"This drama went through so many changes. Hopefully this time around everything goes smooth. Also i feel like its going to be a fusion kind?!?! Like time slip??," another X user wrote.
"woah that was fast, i remember how articles was just popping about chaemin replacing the male lead, soo excited," one fan remarked.
"Again my ‘I don’t like romance, I hate romance genre, goes out the window. It is Yoona! I have to watch! I understood she prepared so hard for this role," another netizen mentioned.
All we know about The Tyrant’s Chef, its plot, and casting history
The Tyrant’s Chef is a fantasy romance drama directed by Jang Tae-yoo and written by HapJak. The story follows Yeon Ji-yeong, a skilled French chef who unexpectedly time-slips into the Joseon Dynasty just as she reaches her career's peak. Instead of leading a Michelin 3-star bistro in Paris, she finds herself serving Lee Heon, the king of Joseon, a refined gourmet and a feared tyrant.
Despite his brute nature, the king is fascinated by Ji-yeong’s food and welcomes her into the palace, leading to an intriguing blend of survival, romance, and power struggles. The cast of The Tyrant’s Chef includes:
- Im Yoon-ah as Yeon Ji-yeong, the French chef who finds herself in an unfamiliar period.
- Lee Chae-min as Lee Heon, the king known for his brutal rule and exceptional taste in food.
- Kang Han-na as Kang Mok-ju, a favored concubine who wields influence over the palace.
- Choi Gwi-hwa is Prince Je-seon, a royal figure determined to overthrow Lee Heon.
The Tyrant’s Chef had gone through a major casting change. Initially, Squid Game 2 fame Park Sung-hoon was cast in the male lead role but stepped down in January 2025 following backlash over an explicit social media post. His departure led to Lee Chae-min stepping in to lead.
The Tyrant’s Chef is based on the popular web novel Surviving as Yeonsan-gun’s Chef by Park Kook-jae. It is slated to air on tvN in the second half of 2025.
