Girls' Generation member and actress Yoona is stepping into the world of haute cuisine with her new role in tvN's weekend drama Tyrant's Chef (written by fGRD, directed by Jang Tae-yoo). She will play Yeon Ji-young, a Michelin three-star restaurant chef.

"I was drawn to the theme of cooking," Yoona shared, explaining her choice. "Chef Ji-young had an irresistible charm, and I wanted to take on the challenge." Describing her character, she added, "She's charismatic, wise, and confident—someone who boldly walks her own path."

Three Months of Culinary Training

In the story, Ji-young is a culinary prodigy who even wins a prestigious French cooking competition. To convincingly portray her, Yoona underwent rigorous training for three months, learning cooking techniques and handling professional kitchen tools directly from real chefs. "I practiced various dishes to prepare for this role," she revealed.

She also honed her French cuisine skills, with flambé becoming her signature performance. "I think I did flambé the most. It was one of those 'I can't believe I can do this!' moments," she recalled with a smile.

Attention to Historical and Stylistic Details

Given the drama's time-slip fantasy element, Yoona paid close attention to detail. "To highlight the differences between timelines, I wore scarves, earrings, and other accessories," she said. She also adjusted her speech style—keeping a confident, cheerful, modern tone to enhance the contrast between eras.

A Fantasy Romance with Culinary Flair
Tyrant's Chef is a fantasy romance about a French chef who meets a king from 500 years ago, sparking an extraordinary story. Yoona encouraged viewers to focus on "the cooking scenes and the emotions between characters" for a more immersive experience. The drama is set to premiere on August 23.