"The drama offers enjoyment from cooking to romance," said director Jang Tae-yoo, summarizing the flavor-packed series.
"The Tyrant's Chef" sets itself apart from typical time-slip dramas by focusing on cooking. Director Jang explained, "The idea started with imagining what would happen if the best chef of today met the greatest tyrant and gourmet of 500 years ago."
The series blends culinary arts with romance, showing how the tyrant's character changes through tasting the chef's dishes. Jang said, "We wanted to portray the process of these two characters transcending time and generations, gradually influencing each other."
A production press conference for tvN's new weekend drama was held on August 19 at The Saint in Sindorim, with director Jang and actors Im Yoon-ah, Lee Chae-min, Choi Gwi-hwa, Seo Yi-sook, and Oh Eui-sik in attendance.
The fantasy-romance drama follows a Michelin three-star chef who time-slips 500 years into the past, encountering a gourmet tyrant king. The tyrant imposes severe punishments if dishes fail to satisfy his refined palate, possessing an extraordinary sense of taste that detects even subtle flavor differences.
Cooking plays a central role in the story. Jang emphasized, "Politics, romance, and relationships all unfold around food. Every story element is born from ingredients and the chef's hands."
Im Yoon-ah plays Yeon Ji-young, the Michelin-starred chef who ends up in the Joseon era instead of a French restaurant after a competition win. She said, "Since the story revolves around cooking, expressing Ji-young's responsibility and dreams as a chef was the biggest challenge, which I think adds to the drama's charm."
The director paid particular attention to the visual representation of food. "Since taste can't be shown on screen, we devoted significant effort to visually designing and presenting the dishes."
Lee Chae-min portrays King Lee Heon, a powerful ruler with absolute taste sensitivity who notices flavor changes depending on the weather. Originally, the role was cast with Park Sung-hoon, who stepped down following controversy over a social media post. Jang praised Lee Chae-min, saying, "Although not our initial choice, he exceeded expectations by 120%."
Lee Chae-min prepared by attending frequent script readings and incorporating feedback from senior actors. He studied gestures and expressions to reflect the king's exquisite taste.
The chemistry between Im Yoon-ah and Lee Chae-min stands out both on and off screen. Im noted, "Our interactions exceeded expectations. Acting as Ji-young and Lee Heon, we naturally discussed lines and exchanged opinions, which helped with immersion." Lee added, "It was an honor to act alongside her. She made performing scenes comfortable and effortless, even excelling in the cooking sequences."
Director Jang expressed satisfaction with their dynamic, stating, "Their chemistry is more enjoyable than any prior work. It's better seen than described."
Known for historical dramas like Deep-rooted Tree, Painter of the Wind, Hong Cheon-gi, and Flowers That Bloom at Night, Jang continues his legacy with this new period piece. He acknowledged challenges in current historical drama production, noting limitations due to fewer open sets, but emphasized the desire to keep the genre alive.
He concluded, "We prepared this drama as if serving a full 12-course meal to weekend viewers. Each episode offers a different flavor, so to truly enjoy it, watch until the end."
The Tyrant's Chef premieres on August 23 at 9:10 p.m. KST.
