When Modern Cuisine Meets Ancient Tyranny: Netflix's "The Tyrant's Chef"

Netflix has struck gold once again with its latest Korean drama sensation, "The Tyrant's Chef" (originally titled "Bon Appétit, Your Majesty" in Korean: 폭군의 셰프). The series achieved the remarkable feat of reaching the number one spot on Netflix's popular TV program list on September 2, 2025, captivating audiences worldwide with its unique blend of culinary arts, historical fantasy, and palace intrigue.

A Recipe for Success: Plot and Premise

The story follows Chef Yeon Ji Yeong, a perfectionist French-trained chef at the peak of her culinary career, who is suddenly transported back in time to the royal palace. YoonA, the former Girls' Generation member, brings depth and charisma to the role of Yeon Ji-Young, who was offered work at a Michelin 3-star rated restaurant in Paris, finds herself working for the tyrant King Yi Heon and presents fusion royal cuisine just for him.

The male lead, King Yi Heon (also spelled Lee Heon), is portrayed by rising star Lee Chae-Min, who replaced Park Sung-Hoon following controversy after posting on December 30, 2024 an explicit image from a parody AV video of the Netflix series "Squid Game" on his Instagram Story. Despite the casting change, Lee Chae-Min has received praise for his compelling portrayal of the complex monarch.

King Yi Heon is a ruler with a killer palate and a deadly temper, whose refined taste in food becomes the catalyst for an unlikely relationship with the time-traveling chef. The drama explores how fusion royal cuisine becomes a bridge between two very different worlds and personalities.

The Supporting Cast and Creative Team

The drama features a stellar supporting cast including:

• Kang Han-Na as Kang Mok-Ju, King Yi Heon's concubine. She is greedy and hides her endless ambition for power
• Choi Gwi-Hwa as Prince Jesan, a member of royal family. He is the most powerful political enemy of King Yi Heon

The series is directed by Jang Tae-yoo, known for beloved dramas like My Love From the Star, Tree With Deep Roots, and Knight Flower, ensuring high production values and compelling storytelling.

Cultural Impact and Reception

The cultural impact of "The Tyrant's Chef" is significant, sparking interest across various regions including Asia, Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, and Oceania. The show has drawn comparisons to historical dramas like "Dae Jang Geum," showcasing the blending of Korean cuisine with French cooking techniques, showcasing the limitless possibilities of fusion cuisine.

The series aims to deliver "an experience that stimulates all five senses," combining deep emotional storytelling, hidden palace rivalries, and a unique blend of traditional Korean royal cuisine and French gastronomy.

The Source Material

The drama is based on web novel "Yeonsankunui Chefro Salanamki" by Park Kuk-Jae (published October 5, 2022 - August 31, 2023 via Naver). However, the series' biggest change to the web novel source material is in the name of the titular tyrant. Park's novel uses real-life ruler Yeonsangun as one of the main characters. However, the Netflix series has changed the name of the character to King Lee Heon, distancing the story from the real-life history.

The Historical King Yeonsangun: Korea's Most Notorious Tyrant

To understand the fictional King Yi Heon, we must examine his real-life inspiration: Yeonsangun or Prince Yeonsan (Korean: 연산군; Hanja: 燕山君; 23 November 1476 – 20 November 1506), personal name Yi Yung (이융; 李㦕), was the 10th monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. Often considered the worst tyrant in Joseon's history and perhaps all Korean history, he is notorious for launching two bloody purges, seizing hundreds of women from all over the peninsula to serve as palace entertainers, and appropriating Sungkyunkwan as a personal pleasure ground.

Early Reign and Promise

Initially, Yeonsangun's reign showed promise. After ascending to the throne in 1494, he began his reign effectively, focusing on national defense and aiding the poor. During the first four years, Prince Yeonsan carried out relatively good civil administration with the political heritage from King Seongjong's reign.

However, his violent tendencies surfaced early when he killed one of his tutors, foreshadowing the brutal reign to come.

The Mother's Tragedy: A King's Descent into Madness

The turning point in Yeonsangun's reign came with the discovery of his true parentage. The crown prince grew up believing that he was the son of Queen Jeonghyeon, his father's third wife. The truth was far more tragic: his biological mother was Lady Yun, later known as the Deposed Queen Yun, who had been executed for her jealous and violent behavior.

Queen Yoon was deposed one day before her 24th birthday after she even interrogated the other concubines and clawed her husband's face during an argument. She was eventually ordered to commit suicide by drinking poison in 1482.

The Two Bloody Purges

When Yeonsangun learned the truth about his mother's death, he launched a campaign of revenge that would define his tyrannical reign through two major purges:

First Literati Purge (Muo Sahwa, 1498)

In 1498, Kim Il-son, a disciple of Kim Chong-jik, included a paragraph in the royal records that was critical of King Sejo's coup d'état (1455). Kim Il-son and other followers of Kim Chong-jik were accused of treason by a rival faction, giving the king cause enough to order the execution of many Sarim officials and the mutilation of Kim Chong-jik's remains.

Second Literati Purge (Gapja Sahwa, 1504)

The second purge was even more brutal and personal. In 1504, Im Sa-hong revealed to Yeonsangun the details of his mother's death and showed him a blood-stained piece of clothing that was obtained from Lady Yun's mother, the blood allegedly vomited by her after taking poison.

Subsequently, Yeonsangun beat to death two of his father's concubines, Lady Jeong and Lady Eom, for their part in his mother's death. His grandmother, Grand Royal Queen Dowager Insu, also passed away soon after he pushed her during an altercation.

At least 36 officials were executed (by drinking poison) and remains of eight deceased officials were mutilated. The actual death toll was much greater because the victims' families and relatives were punished as well - male members being killed and the female members enslaved.

Transformation of a Kingdom

Yeonsangun's tyranny extended far beyond political purges. He systematically dismantled the very foundations of Joseon society:

Educational Destruction: Yeonsangun closed Sungkyunkwan, the royal university, as well as the temple Wongaksa, and converted them into personal pleasure grounds, for which young girls were gathered from the eight provinces.

Mass Displacement: He also demolished a large residential area in the capital and evicted 20,000 residents to build hunting grounds.

Suppression of Culture: Many commoners mocked and insulted him with posters written in hangul, and in retaliation, Yeonsangun banned the use of the script.

Systematic Abuse: Under Yeonsangun's reign, he had hundreds of girls and women kidnapped from across the peninsula, to be presented to him as "entertainers".

The Infamous Jang Nok-su

One of the most notorious figures of Yeonsangun's court was his beloved concubine, Jang Nok-su. Royal Consort Suk-yong (Korean: 숙용 장씨, 1484–1506), of the Heungdeok Jang clan, was the consort of Yeonsangun of Joseon.

Her father was Jang Han-pil, a county magistrate who lived in the western part of Chungcheong Province, and her mother was a concubine from the cheonmin class. She was only of ordinary beauty, but had a vibrant and youthful appearance, and possessed an extraordinary talent for singing and music.

Concubine Jang seemed to treat Yeonsangun as a baby, but he so favored her that all rulings and punishments were made under her influence. Her power in the court became so absolute that she was cruel and ordered a courtesan's death sentence before displaying the head publicly just because the courtesan accidentally stepped on her skirt.

The Fall of a Tyrant

Yeonsangun's reign of terror could not last forever. In 1506, the 12th year of Yeonsangun's reign, a group of officials — notably Pak Wŏnjong, Sŏng Hŭian, Yu Sunjŏng, and Hong Gyeong-ju — plotted against the despotic ruler. They launched their coup in September 1506, deposing the king and replacing him with his younger half-brother, Grand Prince Jinseong.

The king was demoted to "Prince Yeonsan" (Yeonsangun; 燕山君, 연산군) and sent into exile on Ganghwa Island, where he died after two months. His concubine, Jang Nok-su, who had encouraged and supported his misrule, was beheaded. The last moments of Jang Nok-su's life were miserable. She was beheaded publicly and many people threw rocks at her dead body.

Legacy of Terror

Yeonsangun's despotic rule provided a stark contrast to the liberal era of his father, and as a much-despised overthrown monarch, he did not receive a temple name. This denial of a temple name was a posthumous punishment reserved for the most disgraced rulers, marking him forever as unworthy of ancestral veneration.

The Gapsa Sahwa and King Yeonsangun's reign left an indelible mark on the Joseon Dynasty. The political purges of this period created a deep sense of animosity and factionalism within the court that would persist for centuries.

Yeonsangun in Popular Culture

The historical Yeonsangun has been depicted in various Korean media over the decades. The historical figure of King Yeonsan has been depicted more explicitly elsewhere in Korean media history, such as in the 1961 film Prince Yeonsan, the 2005 film The King and the Clown, and the 2015 film The Treacherous.

From History to Fantasy: The Dramatic Transformation

"The Tyrant's Chef" takes creative liberties with history, transforming the brutal reality of Yeonsangun's court into a romantic fantasy where food becomes a bridge to redemption. Like the fictional character of King Lee Heon (also known as Yi Heon) in Bon Appetit, Your Majesty, King Yeonsan's mother was executed when he was young, providing the emotional foundation for both the historical and fictional characters.

The drama's genius lies in its ability to acknowledge the darkness of the historical period while reimagining it through the lens of culinary romance. This systemic rounding up of women is depicted in the first few episodes of Bon Appetit, Your Majesty, showing that the series doesn't shy away from the harsh realities even as it transforms them into a more palatable narrative.

The Power of Culinary Storytelling

At its core, "The Tyrant's Chef" emphasizes how food can bridge cultural divides. It explores broader societal issues, including politics and personal trauma, through the lens of culinary arts. This approach allows the drama to tackle serious historical themes while maintaining accessibility and entertainment value.

The series represents a growing trend in the global rise of interest in Korean culture, influenced by previous hits like "Squid Game" and "K-Pop Demon Hunters", demonstrating how Korean content continues to evolve and capture international audiences.

Conclusion: When Fiction Meets History

"The Tyrant's Chef" serves as a fascinating example of how historical dramas can reimagine the past while respecting its complexity. By drawing inspiration from one of Korea's most notorious rulers, the series creates space for both entertainment and reflection on power, trauma, and redemption.

While King Yeonsangun's actual reign was marked by unprecedented cruelty and political chaos, the fictional King Yi Heon offers viewers a glimpse into what might have been if compassion and understanding had triumphed over revenge and tyranny. In this reimagined world, the transformative power of food becomes a metaphor for healing—both personal and political.

As audiences continue to engage with the series, the reception has been overwhelmingly positive. Fans and critics alike commend its rich storytelling and intricate character development. "The Tyrant's Chef" stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of Korean historical dramas and their ability to find new ways to explore timeless themes of power, love, and human nature.

Whether you're drawn to the culinary artistry, the romantic tension, or the rich historical backdrop, "The Tyrant's Chef" offers a compelling viewing experience that honors both the complexity of Korean history and the power of imaginative storytelling.

P.S. It's worth noting that Jang Nok-su's story has deeply permeated Korean popular culture beyond historical dramas. There's a particularly famous Korean song about Jang Nok-su that has become incredibly popular and beloved by Korean audiences, demonstrating how this historical figure continues to captivate the public imagination centuries after her death. The enduring fascination with her story speaks to the complex legacy of both Yeonsangun's reign and the women who wielded influence during one of Korea's most turbulent periods.