The phrase "turning a crisis into an opportunity" perfectly describes the moment of the male lead change in 'The Tyrant's Chef'.
tvN's weekend drama 'The Tyrant's Chef' is a survival fantasy romantic comedy where a chef time slips to the past at his peak moment, meeting the worst tyrant and royal with an absolute sense of taste. Directed by Jang Tae-yoo, who has created numerous hits with his stylish direction across genres from contemporary to historical dramas, the series features a stellar cast including Im Yoon-a, Lee Chae-min, Kang Han-na, Choi Gwi-hwa, and Kim Kwang-kyu, drawing global attention.
Notably, 'The Tyrant's Chef' has topped the global OTT content aggregation site FlixPatrol, ranking first in 42 countries, igniting a K-drama global craze. The ratings are also on the rise. The fourth episode recorded a national rating of 11.1%, 11.4% in the metropolitan area, and a peak of 13.6% (according to Nielsen Korea), achieving the highest rating among tvN dramas aired this year.
While the production is thriving, there was more anxiety than anticipation during its initial stages. This was due to the significant issue of a lead actor change right before the script reading. Days before the reading, Park Sung-hoon, originally cast as the male lead, stepped down due to social media controversies. Just two days later, Lee Chae-min was cast as the new male lead. The timeline of 'The Tyrant's Chef' moved quickly after that. Less than ten days after Lee Chae-min's casting, the first filming began. Although Lee's first scene was filmed over a month later, the urgency of the situation is undeniable.
However, some responses suggest that this outcome is actually advantageous. Park Sung-hoon, born in 1985, was replaced by the 2000-born Lee Chae-min, which is argued to better match the storyline's development.
'The Tyrant's Chef' is based on a web novel titled ‘Surviving as the Chef of King Yeonsan’. While the drama has changed the name to a fictional character 'Yeonhui-gun', the surrounding characters maintain slightly altered names akin to those of historical figures from the Yeonsan-gun era. As a result, the male lead Lee Heon shares a backstory of longing for his mother, who met an untimely death, and is driven by a desire for revenge, mirroring the complex family history of a tyrant similar to Yeonsan-gun. In this context, the female lead, a French chef, stirs up memories of his mother by preparing bibimbap, tapping into his emotional journey.
Critics note that having a younger actor portrays the powerful and crazed tyrant more convincingly than an older one. Additionally, considering the character of the concubine, Gang Mok-ju (played by Kang Han-na), who in history was older than Yeonsan-gun, it further supports the suitability of a younger male lead
Lee Chae-min, portraying the mad tyrant Lee Heon with extraordinary taste, intricately presents a character layered with vengeance and loneliness behind the facade of a cold monarch, while showcasing an intriguing charm as he introduces unprecedented dishes through his encounters with the character Yeon Ji-young. Despite it being his first historical drama, he effectively embodies the required gravitas and charisma, delivering both intensity and nuance in every scene, thereby proving his potential as a next-generation lead actor, traversing power dynamics, personal torment, and an evolving romance.
Moreover, the synergy with Im Yoon-a is noteworthy. Im Yoon-a brings refined expressiveness and a strong performance to the character of French chef Yeon Ji-young, attracting acclaim and marking an upward trend in popularity indicators.
Despite the major challenge of changing the lead actor, 'The Tyrant's Chef' has successfully transformed a crisis into an opportunity. The drama is experiencing a surge in popularity, crossing the double-digit ratings in just four episodes, solidifying its status as a trending drama. It remains to be seen whether this success will continue until the end. 'The Tyrant's Chef' airs every Saturday and Sunday at 9:10 PM and is also available on Netflix.