“Empire Epoch September 28, 2025” – Starring Korean drama queens Jun Eun and Lee Chae-won, ‘Chef of the Tyrant’ has seen a steady rise in viewership since its premiere and has now become the highest-rated mini-series in South Korea for 2025. In response to this achievement, acclaimed as the “genius director of Korean dramas,” Director Chang Tae-yu exclaimed, “I really didn’t expect this.”
‘Chef of the Tyrant’ started off with a 4.9% viewership rating in the first episode and quickly surpassed double digits in just 4 episodes. The skyrocketing viewership has captured significant attention within the television industry, continuously breaking its own viewership records, with episode 10 reaching a new high of 15.8%.
Adapted from the popular novel “Surviving as the Chef of King Yeongjo,” ‘Chef of the Tyrant’ is directed by Chang Tae-yu, renowned for the hit drama ‘My Love from the Star.’ The series follows the story of renowned chef Yoon Ji-yeong (portrayed by Jun Eun), who time-travels to the Joseon era at the peak of her career and encounters King Yeongjo with a dual identity, played by Lee Chae-won. King Yeongjo, portrayed as the worst tyrant, is also a top-notch gourmet who embarks on a transcendent love story with Yoon Ji-yeong.
According to reports from Korean media, ‘Chef of the Tyrant’ not only shines in viewership but also performs exceptionally well in viewership and buzz metrics on Netflix. As per the Netflix rankings released on September 17, the series secured the top spot among non-English TV programs. It consistently ranked in the top 10 from the first week of its release, held the second position for two consecutive weeks, and climbed to the first position with 6.8 million views (calculated by dividing the total viewing time by the total length of the episodes) in the fourth week.
According to data from the Good Data Corporation, ‘Chef of the Tyrant’ has dominated the popularity rankings for four consecutive weeks since its premiere. Lead actress Jun Eun has also clinched the top spot on the actors’ popularity list for four weeks, while Lee Chae-won secured the second and third positions continually.
With only two episodes left of ‘Chef of the Tyrant,’ the fantasy romance drama starring Jun Eun and Lee Chae-won, anticipation is high for the grand finale, making Director Chang Tae-yu a focal point of discussion.
With a career spanning 27 years, Chang Tae-yu has showcased his versatility in genres ranging from social realism and historical costume dramas to romantic fantasies. From early works like ‘War of Money’ to the classic ‘My Love from the Star,’ and the recent hits ‘Red Sky Machine’ and ‘Chef of the Tyrant,’ Chang Tae-yu’s visual world reflects a perfect blend of narrative tension and aesthetic appeal.
In ‘Chef of the Tyrant,’ Director Chang Tae-yu seamlessly integrates the cruel nature of historical figures like King Yeongjo with the concept of an absolute sense of taste, intertwining palace politics, culinary arts, and romance. One fan commented, “From the brutal historical context to the sweet eating scenes, Chang Tae-yu demonstrates his skill in blending serious subject matter with entertainment.”