Im Yoon-ah ♥ Lee Chae-min, the whole world caught up..Chef of the tyrant, Netple tops non-English TV show
Sep 17, 2025
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First of all, the 8th episode of 『The Tyrant's Chef" recorded an average of 15.8% and a maximum of 18.1% for households in the metropolitan area, once again breaking its own record at the top of all channels at the same time. (Based on cable, IPTV, and satellite integrated paid platforms / Provided by Nielsen Korea) It also topped the TV-OTT drama hot topic for four consecutive weeks in the second week of September 2025, announced by Fundex of Good Data Corporation, a K-content competitiveness analysis agency. Lim Yoon-ah (played by Yeon Ji-young) ranked No. 1 for four consecutive weeks in the popularity of drama actors, and Lee Chae-min was also ranked at the top of the list for four consecutive weeks. (based on 2025.09.08~2025.09.14)
The "tyrant's Chef" craze has gone beyond Korea to the global market. According to To Doom, Netflix's official site released today (17th, Wednesday), it ranked first in the global TOP TV show (non-English). It has been ranked in the top 10 since the first week of its release, and has been ranked second for two consecutive weeks, followed by first place in four weeks. It is also tied for first in the audience rating index among TV shows released on Netflix as of September 25, with an audience rating index of 98 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, a global critic site.
One of the factors in the global popularity of "Chef of Tyrants" is the power of well-organized K-storytelling. K-storytelling is characterized by a harmonious blend of various genres. "The Tyrant's Chef" is a time-slip fantasy, a romance between a tyrant and a chef, comicality from the chemistry of actors, and fusion food using traditional Korean ingredients to showcase the charm of a comprehensive gift set. Does this make the viewer's eyes??It provides a variety of things to see and increases the level of immersion. In addition, a well-structured complete story structure is easy to induce viewers' over-immersion and binge-watching craze.
While interest in Korean romantic comedy is high around the world, the global popularity of 'tyrant's Chef' is also in line with this. Romance and comedy are in an appropriate balance, and an epic and emotional romance centered on excitement and lingering feelings is attractive to global viewers. In addition, Korean sentiment, food, and culture shown through the `tyrant's Chef' also serve as a medium to broaden the understanding of Korean culture. Global viewers naturally imbue Korean culture through a drama called `Chef of a Tyrant.'
In response, major foreign media outlets also highlighted the craze for the `tyrant's chef' from various perspectives. The New York Times introduced the `Chef of a Tyrant' as the `Korean drama that captivated the entire world' and Time praised it for `using the historical background as a fantasy stage to unravel the escapist and entertaining love story, which is a wise choice.' In addition, Decider, a review-specialized media under the New York Post, said "Interesting devices are added to the familiar narrative structure to attract viewers' attention."
Global viewers also fell back into Korean dramas thanks to the "tyrant's Chef.", "You can feel the essence of Korean Rocco.", The cinematography of the entire drama, including food and storytelling, is surprisingly beautiful, and various and enthusiastic reactions are being sent to the work.
tvN 'Chef of Tyrants', which is acclaimed for capturing the eyes, ears, and mouths of global viewers beyond Korea, airs every Saturday and Sunday at 9:10 p.m.
yaqqol@sportschosun.com
