In the 9th episode of tvN's 'The Tyrant's Chef' (directed by Jang Tae-yoo, written by fGRD), which aired on the night of the 20th at 9:10 PM, Yeon Ji-young (played by Im Yoon-ah) falls into a trap set by Gam Mok-joo (played by Kang Han-na) and is subjected to torture.
During the episode, Yeon Ji-young participates in a cooking competition. The second round required contestants to prepare dishes from the opposing country. Yeon Ji-young completed a Peking duck, while Dang Baek-ryong (played by Jo Jae-yoon) prepared temple cuisine. However, Ming Dynasty envoy Woo Gon (played by Kim Hyung-mook) disrupted the competition with his unreasonable scoring.
Lee Heon (played by Lee Chae-min) questioned the integrity of the judging, stating, "If you can't evaluate the dishes honestly, what's the point of the competition?" He then asked the chefs to self-evaluate, to which Yeon Ji-young and Dang Baek-ryong responded, "We cannot judge the dishes that embody our sweat and dedication." Lee Heon declared a draw, countering the biased judgment.
The tie was broken in the third round, a 'Soup and Sam' showdown. Yeon Ji-young used a pressure cooker provided by Jang Chun-saeng (played by Go Chang-seok) to make black chicken ginseng soup, while the Ming Dynasty team countered with Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Ming Dynasty chef Gong Mun-rye (played by Park In-soo) couldn't taste due to anorexia, but when Yeon Ji-young offered a 'pre-completion dish' as a mixed stew, he acknowledged defeat, saying it tasted like his grandmother's cooking. The final score was 28 to 27, with Joseon emerging victorious.
Unable to accept defeat, Woo Gon demanded, "To repay the king's grace, I will take just one tribute on my way back," asking for Yeon Ji-young as a tribute woman. Lee Heon, outraged, retorted, "How dare you demand the head chef as a tribute woman," and headbutted Woo Gon, causing a nosebleed. In the tense standoff, Queen Dowager Inju (played by Seo Yi-sook) intervened, stating, "Your insolence has crossed the line," narrowly averting a diplomatic crisis.
However, the real storm followed. Gam Mok-joo handed over herbs to Je-san Daegun (played by Choi Gwi-hwa) to sabotage a meal with Jinmyeong Daegun, intensifying her plot against Yeon Ji-young. When Je-san Daegun expressed concern about 'poisoning traces,' Gam Mok-joo insisted, "It's not poison," pushing her scheme forward. Yeon Ji-young served black chicken roast and macarons to Lee Heon and Jinmyeong Daegun, but that night, Jinmyeong Daegun suddenly collapsed. Queen Dowager Jahyeon (played by Shin Eun-jung) slapped Yeon Ji-young, accusing her, "You will no longer prepare the king's meals," and ordered her torture, saying, "My son Jinmyeong is fighting for his life after eating your chicken."
Just after Yeon Ji-young upheld Joseon's pride against the Ming Dynasty, she was caught in Gam Mok-joo's trap and Queen Dowager Jahyeon's misunderstanding, turning the 'victory cheers' into the 'worst misunderstanding.' With Woo Gon's unreasonable tribute demand, Lee Heon's direct confrontation, Queen Dowager Inju's intervention, Gam Mok-joo's meticulous plot, and Queen Dowager Jahyeon's direct torture, the next episode promises a catastrophic aftermath.
Reporter Chaeryeong Lim, TenAsia syjj426@tenasia.co.kr