YoonA's Meteoric Rise: From K-Pop Idol to Leading Actress in 'The Tyrant's Chef'

YoonA, the acclaimed actress, has once again captivated audiences with her latest drama, 'The Tyrant's Chef,' following her success with last year's 'King the Land.' Breaking the stereotype often associated with idol-turned-actors, YoonA has solidified her status as a reliable hitmaker.

tvN's drama 'The Tyrant's Chef' tells the story of a modern-day chef who time-slips to the Joseon era, encountering a tyrant with an extraordinary palate, played by Lee Chae-min. YoonA stars as Yeon Ji-young, a Michelin 3-star chef from Paris. At the press conference, she shared her preparation process, stating, "I attended a culinary school three months before filming to learn basic knife skills and ingredient preparation, and I received direct guidance on the dishes featured in the drama."

Initially, Park Sung-hoon was cast as the tyrant Lee Heon, but due to controversy, he was replaced by newcomer Lee Chae-min just ten days before filming began. Despite concerns over the sudden change, the drama quickly gained traction upon airing, dispelling any doubts. YoonA's performance was central to this success, as she flawlessly delivered lengthy French dialogues and executed complex action scenes, enhancing the show's immersion. Industry insiders praise her, noting that "YoonA's confident and bright personality aligns perfectly with her character, adding credibility."

The show's ratings are on a steep rise. The sixth episode, aired on the 7th, achieved an average nationwide rating of 12.7%, peaking at 14.5%, setting a new personal best. It ranked first across all channels, including terrestrial networks, during its time slot and maintained its position as the most talked-about show for two consecutive weeks. Internationally, 'The Tyrant's Chef' is also receiving a warm reception, currently ranking first in 42 regions and entering the TOP 10 in 93 regions on Netflix.

YoonA's track record of success is already impressive. Her lead role in the 2023 JTBC drama 'King the Land' garnered a peak rating of 13.8%. Her first lead film, 'Exit,' in 2019 attracted 9.42 million viewers, and her 2017 screen debut 'Confidential Assignment' drew 7.8 million viewers, both achieving box office success. A broadcasting official commented, "The label of being an idol-turned-actress has long disappeared. She has now established herself as a guarantee for box office success."

Born in 1990, YoonA debuted as the center of the group Girls' Generation in 2007, quickly becoming a popular K-pop star with each release. She began her acting career with the 2007 MBC drama 'Two Outs in the Ninth Inning' and took her first lead role in the 2008 KBS1 daily drama 'You Are My Destiny,' which achieved a peak rating of 43.6%, marking her as a notable actress.

It is rare for someone to hold the dual titles of 'representative girl group center' as a singer and 'box office guarantee' as an actress. YoonA has become a figure who elevates the value of a project simply with her name. Her next steps are highly anticipated as she continues to receive a warm response through 'The Tyrant's Chef.'

Reporter: Se-yoon Jung, Ten Asia yoon@tenasia.co.kr