The Question Raised by the Drama: “Could It Really Have Been Like This?”
Everyone must be deeply immersed in the drama <The Tyrant’s Chef>, right? I too lost sleep watching 21st-century chef Yeon Ji-young melt the heart of the tyrant Lee Heon with just one dish. But have you ever wondered? “Wait, was there really a female chef like that in the Joseon royal kitchen?” “Does it make sense to do politics through food?”
Yes, that’s right. The drama is just a drama, but such curiosity is the most enjoyable starting point for truly encountering history. Let’s lift the curtain on the fantasy we loved in the drama and embark on a journey to meet the story of the ‘real royal chef’ hidden behind it. The more you know, the more fun this time travel becomes—let’s start now!
Part 1: When Imagination Meets History
1. Ta-da! The Secret of the Female Chef’s Sudden Appearance
The biggest surprise that opened the drama was the comet-like appearance of the female chef ‘Yeon Ji-young’ in the royal kitchen, which seemed to be filled only with men. Actually, this was a very clever move by the writer.
Looking into historical records, the Joseon royal kitchen was clearly a ‘men’s world’. Wrestling with huge cauldrons to prepare food for hundreds or thousands of people and carrying heavy ingredients was intense physical labor. Above all, since the king’s meals were a matter of ‘security,’ key cooking tasks were entrusted to male officials who were easier to control.
Then what about the kitchen court ladies we saw in
<The Tyrant’s Chef> twists this historical fact to maximize the tension when an unfamiliar woman appears and the romance with the king. The image of a modern woman breaking through a rigid era with her skills gave us thrilling vicarious satisfaction!
2. The ‘Political Recipe’ That Cooks the Heart
Another core of the drama was ‘culinary politics.’ The setting where food heals the wounded king’s heart and sets the country right was truly romantic.
In actual history, however, the king’s table, or surasang, symbolized ‘safety’ and ‘authority’ more than ‘healing.’ Protecting the king from possible poisoning threats and demonstrating his authority with the finest ingredients were the primary goals.
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But if you think about it, ‘comforting the heart with food’ is a feeling very familiar to us today, like seeking ‘soul food’ in hard times. The drama brought this modern empathy into Joseon, transforming the rigid surasang into a ‘healing table’ that saves a person’s soul.
Part 2: Meeting the Real Royal Chef, the ‘Royal Head Chef’
3. The Distinctive Names: ‘Suksu’ and ‘Royal Head Chef’
So, who were the real royal chefs? They were artisans called ‘suksu (熟手),’ meaning ’experienced hands.’ Among them, the elite who waited only for the king’s orders and were responsible for the surasang were called ‘daeryeong suksu (待令熟手),’ or ‘Royal Head Chefs.’ Think of them as the president’s exclusive chefs today.
They were official skilled workers belonging to a government agency called ‘Saongwon (司饔院),’ the control tower responsible for all palace food. Although many were of low social status such as slaves or commoners, their skills were respected like national treasures. Their status was humble, but their skills were ’national representatives.’
4. A Day on Thin Ice
Unlike the drama, the life of a Royal Head Chef was like walking on thin ice every day. They had to be responsible for the king’s taste, health, and safety—imagine the pressure! Records say some suksu even fled because the work was so hard.
A small mistake could mean death. During King Gojong’s reign, when a minor issue was found in banquet food, petitions demanding immediate punishment of the responsible suksu, including Kim Won-geun, flooded in. A problem with the king’s food was not just a simple mistake but considered a ‘challenge to the king.’ These chefs cooked with their lives on the line every day.
Part 3: Beyond the Palace Walls, the Birth of ‘Royal Court Cuisine’
5. The Scattered Royal Chefs
As the seemingly eternal Joseon dynasty faded into history, the centuries-old Saongwon also closed its doors. The Royal Head Chefs, who had cooked only inside the palace all their lives, suddenly lost their jobs and were forced onto the streets.
But this sad history became the catalyst for the birth of a new culture known as ‘royal court cuisine.’ The secret dishes that had only been tasted by the king and a few royals were finally ready to step into the world!
6. Is ‘Royal Court Cuisine’ an Invention?
In 1903, a splendid restaurant called ‘Myeongwol-gwan (明月館)’ opened in the heart of Seoul. This was the first ‘royal court cuisine specialty restaurant’ where ordinary people could pay to taste the king’s food.
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The owner, Ahn Soon-hwan, was not a chef but a genius entrepreneur with a keen eye for the times. He hired skilled suksu from the palace and packaged their skills as a high-end brand called ‘royal court cuisine.’ Instead of the simple daily meals the king ate, he prominently featured festive dishes like sinseollo and gujeolpan that were visually splendid and special.
Ultimately, the luxurious image of Korean royal cuisine we think of today was closer to an ‘invention’ born from the planning of a genius manager over 100 years ago. Isn’t that fascinating?
The Joy of Knowing Real History
<The Tyrant’s Chef> is, of course, not a history textbook. It features cooking methods like sous-vide that did not exist in Joseon and creates modern desserts with exotic ingredients like butter (which did exist under the name ‘suyu’) and almonds.
But this drama served as a wonderful ‘invitation’ that makes us curious about the forgotten lives of the ‘Royal Head Chefs.’ Enjoying the thrilling fantasy of the drama while learning about the real history behind it—this is the best way to enjoy the story 200% deeper and more interesting, isn’t it?