ASTRO member and actor Cha Eun-woo (차은우) has been confirmed to star in “Tyrant’s Chef 2.” He will take over the male lead role from Lee Chae-min (이채민), who starred in the first season. Original cast members YoonA (윤아) and Lee Chae-min will not return for the sequel. While the second season will maintain the original world-building, it will unfold with entirely new characters and a fresh storyline.
According to Korean media reports on the 11th, Cha Eun-woo recently finalized his role as the male lead in “Tyrant’s Chef 2.” The first season, starring Lee Chae-min and YoonA, achieved impressive ratings in Korea and garnered significant international attention. With Cha Eun-woo stepping into the lead, public curiosity is high regarding the new character he will portray and how he will interpret the sequel’s narrative.
It is understood that while “Tyrant’s Chef 2” will share the same world as the first season, it will be introduced to audiences with a new title and story content. Discussions are currently underway for its broadcast on tvN.
The first season, “Tyrant’s Chef,” aired in 2025. The plot followed a chef who accidentally time-traveled to the past and encountered a tyrannical king with an “absolute palate,” leading to a fantastical and romantic story. Starring Lee Chae-min and YoonA, the drama achieved a peak viewership rating of 17.1% (according to Nielsen Korea), successfully creating a viewing sensation.
Beyond the domestic Korean market, “Tyrant’s Chef” also reached global audiences via Netflix. In its first week, it entered Netflix’s Global Top 10, then secured the No. 2 spot globally for two consecutive weeks, and ultimately climbed to No. 1 in its fourth week, achieving remarkable success overseas.
With Cha Eun-woo now confirmed as the male lead for the second season, and both YoonA and Lee Chae-min departing, the series is set for significant changes, from its main cast to its storyline. This has heightened anticipation for the sequel’s future development.
For Cha Eun-woo, “Tyrant’s Chef 2” will mark his official return to the entertainment industry after his military discharge. This will be his next highly anticipated drama project following “Wonderful World,” a Netflix series released during his enlistment.
Cha Eun-woo has previously taken on diverse roles, such as a priest in “Island” and a math teacher in “A Good Day to Be a Dog.” This marks his first time starring in a production centered around “cooking.” Leveraging his accumulated global popularity, he received numerous offers for new projects, ultimately choosing “Tyrant’s Chef 2” as his comeback work after discharge.
However, as Cha Eun-woo confirms his new drama, a previously reported tax dispute has not yet been fully resolved. Consequently, there are mixed reactions regarding the timing of his swift return to a new project following the controversy.
In January of this year, Cha Eun-woo was notified by the National Tax Service of an additional income tax assessment exceeding 20 billion Korean Won (approximately 400 million New Taiwan Dollars), sparking suspicions of tax evasion. At the time, Cha Eun-woo’s agency responded, stating, “We respect the National Tax Service’s procedures and results. To prevent further confusion, we have paid all relevant taxes.”
However, earlier this month, it was reported that Cha Eun-woo had filed an objection to the National Tax Service’s assessment and applied for a tax tribunal review. According to reports, he believes that the National Tax Service’s assessment of approximately 13 billion Korean Won in additional income tax was unreasonable, leading him to file the tax tribunal application last month. In response, Cha Eun-woo’s agency emphasized that filing for a tax tribunal aims to obtain a formal legal judgment and is not a simple refusal to pay the relevant taxes.
Now, with his return project confirmed after military discharge, Cha Eun-woo remains under scrutiny amidst the ongoing tax dispute. Beyond how he will portray the new male lead in “Tyrant’s Chef 2,” public attention is also focused on whether this highly-rated popular drama can maintain the first season’s momentum after the cast change.
