Script Reading for 'The Tyrant's Chef' Postponed Amid National Mourning

The script reading for tvN's upcoming drama 'The Tyrant's Chef' has been postponed. A representative from tvN explained on January 2 that the schedule was adjusted in consideration of the national mourning period.

'The Tyrant's Chef' stars Lim Yoona in the lead role, with Park Sung-hoon being considered for the male lead, the tyrant. The script reading was initially set to take place, indicating that Park's casting was nearly confirmed. However, controversy arose when Park posted a cover of explicit Japanese adult content on his personal account, leading to significant backlash from netizens who felt his involvement as a romantic lead would disrupt their immersion in the story. This has led to speculation that the postponement of the script reading was influenced by the fallout from Park's actions.

In response to the controversy, Park's agency, BH Entertainment, stated that he accidentally uploaded the post while checking his DMs and that he was surprised by the incident. They later clarified that he had saved the image to send to someone and mistakenly posted it instead, which only fueled the controversy further.

Set to premiere in the second half of the year, 'The Tyrant's Chef' follows a chef who time slips to the past and encounters a king known as the worst tyrant but also a gourmet. Lim Yoona was the first to confirm her participation, followed by Park Sung-hoon.