The drama "The Tyrant's Chef" has become embroiled in a controversy over historical distortion. The original web novel author, Park Guk-jae, officially refuted the claims. On the 19th, Park explained the historical verification of the scene at the center of the controversy through his social media.

"The Tyrant's Chef" includes a scene where Crown Prince Yeonhui of Joseon and a Ming Dynasty envoy sit side by side to eat and judge food. After this scene aired, some viewers argued that the king and the envoy sitting at the same level was far from historical fact. In response, Park cited the "Gukjo Oryeui," the official Joseon etiquette book published in 1474, to counter the claims.

Park stated, "According to the banquet chapter, the feast takes place at Taepyeonggwan, where the envoy stays. The envoy's seat is located on the east wall, and the king's seat is on the west wall." He explained, "In Confucian etiquette, the east is considered higher than the west, so the envoy's seat corresponds to the seat of honor."

Additionally, Park said, "Since the Ming envoy was the emperor's representative, he held a higher ceremonial rank than the Joseon king," adding, "The king would bow first, and the envoy would respond with a bow, which was the protocol at the time." He emphasized, "This is unrelated to national power or sovereignty; it is a matter of international protocol."

Park pointed out that the "Gukjo Oryeui" is an official document compiled just 30 years before the period depicted in the drama, saying, "It is highly likely that the practices were carried out as written at that time." He claimed, "The depiction of the envoy's banquet is properly verified based on official documents."

The drama "The Tyrant's Chef" is based on the web novel "Surviving as Yeonsangun's Chef," a fantasy romantic comedy depicting a modern chef who time-slips to the Joseon era and captivates the tyrant king with his cooking. The drama stars Im Yoon-ah and Lee Chae-min and has gained popularity, recording a peak viewership rating of 15% since its first broadcast.

Park Guk-jae's rebuttal is interpreted as an effort to resolve the controversy over the drama's historical accuracy. Through his claims based on official documents, he emphasizes the historical correctness of the drama.