What happens when the chef first meets the tyrant king?

Ji-yeong, fresh off winning a prestigious French culinary competition, is flying back to Korea when she inexplicably time-slips to the Joseon era during a solar eclipse. She crash-lands in a forest, tangled in a net, utterly disoriented. King Yi Heon discovers her there, takes out his bow aiming at her, believing she might be a threat—or something supernatural. She, equally flustered and mistaking Yi Heon for an actor or stranger, attempts to resist. Amid the chaos, she treats his injuries—showing skill and composure—and cooks a dish known as “Gochujang Butter Bibimbap.” The meal’s flavors unexpectedly revive memories of his late mother, softening his initial hostility. That moment shifts everything: Ji-yeong sparks Yi Heon’s curiosity, impresses him with modern technique blended with traditional taste, and is eventually appointed as his chief royal cook.

Here are the key figures involved at that moment:

People in this first encounter

1. Yeon Ji-yeong — a modern French-trained chef thrust back in time, resourceful and bold. 2. King Yi Heon — the young monarch, known as a gourmet with a sharp palate but a tyrannical reputation.

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Sources used: Plot details from official synopsis and episode summaries. Specific encounter (net, bow, dish, emotional impact) from previews and episode one descriptions.