North Korean Youths Arrested for Secretly Watching 'The Chef of the Tyrant'... Friend Reported

Two North Korean youths were arrested by the State Security Department after secretly viewing Korean dramas and other external media in Pyongsan Namdo. According to a report by the North Korea-focused media DailyNK, the pair had been sharing forbidden content with a third friend in early June, leading to their arrest after the friend voluntarily reported them out of fear of being implicated. The drama 'The Chef of the Tyrant'—popular among North Korean youth as 'The King's Chef'—had sparked a cultural phenomenon, with its lavish palace cuisine and romantic storyline creating widespread fascination and even culinary trends.