Bon Appetit Your Majesty Review – Fueled By Chapters
Like many others, Bon Appetit, Your Majesty got me hooked from the very beginning! This is probably one of my top K-dramas for this year! While it’s a bit late, I’ll be sharing my thoughts about this lovely show.
About Bon Appetit, Your Majesty
Bon Appetit, Your Majesty (폭군의 셰프)
Main Cast: Im Yoona, Lee Chaemin / 임윤아, 이채민
Director: Jang Taeyoo / 장태유
Genres: Historical, Fantasy, Romance, Comedy
Synopsis (Netflix): A chef time-travels to the Joseon era, meets a tyrant king, and her modern dishes captivate him, but royal challenges await her.
My Thoughts
I have to admit I was one of the people who got a little surprised because of the casting choice, not because the male lead was a rookie actor. I’ve actually watched Lee Chaemin’s other works (He was so cute in Love All Play, and I loved his acting in Crash Course in Romance). I just didn’t peg him to portray such a “villainous” role since he looks so young.
But I’m so glad that it worked at the end, and he proved that no one else could portray Lee Heon aside from him. His performance and versatility really blew me away!
Not Another Timeslip Romance
I was a little bit fresh from watching The First Night With The Duke, which shares the same theme of the female lead being magically transported into the Joseon Era.
While the overall concept was pretty clichè, Bon Appetit Your Majesty managed to capture my attention from the get-go, mainly because of the banter between Yeon Jiyoung (played by Yoona) and King Lee Heon (played by Lee Chaemin).
Their chemistry was honestly one of the best I’ve seen (especially for Yoona’s on-screen partners). I love the slow-burn execution of the romance between the two characters and how they complement each other’s strengths.
I know many people compare this to Mr. Queen, but the only thing they really share is the concept of time-traveling!
A Balance of Drama and Comedy
Given the theme of the show, court politics was expected, and it didn’t disappoint. I liked that the conflict was well-stated, even from the very beginning. The King was unapologetically tyrannical, and a “madman,” so to speak. While they changed the names to fictionalize the original king, King Yeonsan, from whom the character was inspired, the events that surrounded the story were mostly true.
I’ve also seen the film “The Treacherous”, which was also about King Yeonsan, so I knew what to expect, but they mellowed it down and added a kick of comedy, which was great. The VFX, in particular, whenever they try Jiyoung’s food was so hilarious.
Also, I just wanted to add that one of my favorite authors, June Hur, has an upcoming novel that’s also centered around King Yeonsan’s reign! And I recently got an ARC of Behind Five Willows, so I’m really excited!
Also Read: The Red Palace by June Hur | A Haunting Historical Mystery
Overall Thoughts
I really had fun tuning in every week to watch Bon Appetit Your Majesty! I loved that it had such a satisfying, happy ending as well. I know a lot of people were worried about the characters’ fate (Hello, Scarlet Heart!), but I think they were able to deliver it well.
If I had to nitpick something, I also think that the cooking competition was a little stretched out, but I also liked that it really highlighted Jiyoung’s skills, as well as the other cooks. But yeah, overall it was a solid show, and definitely one of my favorites!
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Have you watched Bon Appetit, Your Majesty yet? What other shows have you enjoyed so far this year?
