In the new Netflix series Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, a talented chef from the year 2025 finds herself thrown back in time to the Joseon era. This drama mixes history, comedy, and food in a fun way. The main character, Yeon Ji-yeong, is played by Im Yoon-ah. She is a top chef who wins a big cooking competition in France. But her life changes when an old cookbook sends her hundreds of years into the past. There, she meets King Yi-heon, a ruler known for his strict rules and bad temper. The first two episodes show how Ji-yeong uses her cooking skills to survive in this new world.
The story begins with Ji-yeong at the top of her career. She wins a French cooking contest by using a clever trick from the Joseon era to cook her steak. After winning, she gets on a plane to return to Korea. Her father asks her to bring an antique cookbook from Paris. During the flight, a passenger spills coffee on the book. Ji-yeong goes to the bathroom to clean it. While cleaning, she reads a romantic line in the book during a solar eclipse. Suddenly, she is transported to the Joseon era .
Ji-yeong lands in a forest during the king’s hunting time. King Yi-heon is hunting even though it is a day of ritual and solar eclipse. His advisors warn him about rebels and ghosts, but he does not listen. He sees Ji-yeong and mistakes her for a ghost. He tries to attack her, but a rebel shoots an arrow at the king. Both Ji-yeong and the king fall off a cliff. They survive, and Ji-yeong helps the king with his wound. But he still thinks she is a ghost .
Ji-yeong does not believe the man is really a king. She thinks he is an actor. They argue and fight until they find a small house in the forest. A young woman named Seo Gil-geum lives there. She ran away from palace life to avoid strict traditions. Ji-yeong cooks a meal for them using butter and gochujang she had in her jacket. She makes gochujang butter bibimbap. The king tastes the food and is moved. It reminds him of his mother, who passed away. This meal changes how he sees Ji-yeong .
At the end of episode one, royal soldiers find the king. They arrest Ji-yeong and Gil-geum for being in the restricted hunting area. In episode two, the women are put in prison. They are divided into groups based on age. Ji-yeong is put in the cooking group. She is ordered to prepare a meal for important guests. If she fails, she will be killed. Ji-yeong agrees but asks for freedom if she succeeds .
Ji-yeong uses modern cooking techniques to prepare steak. The royal secretary does not like the dish and orders her to be beheaded. But King Yi-heon arrives and tastes the food. He is very impressed and spares her life. That night, Ji-yeong and Gil-geum try to escape. The king catches them but does not punish them. Instead, he takes Ji-yeong to his palace. He introduces her to his concubine, Kang Mok-joo, who becomes jealous of Ji-yeong .
The series shows how food becomes a way for Ji-yeong to connect with the king. Her cooking brings back memories of his mother and makes him feel emotions he usually hides. The king is known as a tyrant, but Ji-yeong’s food softens him. This creates a unique bond between them. The drama also has palace politics, comedy, and a look at Joseon era traditions .
Bon Appétit, Your Majesty is directed by Jang Tae-yoo. It is based on a web novel called Surviving as Yeonsan-gun’s Chef. The show has 12 episodes and is streaming on Netflix. Im Yoon-ah and Lee Chae-min play the main roles. Lee Chae-min plays King Yi-heon. His character is strict but has a soft side that comes out because of Ji-yeong’s cooking .
The first two episodes set up the story for the rest of the series. Ji-yeong must find a way to survive in the Joseon era. She also wants to return to her own time. The old cookbook might be the key to going back. But her growing connection to the king could make things complicated. Viewers are left wondering what will happen next. Will Ji-yeong stay in the past? Will the king continue to enjoy her cooking? These questions will be answered in future episodes .
“I do not like her…she comes across as arrogant and smug. I do like him and his work. I will tune in and give it a try.” – Alice Alfieri Welsh
The show has been compared to other time-slip dramas like Mr. Queen and Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo. But it stands out because of its focus on food. Each dish Ji-yeong prepares is shown in detail. The cooking scenes are shot like a food show, making them enjoyable to watch. The series also has humor because of the cultural clashes between Ji-yeong and the people of the Joseon era .
Bon Appétit, Your Majesty is a fun and engaging series. It combines history, romance, and food in a fresh way. The first two episodes are available on Netflix now. New episodes are released every week. Fans of Im Yoon-ah and Lee Chae-min will enjoy their performances. The show is also great for anyone who likes cooking and time travel stories .
Also Read: Lim YoonA and Lee Chae Min’s New Drama “Bon Appétit Your Majesty” Set to Premiere in August
Credits: DMTalkies, Thereviewgeek
