If you've ever wondered what would happen if a modern-day chef landed in the middle of a royal palace in 16th-century Korea, Bon Appetit, Your Majesty is ready to serve you that exact fantasy, with a generous side of romance, comedy, and culinary magic.
From the first frame, the series knows it's playing with absurdity, and it leans into it with confidence.
There's a delightful mix of tension and whimsy as Yeon Ji-yeong (Im Yoon-ah), a rising star in the world of French cuisine, suddenly finds herself catapulted centuries into the past during a solar eclipse, her hands full of a mysterious cookbook and her mind buzzing with disbelief.
Landing in the Joseon era, Ji-yeong's life takes an unexpected turn when she encounters King Lee Heon, a ruler notorious for his tyrannical ways yet revered for his refined palate.
What could have been a straightforward execution quickly morphs into an unusual arrangement: she must serve as the king's personal chef, each dish a delicate negotiation between survival and culinary expression.
The series thrives on this tension, using food not just as a prop but as the beating heart of the story. Every plate Ji-yeong prepares is an event, combining modern techniques with Joseon-era ingredients in ways that feel inventive and grounded in the show's whimsical logic.
Watching her prepare each dish is almost hypnotic; it shows that food, even on screen, can tell stories, spark laughter, and ignite curiosity.
Im Yoon-ah, reprising her role as Ji-yeong, carries the series with a confidence that makes her time-travelling chef feel credible despite the outlandish circumstances.
Her charm lies not in being perfect but in her warmth, her wry reactions to archaic customs, and her determined refusal to let the past dictate her modern sensibilities.
Opposite her, Lee Chae-min's Lee Heon is as handsome as he is aloof, a character whose menace is undercut by his unabashed delight in Ji-yeong's culinary creations.
Their chemistry crackles quietly through teasing glances, accidental mishaps, and moments of shared understanding, giving the show its emotional anchor.
The supporting cast adds further depth, from the ambitious concubine Kang Mok-ju to the scheming Prince Je Seon, creating palace intrigues that simmer just beneath the surface without overshadowing the central narrative.
Even as the story touches on historical cruelty, echoing the real-life figure of Yeonsangun, the series smartly distances itself from unrelenting darkness, keeping the tone playful and digestible for viewers.
Its historical inspirations lend weight to the drama, but the heart of the show remains firmly rooted in romance, comedy and food.
Visually, the series is a feast. The cinematography highlights the textures, colours, and sizzling drama of each dish, often making the viewer almost taste the flavours through the screen.
The careful attention to detail, whether in the royal kitchen, the palace gardens, or the intricate costumes, creates a vivid backdrop for the story without overwhelming it.
For all its charm, Bon Appetit, Your Majesty isn't without its flaws. The visual effects, especially in the eclipse sequences, look unpolished and often undercut the otherwise immersive period setting. At times, the writing leans on familiar gags and cliches, stretching certain scenes longer than they need to be. The pacing, particularly in the extended first episode, feels uneven and might test the patience of viewers looking for a tighter narrative.
The series falters in moments where clarity should have been its strongest ingredient. Certain narrative leaps feel glossed over, leaving questions that deserve more than a passing shrug. The balance between palace politics and the central food-driven premise occasionally tilts unevenly
And while the finale ties things together on a sweet note, the way it gets there feels rushed, with some important transitions left frustratingly vague. For a show that thrives on detail in the kitchen, it sometimes skimps on detail in the storytelling.
Bon Appetit, Your Majesty majorly succeeds because it knows exactly what it is: a rom-com set in an improbable past, where survival, romance, and culinary creativity collide. Even minor technical missteps, like the occasionally cartoonish eclipse effects, are forgiven in the face of such playful energy.
Its episodes, each named after a dish, give structure to the story while keeping the kitchen at the centre of the action. The series invites you to enjoy the absurdity, to delight in the food, and to root for Ji-yeong as she navigates a world that is utterly alien yet oddly familiar.
Whether you're drawn in by the promise of a rom-com, fascinated by historical intrigue, or just hungry for some seriously imaginative cooking, this series serves up entertainment that lingers long after the credits roll.
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Im Yoon-ah, Lee Chae-Min, Kang Han-na
