In K-drama Bon Appetit, Your Majesty, ‘the real protagonist is the cooking itself’
Bon Appetit, Your Majesty, a K-drama starring Im Yoon-ah as a time-travelling chef, has kick-started a global Korean food craze
Bon Appetit, Your Majesty, the tvN weekend drama that has stirred a global K-food craze, has unveiled behind-the-scenes details of its elaborate food sequences.
It is not only the food that has captured attention. The production also integrates traditional tools to substitute for modern kitchen appliances. For example, bamboo moulds are used to shape raw beef in a haute cuisine course, and noodle presses are adapted to make pasta for doenjang dishes.
Subtle details, such as chefs personally preparing dishes in front of diners to whet appetites, further enrich the viewing experience. Chef Yeon Ji-young’s plating style, using sauces and ingredients, is contrasted with Ming dynasty chefs’ focus on elaborate carvings, adding another layer of spectacle.
Major international outlets have also spotlighted the food. A Forbes article said that “the real star of the time-slip drama is the food”, while The New York Times noted that, though it mixes genres, at its core it is a romantic comedy that conveys love through the language of food.